HOW TO BEAT THE FLORIDA HEAT {2009}

By Vince Chiarelli, PTR, MRT and Owner of String Along With Vince in Largo

If you play tennis in Florida during July and August, you have to battle heat and humidity as another “opponent.” You need a plan for keeping cool and dry from head to toe, and from the inside out.

Starting from the inside, keep well hydrated with water and sports drinks that replenish electrolytes. Avoid carbonated soft drinks and alcohol. For your outside, put on a high-SPF waterproof sunscreen about 30 minutes before going out and don’t forget your ears. Wash your palms after applying the sunscreen to help keep your grip clean and non-slippery. Blot your face and arms when you get sweaty so you don’t rub off the sunscreen.

Wear a hat. Look for features like mesh for good airflow (Unique ultimate cap or Aussie hat), sunblock fabric (Wilson Solar Eclipse), coolmax fabric for moisture wicking (Coolmax caps by Headsweats), and washability. If you play at night and don’t need a hat, use an absorbent headband.

Most tennis apparel nowadays has a “fast-dry” feature. Some combine this moisture wicking with sunblocking. No need to weigh yourself down with sweat-soaked cotton. If you cannot wear the synthetic fabrics, take extra clothing so you can change into something dry during your match. Coolmax socks work to keep your feet drier. Some tennis shoes have special cooling features, too.
Rotate two or three pairs of shoes and slip out the insoles after wearing so everything can dry thoroughly before next use.

Putting something cool around your neck during changeovers will help prevent overheating. A wet towel will do and several products can also help: neck bands with cooling beads (Neck Bandoo by Blu Bandoo), a towel of special rubbery-feeling material you keep moist to chill you down (Chilly Pad by Frogg toggs), and a towel with a special section to hold ice (CoolPouch).

Losing your grip is probably the most common problem in Florida summers. You can wear wrist bands to stop sweat running onto your hands. If you want a high-tack feel on your grip, use rosin (available in pouches), sticky gauze tape, or a non-rosin tack-cloth like Head’s Grip Enhancer or Gamma’s Tacky Towel. Tacky overgrip fits into this picture. If you want your hand and grip as dry as possible, use dry-feel overgrip and try one of these products: Hand-Dri (powder in a pouch), Prince Princegrip Plus (in a squeeze bottle), Dry-Grip hand antiperspirant lotion, or Cramer Firm Grip Powder (in a shaker).

One final reminder: store your racquet out of the heat to get full life out of your strings. Have a fun summer!

COPYRIGHT 2009