Can I take a shower after working out in the gym?

There is really no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. It all depends on your current exercise intensity, physical condition, and the way you bathe.

I have been going to the gym for almost six years, and I have gone through countless pitfalls. Last summer, I tried to PR in the deadlift. After lifting 190 pounds, my whole body was steaming. Sweat dripped down from the tips of my hair, and there were small marks on the mat when I fell. I felt that the locker room was stuffy, so I turned on the cold water faucet and showered for three minutes. It was so refreshing. That night, my throat hurt. The next day, my fever reached 38.2 degrees. I didn’t dare to touch the barbell for a whole week, which was a loss to my grandma’s house.

There are also many friends who often practice together saying that they are fine if they wash immediately after each practice. I asked around and found that most of them are doing low-intensity aerobics or yoga. The body temperature does not rise much and the amount of sweating is not large. If you wash it with warm water close to the body temperature, there will indeed be no problem. On the contrary, it can quickly relieve the sticky feeling, change into clean clothes and go out feeling refreshed.

Don't listen to the argument that you should never take a shower after training. Think about it, the shower room in the gym is originally prepared for people who have finished exercising. The sticky sweat stains mixed with the dust in the air and the residual disinfectant on the equipment are covered in quick-drying clothes for half an hour. Not to mention that the smell is so bad that everyone around you avoids it. Friends who are prone to acne on their backs may get several red rashes after a day of boredom, which is not worth the gain.

The key pitfall to avoid is actually "wash as soon as you stop exercising", especially after you have just finished high-intensity strength training, sweaty HIIT or long-distance jogging. Your pores are fully open to dissipate heat, and the blood vessels on the epidermis are still in a state of expansion. If you flush cold water at this time, the blood vessels will suddenly contract, the blood pressure will jump up, not only the burden on the heart is heavy, but also it is very easy to catch a cold.； It doesn’t work if you use extremely hot hot water. Blood vessels are already dilated, and when stimulated by high temperatures, they dilate even more. If there is insufficient blood supply to the brain, it is easy to faint in the bathroom. Previously, there was a young man in our gym who directly poured 42-degree hot water after practicing his legs. Halfway through the wash, his legs became weak and he couldn’t stand. The coach helped him.

In fact, the operation is simple. After practicing, find a ventilated place to rest for about ten minutes, drink some warm electrolyte water, wait until the sweat is almost gone, and the heartbeat jumps from more than 100 to the resting seventy or eighty, then you can rush again. Don’t make a fuss about the water temperature. If it's particularly cold or hot, it should be warm to the touch without irritating the skin. Don't wash it for too long, just wash away the smell of sweat. Don't rub it in for half an hour. You'll be a little weak after exercise. It's easy to feel dizzy after being stuffy for a long time.

If you have basic medical conditions such as high blood pressure or heart disease, don’t worry. It won’t be a waste if you take an extra three to five minutes of rest. If something happens in the bathroom, it’s not a big deal.