When I told some people who have been here before I was coming to China in the summer, they told me it would be hot. I was warned to cut my hair off, and be ready to sweat buckets. I kinda laughed and thought they where messing with me.I am a fairly large, furry guy(6’2″, 200 lbs) and I generate a lot of heat when I train. This comes in handy for Saskatchewan winters (-30c) and, surprisingly, not to bad for a summer in Shandong province(35c+).
I did sweat buckets, but all you have to do is drink lots of water to fix that problem. I found that training during the day, in the heat, helped me to open up more and increase my flexibility overall. Not talking about doing the splits or touching my calf to the ground, but feeling the stretch throughout my body while doing yilu. I really notice it in my qua and in my ankles. The minor hassle of having to wring out my shirt, shower, and change before every meal was worth the benefit I got from training in the heat here. I am really looking forward to returning again next summer.
