Is sweating a sign of a good workout?

Here's how to know if your workout has been effective

You know that incredible feeling after a great workout when your back is drenched in sweat and your face is red? It feels like you’ve just completed the toughest and most effective workout. Yep, we've all been there.

But is sweating actually a sign of a good workout? Read this article to learn why we sweat & what to look out for when measuring the effectiveness of a workout👇🏼

Nothing feels more powerful than when you’re pushing through a workout dripping with sweat, your hair a mess and your makeup smudged.

Facts first. Why do we sweat? 💦

Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down.

When we workout our muscles produce a lot of heat. Our body then releases water through our skin so our core temperature doesn’t get too hot. When the water evaporates off our skin it cools our body down.

How much you sweat is determined by genetics, gender, age, metabolic rate, the type of workout you do and the temperature around you.

Sweating does not mean your body is “detoxing” or “cleansing” itself - you simply cannot sweat toxins out of the body (unfortunately). That’s a job for your liver, intestines & kidney.

So, is sweating a sign of a good workout?

Firstly, you must remember that any workout you do is great!

Sweating doesn’t always mean the workout has been any more or less effective than if you don’t sweat, which makes it an unreliable indicator when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of a workout.​

The environment around you will influence how much you sweat; For example doing the exact same workout outside on a hot day will leave you sweating more than doing the same workout inside an air-conditioned gym.

The type of workout you do will also influence how much you sweat; While a pilates workout is super effective at strengthening your core muscles, it definitely won’t leave you as sweaty as a HIIT workout. Both workouts are effective and necessary, but in different ways.

The amount of muscle you have will determine how much your body has to work (and therefore sweat). If you have a lot of muscle, it means more muscle tissue is working at once. Because of this, your body is exerting a lot of energy at once causing it to overheat and therefor you sweating more.

On the contrary, if you don't have a lot of muscle but you're doing the same workout, the reason for you sweating a lot is because your muscles are working so incredibly hard which they're not used to. Once again, this means your muscles are exerting energy and producing a lot of heat.

Let's sum up

The benefits of sweating are incredible and there’s no shame in being the sweatiest person in the gym. It feels amazing and the benefits are endless.

And remember, just because someone working out next to you is drenched in sweat it doesn’t mean your workout is any less effective! So get out there and sweat your butts off in the gym. Sweating is amazing for your health, energy and confidence.

Ready to get sweating? Download trainn to sweat along to your own personalised training plan 💪🏼 Click below to start your 14 day free trial with trainn today!

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