Over the many years I spent completing my diploma, degree and masters in different avenues of Sport Performance, and also teaching Physical Education and coaching athletics, riding, badminton, tennis, you name it - i've taught it, one aspect of sport performance that is often overlooked is how heat affects your performance - in a big way.
In sport, we obsess over training plans, nutrition, hydration, and mindset — but there’s a powerful performance factor that often gets overlooked:
Your body temperature.
Whether you’re riding, running, lifting, or pushing toward a personal best, how hot your body is can dramatically affect your performance — sometimes more than your level of fitness.
When you overheat, performance drops - FAST.
We all know how heat is generated - through muscle contractions. The two most effective things your body does to cool itself down is 1. Sweat and 2. The blood comes to the surface in hopes that it can catch a breath of fresh air to cool itself down. Now here's the thing - there are still millions of riding apparel items worldwide that are still using fabrics that retain heat. That's why we created the DW Revolution XCOOL.
But, I'm not here to sell you the breeches, i'm here to help you understand the ins and outs of how overheating actually makes you suck a little more than you think.
🧠 Your Brain Will Force You to Slow Down
As your temperature rises:
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Reaction time slows down
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Mental focus declines
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Decision-making becomes harder
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Motivation drops
In sports requiring precision and fast decision making — jumping a course, hitting a line, sprinting to the finish — a hot brain is a slow brain.
So imagine you're riding a 5* track and you're overheated... that not only affects your performance, but also your safety.
💧 Hydration Isn’t the Whole Story
You can hydrate well and still struggle if your temperature regulation is poor.
Research shows that dehydration combined with heat stress can reduce athletic performance by up to 20%, but even when hydration levels are maintained, high core temperature alone can impair muscle function and endurance.
Hydration keeps your cooling system working.
Temperature determines whether you can actually perform. ISN'T THIS WILD!
Final Takeaways
There are actually a ton of other factors that impact your body physically and mentally when overheated - cramps, fatigue, dizziness, less blood available to your working muscle, a massive reduction in coordination - the list goes on. But, what I really want to say is this 👇
A small temperature change can make for a BIG Performance WIN!
Even reducing body temperature by 0.5°C (1°F) can:
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Increase endurance
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Improve reaction time
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Lower perceived effort (“it feels easier”)
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Delay fatigue
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Reduce stress on heart and lungs
Better thermoregulation = better performance.
My advice to you is to buy products that are going to support you as an athlete, not as a horse riding model. There are many brands that promote luxury and comfort, which is great, but make sure they support your vision of the athlete you aspire to be.
Buy for performance, not for 'luxury' x
Rose Cruden (CEO & Founder)
The Brave Pants Co
