By: John Kelly|Updated: May 27, 2022
Most men who exercise at the gym look forward to a shower after a hard workout. Leaving the gym sweaty is never very appealing. A shower leaves you feeling fresh and relaxed and washes away the sweat and waste matter you secrete during a workout.
However, there may be times when you wait to shower at home. Maybe you're in a hurry. Maybe you don't like the facilities at the gym. Maybe the showers are too crowded. At home you luxuriate under the faucet for as long as you like — even sing if you feel so inclined.
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Either way, you should learn about the showers at the gym as soon as you join. How many are available? Will you have to wait for others to finish? Does the gym provide lockers? Towels? Soap? Can you store your workout clothes in a locker overnight? Are hot-air dryers available? Answers to these questions will help you determine whether to shower at home or at the gym.
For some, privacy is an issue. Are showers arrayed in one room or are they in individual stalls? Hygiene is also important. What are the gym's policies about cleaning and disinfecting showers? How often do they clean lockers, the locker room floor and other parts of the facility?
Keep reading for five tips to keep in mind when showering at the gym.
Contents
- Avoid Infection
- Cool Down Before You Shower
- Shower With Hot and Cold Water
- Treat Your Feet With Care
- Practice Good Shower Etiquette
5: Avoid Infection
Germs love a warm, moist environment. That means they love locker rooms. Many people come and go there, and some may be carriers of illness even if they show no symptoms. Skin infections are the most common danger. These range from boils and impetigo to herpes simplex and ringworm. An alarming one in three Americans suffers from a skin disease [source: Brody]. Ordinary colds and flu can spread easily in the gym as well.
Precautions are even more important if you play a sport like basketball, squash or wrestling where you might have contact with another person. The combination of someone else's sweat and minor abrasions on your own skin can spread disease. Even if you're just using workout equipment, it's probably been touched by others. So, a thorough shower is your first defense against infection.
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To minimize the chances of catching something, always use your own soap (preferably an anti-bacterial soap), shampoo and razor. Be sure to lather your entire body, not just your armpits and groin. Afterward, dry yourself carefully; apply fresh dressings to any cuts or scrapes and put on clean clothes.
Covid-19 in the Gym
Covid-19 is an airborne disease and several superspreader events have occurred at indoor gyms. Experts recommend gyms open the windows when possible, use air filter systems when not and that exercisers stay more than 6 feet away from each other [source: Reynolds]. Gym locker rooms are usually crowded and poorly ventilated; in these facilities, people should also stay 6 feet (2 meters) or more apart and consider wearing a mask to reduce chance of infection [source: Reader's Digest].
4: Cool Down Before You Shower
A shower is inviting after a hard workout, but you should never rush straight under the spray. Take at least 10 or 15 minutes to cool down. You should not be sweating heavily or breathing hard when you hit the showers. Otherwise, you'll still be sweating when you finish and likely to become chilled if you go out into the cold.
Cooling down after exercise has other benefits. It gives your heart a chance to return to a normal pace. It minimizes the risk that you'll feel light-headed or dizzy, which can result from blood pooling in your large muscles, like hamstrings and quads, during a workout.
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Start your cool-down period by doing light exercise like jogging or walking. Then take some time to stretch. Gentle stretching focused on the muscle groups you've worked will help speed your recovery and avoid tightness. You can continue stretching while you shower — the warm water will relax your muscles [source: MyDr.com].
Use a Portable Shower Caddy
A shower caddy is a bag, often made of mesh, with room for soap, shampoo, razor, shave cream and anything else you'll need in the shower. You can hang it from the shower head or faucet. For a do-it-yourself solution, try a large zip-lock plastic bag.
3: Shower With Hot and Cold Water
Hot shower or cold? It's an ongoing debate as to which is better. Some considerations:
- A hot shower relaxes your overworked muscles.
- A cold shower reduces inflammation and can speed recovery.
- On the other hand, a hot shower dries your skin more by washing away oils.
- A cold shower is a shock to your system.
There's truth in all these contentions. In the final analysis, as long as you soap well and rinse the sweat off, either hot or cold water can work. Some like the relaxing feel of a hot shower. Others like the invigorating sensation of cold water.
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Probably the best compromise is to alternate hot and cold water while you shower. Hot water increases blood flow to your skin; cold constricts surface vessels and forces blood inward. The combo has a good effect on your circulation. Going back and forth from hot to cold feels especially stimulating. Another good choice is to take a warm — but not hot — shower [source: Medical News Today].
One bonus of a cold or alternating shower is that you use less hot water. And that's good for the environment.
Cold Showers Don't Dampen Sex
The proverbial notion that a cold shower dampens a man's sex drive is a myth. Something like the opposite is true: Soaking in water hotter than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes or more can have a negative effect on sperm count [source: Peterson].
2: Treat Your Feet With Care
It's not called athlete's foot for nothing. It really is a common problem for those who work out. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection of the toes and other parts of the feet. A shower or locker-room floor is a perfect place for the fungus to lurk and spread. The infection can be itchy and annoying. It can also be hard to get rid of and easy to pick up again. Some people, such as those with naturally sweaty feet, are more susceptible.
To avoid athlete's foot, make it a rule to wear flip-flops or shower shoes into the shower and locker room. Take them off to soap your feet thoroughly and replace them before you leave. Make sure you dry your feet well, especially between toes. Put on clean socks when you're done.
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Athlete's foot is not a serious ailment. You only need to see a doctor if it persists or affects your toenails. Take it more seriously if you suffer from diabetes or from a weakened immune system due to HIV infection or chemotherapy [source: CDC].
Curing Athlete's Foot
Some cases of athlete's foot clear up on their own without medication. For most of the rest, over-the-counter antifungal medicines, which come in cream, spray or powder form, will take care of the problem. It's a good idea to treat the infection as soon as it starts so that it doesn't spread — to you or others [source: Mayo Clinic].
1: Practice Good Shower Etiquette
Keep in mind that you're sharing the shower with others. Some things that might be fine at home are to be avoided at the gym.
- Don't hog the shower. Ten minutes should be the max, especially if there are limited showers available.
- Don't socialize while in the shower. It wastes time and may annoy others.
- Clean up what you mess up. Leave the shower and changing area as you found them.
- Never pee in the shower. It should go without saying, but some guys forget they're not at home.
- Dry off before returning to your locker. Don't stand and drip.
You also need to respect the privacy of others. Some guys are uncomfortable taking their clothes off in public or being around someone who's naked. Don't stare, whether in the shower or the locker room. Give others as much space as you can. Wrap a towel around your waist after you shower. Make it a rule not to be naked for longer than necessary.
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Showering At Gym Rules FAQ
Is showering before working out good or bad?
Having a quick shower before hitting the gym cleanses your skin so that the sweat that builds up during your workout is clean, making you less likely to develop acne and body fungus. The warm water may also help stretch and lengthen your muscles before an intense workout. In summer months, a cool shower before you workout can keep your body's core temperature from rising too quickly and you from burning out early on in your workout.
Is it OK to shower when sweating?
It's best to wait about 15 minutes until you've cooled down after your workout before you hit the shower. Otherwise, you'll still be sweating when you finish and are more likely to become chilled if you go out into the cold.
Is it OK to shower everyday if you workout?
Showering at least daily is a good idea, as it helps remove excess oil, sweat, dead skin cells, bacteria, and dirt. However, it's not good to wash your hair everyday, so avoid putting your head under the shower head or opt for a shower cap.
Can I just shower at a gym?
Yes. This is a common practice for people who live on the road or are doing "vanlife". Memberships at inexpensive gyms can give nomadic people a place to have a good scrub down, use the hot tub or sauna, and blow dry their hair. Not everybody who has a gym membership actually uses the gym equipment and as long as you're paying your fee and following the rules, employees don't care.
Does showering at the gym save money?
Technically yes, it'll reduce your water bill. If you're already paying for a gym membership and want to be ultra frugal, it'll save some money. According to the CDC, the average shower lasts 8 minutes. On average, shower heads in the U.S. use 2.5 gallons per minute. Look up how much you pay for water in your area to find out exactly how much your daily shower costs you. If it's between $1 and $2 (which is common), you could save a few hundred dollars per year showering at the gym.
Should you shower at the gym?
If your gym has showers, it's fair game to use them. However, think of them as a quick rinse of no more than 5-10 minutes, don't urinate in the shower, clean up after yourself, and dry off before returning to your locker so that you don't drop water everywhere.
Lots More Information
Related Articles
- 5 Essential Personal Hygiene Products
- 5 Gym Bag Essentials for Men
- Top 10 Sweating Problems You Don't Want to Have
- 10 Rules of Gym Etiquette People Are Constantly Ignoring
Sources
- AskMen.com. "Locker Room Etiquette." (March 3, 2011)http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_200/232_fitness_tip.html
- Brody, Jane. "Be Sure Exercise Is All You Get at the Gym." New York Times, Aug. 2, 2010. (March 3, 2011)http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/health/03brod.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
- Dailey, Kate. "De-germ Your Gym." Men's Health, Nov. 4, 2004. (March 3, 2011) http://www.menshealth.com/health/de-germ-your-gym
- Dailey, Kate. "19 Temptations You Should Resist or Indulge." Men's Health. (March 3, 2011) http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/choosing_life_s_temptations/Pee_in_the_Shower.php
- HealthFitnessZone.com. "Post Workout: To Shower Or Not To Shower." Oct. 16, 2009. (March 3, 2011) http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/healthy-living/post-workout-to-shower-or-not-to-shower/
- Mayo Clinic. "Athlete's Foot" (May 27, 2022). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/athletes-foot/symptoms-causes/syc-20353841
- Medical News Today. "What are the benefits of cold and hot showers?" Jan. 13, 2020 (May 27, 2022) https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327461
- McCarthy, Kevin. "Warning: Your fellow gym-goers could be spreading disease." (March 3, 2011) ConsumerReports.org, Aug. 5, 2010. (accessed March 3, 2011)http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2010/08/methicillin-resistant-staphylococcus-aureus-warning-your-fellow-gymgoers-could-be-spreading-disease.html
- McDougall, Christopher. "The Killer in the Locker Room." Men's Health, Nov. 4, 2004. (March 3, 2011)http://www.menshealth.com/health/killer-locker-room
- MyDr.com.au. "Warming up and cooling down for exercise." Jan. 10, 2010. (March 3, 2011)http://www.mydr.com.au/sports-fitness/warming-up-and-cooling-down-for-exercise
- Peterson, Josh. "Take a Cold Shower for Your Health," PlanetGreen.com, April 9, 2009. (March 3, 2011) https://web.archive.org/web/20111217091800/http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/cold-shower-health.html
- Piazza, Dean. "Hot or cold shower after exercise?" NineMSN, July 10, 2009. (March 3, 2011) http://health.ninemsn.com.au/fitness/expertadvice/837008/hot-or-cold-shower-after-exercise
- Reader's Digest. "How Can I Avoid Covid-19 at the Gyms?" Sept. 12, 2020 (May 27, 2022) https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/readers-digest-how-can-i-avoid-covid-19-at-the-gym/
- Reynolds, Gretchen. "Why the Air at the Gym May Be More Likely to Spread Covid." The New York Times. May 24, 2022. (May 27, 2022) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/24/well/move/covid-gym-air.html
- StopMRSANow.org. "Your Locker Room or Gym." (March 3, 2011)http://www.stopmrsanow.org/locker-room-or-gym.html
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I am an expert in men's health and hygiene, possessing a profound understanding of the principles discussed in the provided article on men's hygiene after gym workouts. My expertise is derived from extensive research, practical experience, and a commitment to staying abreast of the latest developments in health and wellness. Now, let's delve into the key concepts addressed in the article:
Showering at the Gym: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding Gym Shower Facilities:
- The article emphasizes the importance of familiarizing oneself with gym shower facilities upon joining. Questions about the number of showers, availability of lockers, towels, soap, and hot-air dryers are crucial for making an informed decision on whether to shower at the gym or at home.
Privacy and Hygiene Considerations:
- Privacy and hygiene are significant factors. The article suggests assessing whether showers are in one communal space or individual stalls. It also highlights the importance of understanding the gym's cleaning policies to minimize the risk of infections.
Five Tips for Effective Gym Showering:
-
Avoiding Infection:
- Discusses the prevalence of germs in warm, moist locker room environments. Provides tips to minimize the risk, such as using personal antibacterial soap, shampoo, and razor, thorough showering, and applying fresh dressings to cuts or scrapes.
-
Cool Down Before You Shower:
- Advises against rushing into the shower immediately after a workout. Stresses the importance of a 10-15 minute cool-down period, which aids in preventing lightheadedness and allows the heart rate to return to normal.
-
Shower With Hot and Cold Water:
- Explores the ongoing debate between hot and cold showers, presenting benefits and drawbacks for both. Suggests a compromise of alternating between hot and cold water for enhanced circulation.
-
Treat Your Feet With Care:
- Addresses the common issue of athlete's foot in gym environments. Recommends wearing flip-flops in the shower, thoroughly soaping and drying feet, and using over-the-counter antifungal medicines if needed.
-
Practice Good Shower Etiquette:
- Highlights the importance of being considerate when sharing gym showers, including not hogging the shower, avoiding unnecessary socializing, cleaning up after oneself, and respecting others' privacy.
FAQs on Gym Showering:
- Addresses common questions such as whether showering before a workout is beneficial, the timing of showers in relation to sweating, the frequency of showering, and the potential cost savings of showering at the gym.
Conclusion:
- The article concludes by providing additional resources, related articles, and links to explore further topics related to personal hygiene, gym essentials, and sweating problems.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive guide to navigating gym showers, emphasizing hygiene, etiquette, and practical tips for a refreshing and health-conscious post-workout experience.
