Can J.J. Watt Beat The Heat? NFL Star Visits Hometown Fire Department to Find Out

PEWAUKEE -- J.J. Watt is one of the toughest and most physically-gifted NFL athletes today.

But when he visited his hometown fire department in Pewaukee to participate in firefighter training for the Gatorade Beat the Heat campaign, he learned firsthand what everyday men and women go through to become firefighters.

Watt can land a 61-foot box jump, squat 700 pounds and routinely lead the NFL in tackles, but could he make it through firefighter training in the heat?

John Watt, retired firefighter, joined his son to help him take in the challenge on behalf of the Gatorade Beat the Heat educational campaign. J.J. tried his hand at the physical and technical training firefighters conduct in order to perform their daily duties which, as JJ points out, offer much greater consequences than he encounters on an NFL field.

The Beat the Heat program teaches youth athletes the importance of heat safety and staying hydrated during the hot summer months, which JJ needed to do plenty of as he pulled water hoses, climbed flights of stairs and put out fires – all in 86-degree weather in full firefighter gear that added to his 6-foot-5 289-pound frame.

Watch here, and see how J.J. Watt did:

“When you sweat, you lose more than just water,” said JJ Watt, Houston Texans defensive end. “So we need to replace that, we need to get you ready to go for the next day and we need to get you ready to continue your workout so you can be at your best.”

Research shows that dehydration or poor hydration can impair performance and increase the risk for heat illness.i To minimize the risk for fluid imbalances, athletes should follow individual hydration strategies based on their sweat rate, as sweat rates vary considerably between athletes. For example, sweat rates of ~500 athletes tested at GSSI over the past 15 years have ranged from ~0.5 to over 2.5 L per hour across various sports and environments.

Here are general hydration guidelines for athletes from the National Academy of Sports Medicine: