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Practice during summer and extremely hot weather is really difficult, (for me, and may be for you as well).
Would you have any specific exercise to ease the practice session ? I tend to feel like a beginner with no air support, bad embouchure, short of breath and overall feels my practice session harms more than does good.
Should I focus on easier pieces (below my actual skills), technique or just shorten the practice session?
Breath is not everything for woodwind instruments, sight reading, technique are also among them.
What you can try is to practice what you are working on now with the clarinet but without having the beak in mouth. Play the keys as usual but instead of blowing in the instrument say the notes names for instance. This let you practice without overdoing your breath in the hot weather and without frustration of getting to easier pieces…
Just for the small story, I used to practice like that a lot on the saxophone, in order to annoy as little as possible my neighbors, usually the first half of the practice session. The other half breathing in the instrument allowed me to concentrate more on the sound than on the technique. Sounds simple but found it worked pretty well, and might be suited in your situation!
Hope it helps!
I don't think this is a music question. Millions of wind musicians, along with, e.g., millions of distance runners, continue to work thru hot or other inimical weather conditions. Aside from the possiblity of installing air conditioning in your practice space, heat and humidity may make you uncomfortable (and sleepy!), but they in no way preclude a normal healthy person from working hard.
Keep a towel and a bottle of water next to you, and see if you can't work up your endurance. If not, then, as other folks have suggested here, you may need to get a medical evaluation.
