Sauna before Workout

It is a common knowledge that a proper warm up is essential before every workout, for several reasons. Firstly, warm up loosens the muscles and prepares them for exercise. If you carry out an exercise without a warm up there are higher chances of injury, as the muscles and joints are stiff. Similar to other methods of warm up, people are also recommended to go for sauna before workout. Here we will see more on the benefits and also how to use sauna before exercise.

Benefits of Steam Bath Before Workout

Sauna is a steam room where one can experience wet and dry heat sessions. It is a small enclosed room where steam is formed by pouring water over hot rocks. One is benefited in several different ways due to the steam and heat in the sauna. The following are the sauna benefits before workout:

Sauna helps in relaxing the body and loosening up the muscles. Therefore, it works as an excellent method of warm up before any workout.
The hot atmosphere inside the sauna slightly increases the body temperature, which is also helpful in carrying out exercises.
Blood vessels also dilate due to the heat which leads to proper pumping of the heart. Hence, a sauna is even considered as a mild cardiovascular exercise.
Exposure to steam in the sauna also enhances metabolism. This is also one of the reasons why sauna is believed to help in weight loss.
Exposure to steam leads to excessive sweating. If you are aware, sweating helps in getting rid of the toxins from the body and hence, helps in rejuvenating the skin.
Lastly, sauna is one of the best methods of relaxation for the entire body.

How to Use Sauna

There are several things to consider before taking sauna. It is essential to have a proper diet before workout (a protein rich diet). As mentioned above, sauna leads to a lot of dehydration and hence, you should rehydrate your body properly before taking sauna. It is essential to take 25-30 oz. of water before actually going for sauna. When you enter the sauna, see whether the temperature is suitable for you or not. In order to gain the complete benefits of sauna, you should experience dry sauna for 10-15 minutes (and not exceed that). This duration is suitable for relaxation and loosening up of muscles. Sit in a comfortable position in the steam room and relax completely. You can even close your eyes to relax your body and mind completely. Dry your body with a towel once you are done with the sauna, after the prescribed time. It is also essential to rehydrate yourself after coming out of the sauna room and rest for a couple of minutes before proceeding to your workout.

Most trainers also recommend sauna after workout to detoxify the body and boost proper functioning of the body. Relaxation is obviously another benefit of sauna after workout. It is also recommended to follow sauna for 10-15 minutes after workout. There are several other things that you need to consider before going for sauna. If you suffer from heart diseases, high blood pressure, etc. you should go for sauna only after consulting a doctor. Secondly, if you feel dizzy in a sauna, try to go out of sauna within a minute. Lastly, it is not recommended to have a cold water shower immediately after a sauna as the temperature of the body is raised and a cool shower will lower it immediately which can lead to shock.

Due to the numerous benefits, going for it can be a good option. If not possible before workout, you can try having it afterwards. Lastly, one of the most important thing to remember is that you should not have sauna for more than 2 times in a single week. Take care!

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