If your gym keeps the weight room really warm, the temperature could affect your performance. That’s what a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology suggests. Researchers compared how many leg extensions healthy male subjects could perform at room temperate to what they could manage after being immersed in 107 degree water right before exercise. The difference was a 36% quicker time to exhaustion.

True Strength Moment: While you probably aren’t using a hot tub before lifting, this research shows how heat can decrease your tolerance for exercise. Getting a run in or working on skills drills under a hot sun, or in an overheated gym, might get in the way of your reaching a new personal best. Remember to keep pace with hydration too, even if you’re trudging through winter snow.