If you ask any athlete what their worst experiences are playing whatever sport they’ve chosen, its likely that they’ll tell you about the heat.

Extreme temperatures are enough to get people to drip sweat, even if they’re just walking down the street.

Imagine being in a wide field with no shade or breeze, sprinting your heart out in order to become a better athlete.

It’s the worst.

We’ve heard plenty of stories about players dying during conditioning in the past, whether they had an unknown heart defect, or they simply couldn’t push anymore.

There have been enough lawsuits and mandates from leagues to prevent more deaths, but that isn’t going to stop athletes at all levels from feeling the burn, in more ways than one, each and every summer.

But why? Why put someone through their paces in the worst environment possible?

Because it builds endurance, toughness and character.

The camaraderie you feel standing side by side with a fellow struggling player builds a bond the carries on into games and into real life.

The pain you feel in your lungs prepares you for games. The awful feeling of a conditioning test makes the exhaustion you’d feel during an actual game feel like nothing.

And the feeling once you’re done is the greatest relief there is.

Most of the time, conditioning takes place in the morning. You could call it a rough start to the day, but everything seems much easier after a tough training session, even if you’re still pretty sore.

With the temperature in Charleston consistently hovering over 90 most days, picking the knees up is a pain for plenty of Eastern’s athletes and workout enthusiasts in the area.

For those not required to get exercise, most wouldn’t dare to lace up and take off under the powerful summer sun to get their cardio in.

Now are the days of heading inside into the air conditioning and pushing the body comfortably.

But I encourage anyone trying to get in shape to test their willpower under the sun. A good sweat will get your day started off right and build confidence moving forward. It’s prime time to get in shape anyway, with everyone wearing less clothes in the sweltering heat.

An image change, health upgrade and confidence boost is waiting right outside your door – if you’re brave enough to take the challenge.

Joshua Bryant can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].