Is Trinidad and Tobago's rising heat impacting athletes? Experts at the University of Trinidad and Tobago are pushing for increased awareness and education on heat management for athletes. Discover vital strategies to thrive in hotter conditions.
Athletic training officer Rayshan Chin highlights alarming temperature increases and future projections. Learn how to identify dehydration, monitor weight changes, and combat heat exhaustion effectively.
Challenging traditional training habits and debunking myths are crucial. Understand the real causes of sickness and the importance of proper rehydration. Explore practical tips such as acclimatization, extra water breaks, and strategic training times.
00:00Trinidad and Tobago is getting hotter and lecturers at the University of Trinidad and Tobago believe the rising temperature should be met by an increasing knowledge by athletes on how to thrive in hot conditions.
00:11Athletic training officer at UTT, Rayshan Chin, was prepared to present the facts in a session titled, Beating the Heat, Preventing and Managing Heat Illnesses in Athletes.
00:22In this diagram, we can see between 1951 and 1980, there was actually a reduction in temperature, in the mean maximum temperature.
00:32However, between 1981 and 2020, there was a 0.9 degrees Celsius difference.
00:40So you can just see how hot things are getting.
00:43And in this diagram, the mean temperature for Trinidad's seasonal climate outlook between September to November 2025, we can see that the entire country is at the above percentile for the temperature probability.
00:59She indicated the International Panel on Climate Change projects an increase in global temperatures by 1.5 degrees Celsius between 2030 and 2052.
01:10Chin mentioned that managing sporting performance in the heat will require an all-round approach, which includes understanding the signs of dehydration, monitoring weight changes and knowing how to combat varying levels of heat exhaustion.
01:24At present, former West Indies cricketer Tony Gray believes it will be a challenge changing the training habits of some local athletes.
01:30Yeah, I think that a lot of the problems we face with nutrition and rehydration, you know, it's about habits.
01:41The problem is that, you know, a lot of the athletes, because they come from environments that have not taught them about these important aspects of not just development, but, you know, keeping themselves safe from injuries.
01:54We have to retrain them and we have to retrain them and re-educate them's habits.
01:59So, I mean, this lecture is excellent.
02:01I must compliment you, but it has to be ongoing.
02:06The session also attempted to debunk some myths.
02:08In typical West Indian training, we are told that if you move from hot to cold, you get sick and that kind of thing.
02:13But, like, oh, I am sick now, it's not hot and cold that cause it.
02:16It is viruses and bacteria that cause sickness, not hot and cold.
02:20So, the concept of spraying the water on the person is to provide that fluid that will absorb the heat from the body.
02:27Chin mentioned, though, that there may be consequences from a sudden change in temperature on the body.
02:32It's a possibility.
02:34It's always a possibility when you drastically change your body temperature.
02:38However, in cases of heat stroke, that will be the most drastic change because that's when your body temperature is the highest.
02:49It could be a possibility.
02:50But, again, if we leave you at that high temperature, you would be at risk for death.
02:57She mentioned some strategies to combat the heat, including acclimatizing gradually to the heat,
03:02taking extra water breaks, and training outside of peak hours.
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