Does leaving the fan switched on in the dojo reverse the effect of warm up exercises?

Question

While learning Kalaripayattu in a city, it was not done in a traditional mud-based basement, but in a school hall. So there were fans available. When we used to perspire profusely from an intense warm-up, we would ask the guru if we could turn on the fan; he advised us not to, saying it would negate all the effort we put into the warm-up because the fan would cool down the body.

Although it initially seemed to make sense, I later found it hard to believe, since the fan couldn't possibly reduce blood circulation, body temperature, muscle and joint mobility, to such an extent that it could make the warm-up pointless. I felt that as long as we continued with our exercises, it would be fine to leave the fan switched on at medium speed just to evaporate the perspiration and the stink it creates.

Is this an accurate assumption?

Answer 1

Yes, your assumption is correct.

Your body sweats in an effort to cool itself, due to either an elevated outside temperature, elevated internal temperature, or both. If you switch on a fan, all you do is assist the body in maintaining a normal operating temperature.

In fact, it would actually probably be more on the beneficial side, since if your core temperature remains elevated, you put more effort into cooling than you might otherwise, and your performance will be impacted as well.

Training in the heat, no cooling, no water is very old school thinking. At the best it slightly hinders training capacity, at the worst it can be hospital level dangerous.

Answer 2

Yes, you are correct. Having fans (or air conditioning) will do nothing to either help or hinder. Although, it will make you more comfortable.

A warm up is designed to stretch muscles and increase joint mobility. These are somewhat affected by temperatures as the hotter it is the less one needs to warm up. However, unless at an extreme range (anything between around 30 and 10 degrees is just fine), a normal warm up should be fine. Whatever the temperature, if you spend 5/10 minutes doing nothing, you might want to have a quick warm up.

In hot climates, you are better off staying well hydrated which means drinking during the session.