We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
Is it normal to sweat this much while lifting?? (Sorry, TMI!)

kmca1803
Posts: 77 Member
Hi all!
I've just started lifting again after having a very long break from it. (I gained an unhealthy amount of body fat during that time off too!)
I'm enjoying the structure of the SL program, and as I'm only in my first few weeks, I can only lift 25kg but I'm striving for better all the time! I also do HIIT training a few times a week, and a bit of cardio (walking or riding) as I find it therapeutic and it helps me a bit with the DOMS.
My TMI question is, is it normal to sweat heaps while lifting? I'm used to sweating a lot after HIIT or cardio, but when I do my strength training session I warm up a bit then just get on with the program. However, I'm just as sweaty at the end of it as I am when I do my other sessions!
I guess I'm having trouble reconciling a lifting session with the same cardio load as a HIIT session. Anyone have any explanations or similar experiences, or is it just me?
I've just started lifting again after having a very long break from it. (I gained an unhealthy amount of body fat during that time off too!)

I'm enjoying the structure of the SL program, and as I'm only in my first few weeks, I can only lift 25kg but I'm striving for better all the time! I also do HIIT training a few times a week, and a bit of cardio (walking or riding) as I find it therapeutic and it helps me a bit with the DOMS.
My TMI question is, is it normal to sweat heaps while lifting? I'm used to sweating a lot after HIIT or cardio, but when I do my strength training session I warm up a bit then just get on with the program. However, I'm just as sweaty at the end of it as I am when I do my other sessions!
I guess I'm having trouble reconciling a lifting session with the same cardio load as a HIIT session. Anyone have any explanations or similar experiences, or is it just me?

0
Replies
-
For me, yes. I sweat a lot. Hell, I sweat when I get nervous, anxious, excited, stressed and sweat buckets when I'm doing something physically taxing, like lifting. It's a lot of energy you're exerting there!0
-
i don't think i'ts just you. it varies a little for me by how hydrated i am, and also by how hard i'm working that day. but i certainly have had a lot of times where i had to lean on the bar and wipe my face on the edge of my shirt after a set.
and i don't know anything about the hard cardio/calorie numbers, but i bike a lot and lifting is way more of a cardio load while it lasts, for me. maybe i'm just a lazy cyclist :-) i'll tell you this though, because i thought it was interesting at the time. i've been biking for years, but i've always had pretty much the same pulse rate. but last summer after i'd been lifting for a couple of months, i got into tracking that again for a while, and it had dropped dramatically - like, by 10 beats per minute or more. i'm not 100% sure that it was the lifting as other things had changed too at around that time. but i don't think lifting heavy can be bad for your cv system.0 -
Indeed. I sweat during lifting sessions, in particular when doing heavy squats or deadlifts. I don't notice it as much during things like bench or OHP.
0 -
Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. Yesterday I was a ball of sweat when other times I could have gotten my makeup done before and looked fine.0
-
If I go start into lifting, I sweat a bit on deadlifts and squats but not a ton. If I do 10 mins of cardio to warm up then I continue to sweat a lot while I lift.0
-
Same here. Mostly sweat with squats and deadlifts. And I'm out of breath. It's hard work lifting heavy stuff0
-
I sweat so much. It's ridiculous. I turn the big industrial fan on and have it blow in my face to keep the sweating down.0
-
I sweat on the ohp and deadlift days too. This is where it is the most taxing, I think.0
-
I sweat a lot. I'm always hugely pitted out within minutes of starting which is super attractive.0
-
OK... I have another TMI question. Can I just piggyback it here instead of starting a new thread? Because there is no way I am going to start a topic with a title like this...
I notice when I am lifting (and idk about cardio because no mirrors there), my ladies are constantly "at attention"This isn't a chronic problem otherwise that I know of, like I don't see this happening when I am at home in my pajamas and stuff. But when I am lifting I have two headlights like, all the time.
Luckily my boobs are super small now so they aren't out in your face but....
Does this happen to anyone else?0 -
threnjen - It happens to me. My hubby says it's because of blood circulation when working out. I just wear padded sports bras.0
-
@threnjen : yep. I wear a padded bra as well.0
-
Never even noticed but I tend to worry about whether shirt is showing cleavage or not as my shirts I bought almost 50 lbs ago show more now from being too big and that makes me a little self conscious.0
-
I wear a sports bra and workout top so I don't notice if my ladies are trying to say hi. But as @dcresider suggests, it could be circulation working at its best. A good sign I say!0
-
I wish my ladies got less of it then because I have terrible circulation and have chronically numb fingers and toes (especially when it's cold) :P
I don't have a padded sports bra so I guess I just have to suck it up. At least I am president of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee now and they won't be poking anyone's eye out =/0 -
I wish my ladies got less of it then because I have terrible circulation and have chronically numb fingers and toes (especially when it's cold) :P
I don't have a padded sports bra so I guess I just have to suck it up. At least I am president of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee now and they won't be poking anyone's eye out =/0 -
I wish my ladies got less of it then because I have terrible circulation and have chronically numb fingers and toes (especially when it's cold) :P
I don't have a padded sports bra so I guess I just have to suck it up. At least I am president of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee now and they won't be poking anyone's eye out =/0
This discussion has been closed.