WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — It's a Tuesday night, and it is hot outside. I mean, it's hot, hot, and nobody, including Matthew Velge, is missing a workout at the Squad CrossFit gym in West Palm Beach.
Velge said staying hydrated is key.
"Staying hydrated in the heat, especially in the humidity in Florida, is, like, really important," he said.
At the Squad, it can get pretty busy with large classes. So, they're making sure their large ceiling fan is running and the garage doors to the place are open.
The heat index in cities across Palm Beach County was high Tuesday. In West Palm Beach, the heat index was 102. in Wellington, it was 107, and in Boca Raton it was 109.
Folks like Velge work out five to six days a week. Not only five to six times a week, but sometimes even twice a day — and some of the folks even burn about 700 calories a workout.
Caity Schubiger is not only a CrossFit competitor but also a coach. She said the gym and her have a number of ways to help athletes get a good workout even in the heat.
"So, we encourage a lot of water breaks," she said. "Also, we try to not only encourage people to drink more water than they would normally drink. But also have some type of hydration. So, Pedialyte is a really good option. It's easy. You can literally buy a jug that's cold and ready to go."
Schubiger said the gym also offers amino energy drinks to bottled water.
Velge said even though it's hot, he's having a blast.
"Really good gym, and a really good experience with CrossFit," he said.
When it comes to the length of workouts, some cut them short but they're more intense, while others stick with the plan.
