Saunas - FreeTrainers.com Forums

Group: All Else Lounge

All Else Lounge

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 42, Messages: 22740

This is the place you can discuss anything else that is on your mind that isn't already covered by other groups. Share what's on your mind and see who else has something to say about it!

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Saunas

hesterf Posts: 25 Joined: 2008/06/12	2008/06/13, 04:21 AM Hi everybody! I'm living in Asia at the moment and they have tons of saunas everywhere. I was wondering if I will benefit from going to the sauna before/after a workout? Does it really have as many health benefits as the people here would like to believe?

wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/06/13, 11:12 AM They're popular among olympic weightlifters as a form of passive warm-up, but other than that, the health benefits are largely exaggerated. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
	2008/06/13, 12:13 PM Yeah, a billion Asians are wrong. Enjoy your sauna hesterf. When in Rome and all that...I'd ask the locals and check it out for yourself. -------------- Sometimes life is like herding cats Charlie
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/06/13, 01:44 PM ============ Quoting from charlie826: Yeah, a billion Asians are wrong. ============= I'm not going to bother counting how many times this has happened throughout history. I'm not saying not to enjoy it, or that you'll get nothing out of it. Only that the benefits are less significant than they sound. People seem to think that elevating the heart rate 25% while sitting in a sauna is a replacement for exercise. Other people think they can "sweat out" fat and toxins. My cousin tells me that sweating cleans your skin. You know what else cleans your skin? Taking a shower. However, they do have their benefits, but not the ones most people think. They help loosen tight muscles and ligaments, increase blood flow volume, and aids the bodies ability to relax it's muscles. If you look carefully, these are the SAME benefits that you can get from doing a proper warm up. Raising core temperature prior to exercise is a good thing. It will not cause you to fight some infection that you may or may not have, though. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
hesterf Posts: 25 Joined: 2008/06/12	2008/06/15, 08:40 PM Thanks for all the input. The Asians tell me that it's especially beneficial if one sauna after a workout? Would you say that's only because it helps to relax your muscles? I'm not suggesting replacing a workout session with a sauna session, but surely there must be some kind of health benefit, since we have saunas at all the major gyms back in SA. I mean, why have them if there's no real benefit?
hesterf Posts: 25 Joined: 2008/06/12	2008/06/16, 07:57 PM :big_smile:You're definitely right about following the crowd. I should take care to be less gullible. Thanks for all the info and suggestions.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/06/16, 09:35 AM It may be. But then, stretching is probably even more relaxing for your muscles... ============ Quoting from hesterf: I mean, why have them if there's no real benefit? ============= Why use those "ab lounge" things? Why have gyms with all machine based exercises? Why sell something that promises to give you "rock hard abs" in 3 minutes a day without diet? Why do so many people train bench and biceps and then wonder why they have shoulder problems? Why train legs? Why do tai-chi? Why do high reps to "tone"? Thinking that something must make sense just because the majority practices it is stupid. People are stupid, and following the crowd will get you the same results as the crowd. -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2008/06/16, 09:37 AM Oh, and I would specifically avoid them after a cardio workout. There is data that suggest that they may not be cardiac friendly after high intensity cardiovascular exercise. Weight training is one thing, but I'd take at least 30 minutes after cardio before getting in one. It might be a small chance, but why take it? -------------- SQUAT MORE ~Jesse Marunde Blood Guts Sweat Chalk