With sizzling temperatures and endless distractions, summer can be one of the hardest times to stay motivated. But the benefits of exercise — weight loss, increased energy, improved immune system, better health — are the same for every season, even when you’re faced with the heat of summer!

Here are some tips from personal trainer, Yanique, to help you stay cool while working out this summer:

1. Take a Dip — Heading to one of the YMCA’s 28 pools across the city is the obvious choice for escaping summer heat, but it can also be a great decision when it comes to fitness. In addition to keeping you cool, swimming can help you burn fat and build muscle. Swimming addresses a person’s mobility, flexibility, and physical strength all in one workout!
    
2. Workout Inside — If you belong to a gym, the summer is the best time to use it. If you can’t afford a full-time membership, you can also burn calories by doing simple workouts at home. Staying in air conditioning is the best way to have a safe workout in the summer. Your local New York City YMCA branch also offers several group exercise classes to keep you, cool, fit, and interested in fitness all summer long. 
    
3. Have a Ball — The early morning hours and the late evening hours are the coolest times of day to exercise. So, grab some friends and a basketball, soccer ball, football, volleyball — whichever you like — and hit the court!
    
4. Less is More — Achieve maximum burn in a shorter amount of time with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).  The non-stop approach keeps your metabolism stoked long after you're done, burning calories for up to 48 hours post-exercise.
    
5. Drink Up - Stay hydrated! Drinking plenty of water (most guidelines recommend 8-10 glasses a day) is important year-round, but in summer it becomes even more important as we need to replenish the water we lose through sweat. 

Click Here for YMCA Summer Membership Special