Can I take a shower after working out in the gym

Of course you can, but the premise is that you don’t rush to the bathroom as soon as you put down the dumbbells and barbells. Fitness enthusiasts who have been through the pit know that leaving a buffer period of about 10 minutes is more important than anything else.

In the past, I always heard two completely opposite opinions in the gym. The old-school trainers insist that you should never take a shower after working out. Not only will dampness enter the body, but also cause muscle loss. Young people who have just joined the gym feel that they are sticky and smelly after training, and they can't go out without washing. Both sides have their own reasons. The core is that they have not understood the timing of taking a shower.

On the shoulder training day last month, I did an extreme set of 18kg dumbbell shoulder presses. I just threw the dumbbells on the floor in the last set, and sweat flowed directly down my brow bone. I felt so sticky that I couldn't wait, so I wrapped myself in a towel and rushed to the bathroom. I turned on 42-degree hot water and showered for two minutes. I felt my chest was tight and my head was a little dizzy. Later, the coach scolded me that I deserved it, saying that when I just finished high-intensity training, the blood vessels all over my body were in a state of expansion, and the pores were like small doors that were not closed tightly. At this time, whether it was cold water or too hot water, it would stimulate the blood vessels to contract sharply or over-expand. Originally, most of the The blood is still supplying the muscles that have just finished exercising, but the flow is suddenly disrupted, and the oxygen supply to the heart and brain cannot keep up. It can cause dizziness and cold, or it may put a burden on the cardiovascular system, just like pouring cold water on a hot casserole can easily crack.

Of course, not everyone will have problems in the shower just after practicing. I know an old man who has practiced bodybuilding for seven years. His body fat has been maintained at around 10% all year round, and his metabolism is much faster than that of ordinary people. Every time he wipes his sweat after practicing, he directly washes it with warm water of about 38 degrees. After washing for so many years, he has not had any problems. This thing depends on personal tolerance, but we ordinary fitness enthusiasts are just to keep fit, so there is no need to take such a small risk.

In fact, it is not difficult to wait for those ten or so minutes. After practicing, you stand for a while, put the used equipment back to its place, chat with your partner about which movement made you feel better, or slowly take a few sips of sports drinks to replenish electrolytes. When the sweat is almost gone and the heart rate drops to less than 100 beats per minute, you can then take a warm shower, which can wash away the sticky sweat without adding any burden to the body. If the water temperature in the gym is unstable and hot and cold, we would rather wait a little longer than join in and suffer. After all, we come to exercise for comfort, not to get sick.