When we think of heat, we often imagine an enemy of performance. Yet, training in the heat, what we call heat training, can be one of the most powerful ways to improve. And thanks to tools like CORE Body Temperature and Vekta, it’s finally possible to calibrate these sessions with precision, maximising benefits while staying safe.

Heat Training: Much More Than Just Training

Heat training consists of deliberately raising core body temperature to trigger powerful physiological adaptations:

• Increase in plasma volume and hemoglobin mass → more blood, better oxygenation.

• Improved sweating efficiency → you stay cooler, longer.

• Enhanced aerobic energy production → lactate thresholds and CP pushed higher.

This type of training isn’t only useful for performing in hot conditions. It also improves performance in general through these physiological adaptations, helping you go beyond your limits.

In short: it’s not just heat tolerance, it’s a real performance boost!

CORE Body Temperature: The GPS of Your Internal Temperature

One of the major challenges of heat training is hitting the right core body temperature. Too low, and adaptations are limited; too high, and you take risks.

The ideal target zone is around 38.5 °C, a significant but controlled increase. Without measurement, it’s hard to know if you’re in the right thermal stress zone.

That’s where CORE Body Temperature changes everything, and when used with Vekta, it becomes even more powerful:

• Continuous, real-time measurement of core temperature.

• Different heat intensity zones to calibrate the session.

• Ability to adjust intensity, duration, or clothing to maintain the optimal stimulus.

In practice, it’s a bit like a power meter: impossible to imagine modern training without precise feedback.

How to Structure a Heat Training Session

With CORE Body Temperature and Vekta, you can not only target the right temperature from the start but also build and track these sessions directly in Vekta. That way, you’re training with precision while keeping everything in one place.

Here’s a typical protocol:

• Duration: 45 to 60 minutes

• Intensity: endurance zone (below the first lactate threshold)

• Thermal objective: stabilise core temperature around 38.5 °C or in Zone 3

• Frequency: 3 to 5 times per week, or 8 to 14 sessions in the 2–3 weeks before a key goal

If you are looking for heat training workouts, Vekta has teamed up with CORE. You can find them here and easily apply them to your plan.

Discover Heat Training Workouts

Analysing Heat Training Workouts

Building the session is one part of the process; analysing it is just as important. With Vekta, your CORE Body Temperature data is automatically pulled into your session files, so you can see exactly how your body responded during training.

You’ll find your CORE Body Temperature stream right alongside power, heart rate, and all the other metrics you already use. That means you can see when you reached your thermal target, how long you maintained elevated temperatures, and whether your strategy is paying off.

Why It’s So Powerful

Studies show that heat training:

• Increases VO₂max without additional training volume.

• Lowers heart rate at a given intensity.

• Enables sustaining higher power before fatigue sets in.

And with tools like CORE Body Temperature and Vekta, these adaptations become measurable and reproducible. You no longer “suffer” the heat, you exploit it to your advantage.

Quick Reminder: Hydration and Carbs

A good heat training protocol always goes hand in hand with strict hydration and nutrition. The goal is to lose as little water as possible during the session. You can weigh yourself before and after to know your deficit. Drink at least 500 ml of water with electrolytes during the session to limit fluid loss. Also consume carbohydrates during and after the session, since training in heat increases carb consumption. CORE Body Temperature also helps avoid extreme heat zones (Zone 4), which are counterproductive.

Conclusion

For cyclists looking for a physiological boost, heat training is a formidable weapon. And with CORE Body Temperature and Vekta, you can finally train with the same precision you get from tracking watts or heart rate.

In summary: heat becomes a tool, not a problem.