Sauna/Steam Room?

1113cw
1113cw Posts: 830 Member
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
My gym has both a sauna and steam room.. what is the difference between the two and what benefits are there to either? Should I use them after my workout? And if so, how, how long, etc?

Totally clueless.....

Replies

  • Deb2chef
    Deb2chef Posts: 43 Member
    The sauna is a dryer heat than a steam room, I find that a steam room cleanses your skin better and if you have dry skin a sauna may irritate it. As for weight loss I don't think theirs much difference between the two, your mainly loosing water through sweating.
  • 1113cw
    1113cw Posts: 830 Member
    I was curious since I heard that one/both "cleanse" your skin and insides as well. Not really thinking in terms of weight loss (doing enough work in the gym itself for that). Just really wondering if this could be something I should incorporate occassionally or if it wasn't really worth it at all. As I said, totally clueless. And, stupid question, I assume i go in with just a towel?
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    my heart rate monitor reports that I am at the same rate when in the dry sauna for 10 minutes as I achieve on the bicycle after ten minutes (around 110 bpm). I sweat out a massive amount of sweat, I feel fantastic, and I love the way my skin responds (what acne?). I have heard much theorizing about whether you actually burn a lot of calories in there or not, but I really like it. I try to stay in for 20min, but mostly I poop out between 10-15 minutes.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    You can go in wearing just a towel, but you can also wear your workout clothes. Whatever you are comfortable with. I just stay in my workout clothes and then right after I exit, I put on a big sweatshirt to keep warm and cover up how drenched I am...LOL
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    one last tip...dry sauna etiquette says you should please enter and exit as quickly as is reasonably possible, in order to keep the heat in. People who swing wide the door and mosey on in are letting all the heat out! Grrrr. Don't be that girl LOL
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
    Here's how I use them (did this today,as a matter of fact!) 5 min in dry sauna, 5 min in steam room, 5 minutes in the jacuzzi, and then 5 min floating in the cold swimming pool. Sometimes i increase the time in each, sometimes I do 2 or three circuits of that, but just doing what I described above leaves my body feeling super relaxed, my skin looks great, and I have less soreness after workouts. Enjoy!
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
    Oh - for this routine I do, I bring a swimsuit. But perfectly reasonable to hang out in the sauna or steam room with nothing but a towel. i agree about the door etiquette mentioned above.
  • 1113cw
    1113cw Posts: 830 Member
    Oh that sounds nice... though my gym only has the steam room and sauna, no jacuzzi or pool :angry:

    But thank you..tomorrow I think I may try the sauna after my work out... just wondering if anyone else incorporated this.
  • Deb2chef
    Deb2chef Posts: 43 Member
    Most sauna or steam rooms are mixed sex rooms so most people wear swim ware. take a towel to lay on in the sauna, or mop sweat away,
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    In the US perhaps, but in Europe and especially the Nordic countries it's different. And anyway, in Finland, sauna is almost a religion, but no health thing per se. I once used the sauna on the top floor of a very expensive hotel in Helsinki: excellent room service and beer between rounds.

    Wearing any clothing is just not done in nordic saunas, nor would I go to one in a gym, unless it's got a good stove and I can throw water on the stones myself. Where I live i've become a member of the Finnish Seaman's mission in order to use their excellent sauna. (Open just after working hours, so you can go straight from work and then home). Of course now, in Finland, almost every house has its own sauna.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    in the US, in the dry saunas you will find in a gym, you will short out the equipment and get in trouble if you toss water onto the device. Don't do that!:embarassed:
  • 1113cw
    1113cw Posts: 830 Member
    Most sauna or steam rooms are mixed sex rooms so most people wear swim ware. take a towel to lay on in the sauna, or mop sweat away,

    In my gym, each locker room (men & women's) each have their own sauna and steam room in the locker room. That being the case, I'd be fine in just a towel. I'm assuming that's the preferred method?
  • Deb2chef
    Deb2chef Posts: 43 Member
    If you went in naked in the UK you would be thrown out or arrested lol
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Most sauna or steam rooms are mixed sex rooms so most people wear swim ware. take a towel to lay on in the sauna, or mop sweat away,

    In my gym, each locker room (men & women's) each have their own sauna and steam room in the locker room. That being the case, I'd be fine in just a towel. I'm assuming that's the preferred method?
    yes perfectly fine
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    Thanks for the post and replies - very very helpful indeed! We have them everywhere I used to go since it is social thing ... but havn't gone in a long while ... now i will start going again.
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
    I'm loving the cultural insight! I have to admit, I think adding beer to whole thing is definitely an improvement, and I can certainly see the appeal of having one in your home. Though, here in Texas, you might as well just sit outside for a bit, now that I think about it. ;)
  • DKennedy1
    DKennedy1 Posts: 9
    My gym offers dry steam room and moist sauna in the shower area of the locker room. I've tried the dry heat option only twice, but didn't ever feel any benefit. I love the moist sauna though. I get a really good sweat going in there. Our pool and hot tub are located down the hall a bit, so going from one to another probably wouldn't work out as well for me.

    Our dry steam room has a sign saying that if you are found adding water to the rocks you may lose your gym privledges. The moise heat sauna has a sign requesting that you wear shorts or sit on a towel; so I guess going naked is expected.....

    I must say, I'm SHOCKED at the abandon that the ladies in the locker room have.... At least half of them walk around openly naked to and from the shower, in and out of the sauna's, etc. I live in an area with 3 local colleges (including one major university), and most of these women are beautiful, healthy, YOUNG women. Maybe if I had their shapely bodies I'd proudly walk around naked, too! Instead I'm just happy that a regular bath towel tucks in neatly around me now!
  • Ezwoldo
    Ezwoldo Posts: 369 Member
    Jockey use sauna's for getting them vital pounds down for a race that day so I would say that it will help you on weigh in day but you would be cheating yourself when it comes to it
  • satisemereststrange
    satisemereststrange Posts: 1
    for those who dont have jacuzzi or swimming pool, i usually spend 10-15 minutes in sauna, then another 10-15 minutes in steam room. after that i hit the shower. but first i open hot water tab, spend some time under it including soaping, washing hair and etc. finally, SLOWLY turn the heat down a bit by a bit. when i do this, it feels so great. i even enjoy the COLD water when doing this. and this makes our body heat get stablized too. feel really great.
  • DerekVTX
    DerekVTX Posts: 287 Member
    I really don't understand why some people have an issue with Nudity. Its just a human body after all.
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