Sweating at the gym: a plan for workout day
Sweating during exercise is normal: it is how the body cools down. What feels awkward is something else: a soaked t-shirt in the first ten minutes, marks on the bench, the smell in the changing room. Here is a simple plan for workout day, from the evening before to washing your kit.
Short answer
The evening before, apply a long-lasting antiperspirant to dry skin and do not shave your underarms just beforehand. Pack your own towel, a bottle of water and a change of clothes. The American College of Sports Medicine advises drinking so that weight loss during a session stays below 2%, and you can find out your own sweat loss by weighing yourself before and after training. The CDC advises not sharing towels and covering cuts. After training: a shower, dry clothes and washing your kit. Severe weakness, dizziness and nausea in the heat are a reason to stop.
The evening before
Preparing for a sweaty workout does not start in the changing room. A long-lasting antiperspirant works better when applied in the evening to clean, completely dry skin: at night sweating is naturally lower, and the product has time to work. We explained why in “Why antiperspirant is applied at night”.
If you remove underarm hair, do it in advance: the OKEY instructions advise waiting up to 48 hours after shaving or hair removal before applying the product.
What to pack
Pack your bag the night before so you do not forget anything in the morning:
- your own towel: the CDC advises not sharing towels, razors or clothing;
- a bottle of water;
- a spare t-shirt and underwear;
- a separate bag for wet kit;
- flip-flops for the shower;
- a plaster if you have a cut: the CDC advises covering cuts and scrapes with a clean, dry bandage until they heal.
During the workout
Drink according to thirst and a plan rather than gulping everything at the end. In the position stand of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the goal of drinking during exercise is to avoid losing more than 2% of body weight as water. Sweat rates vary greatly between people, so the ACSM recommends tailoring the amount individually.
An easy way to find out your own sweat loss is to weigh yourself without clothes before and after training: the difference in weight is almost entirely water lost through sweat (allowing for what you drank).
Put a towel on the bench and mat and wipe your face with your own towel rather than your hand. Shared surfaces and equipment are one of the ways skin infections spread, so wipe down the machine after you use it.
When to stop
Heavy sweating is not dangerous in itself, but in a hot, stuffy gym heat exhaustion can set in. The NHS lists these signs:
- tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea;
- heavy sweating, pale and clammy skin;
- cramps in the arms, legs or stomach;
- intense thirst, a raised temperature.
After the workout
Shower as soon as you can and change into dry clothes: wet clothing against the body is an extra reason for odour and irritation. Do not leave your kit in a closed bag until the morning. How to wash sportswear so it does not smell is covered in “How to get the sweat smell out of sportswear”.
If in the heat someone has hot, dry skin that is not sweating, is confused, has a seizure or loses consciousness, the NHS calls these signs of heatstroke: call 103 or 112 in Kazakhstan. With heat exhaustion, move the person somewhere cool, give them water and cool their skin; if they are not better within 30 minutes, they need medical help.
Bottom line: prepare the evening before
Sweating during exercise does not need to be stopped completely: it is how the body cools down. The goal is for your underarms, palms and feet not to get in the way of training. OKEY is applied the evening before and washed off in the morning, and the effect lasts through the day, workouts included. Do not apply it to skin with cuts or irritation.
OKEY is a long-lasting, fragrance-free antiperspirant for women and men in a 35 ml roll-on bottle. It suits all areas prone to excessive sweating. According to the instructions, it is applied in the evening before bed in a thin layer to clean, completely dry and intact skin, and any residue is washed off in the morning. OKEY is available on Kaspi for 7990 ₸ with a 14-day bottle return. Regular customers can buy it on our website okeystaydry.com for 6990 ₸ with free delivery to a Flip pickup point, without a return option. The buy button is below.
