Evidence based heat acclimation is critical for achieving peak performance, maintaining health, and developing resilience to physiological and psychological strain in hot environments. Traditionally, endurance exercise (60-120 minutes, 5-14 days) in a simulated hot environment has been used to induce heat acclimation; however, this protocol is not suitable for non-endurance athletes, which consist mostly of intermittent sport athletes, military personnel, and occupational workers. Intermittent-based exercise is likely more applicable to these populations. However, heat acclimation protocols with intermittent exercise (such as circuit-based training) have not been developed in any settings. This study will be extremely important and widely applicable because heat acclimation will 1) improve exercise performance in hot environments, 2) reduce the risk of heat illness and exertional heat stroke, 3) increase readiness and recovery to exercise, and 4) overall health, such as cardiovascular and immune benefits.
This study has been approved by the Human Research Protection Program at Texas Tech University.
