When it comes to playing in Houston, it’s not the heat, it’s not the humidity – it’s both. When Philadelphia Union travels to Houston this weekend they will be subject to some of the hardest playing conditions they will face this season.
Temperatures are expected to reach near 100 degrees this weekend, and on top of the heat, the humidity will be at 65 percent -- almost double what the Union are used to playing in Chester. The weather doesn’t just make the athletes feel comfortable; it also has a big effect on them physiologically.
Director of Performance Garrison Draper explains that the increase in outside temperature during a game causes an athlete’s body to utilize their carbohydrate storage faster.