african american hair and exercise???

I have natural hair which is shoulder length and what I do most of the time is just pull it in a tight ponytail during the workout and put a scarf on it immediately after I'm done. It usually keeps it flat through the shower and everything. The only thing is that I've got to wash it every 5-7 days b/c I sweat so much. So I can't do my usual every 2 weeks thing like before.

My hair is natural, I usually tie my locks back in a ponytail to workout.

I haven't relaxed in almost exactly 1 year. I don't do anything special. It is not quite long enough for a ponytail yet, so I let it hang during my workouts (some puffiness at the roots but it is not that big of a deal). Sometimes I wear a scarf or hat if I am anticipating major sweat and I am out in public, but not usually. If I walk outdoors, the breeze really helps keep the sweating to a minimum. I blow dry straight again and lightly press if necessary immediately after my shower; Scarf at night and flatiron in the morning. I couldn't have used this much heat when I was relaxed but it works well for me now. No issues. I should note that I live in a dry climate so that may make a difference. I am going to try the "Carol's Daughers" product.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Find what works for you and keep exercising ladies!

I put it in a pony tail or hair clip, anything to keep it off my neck. I work out at night so work hair won't be a problem. When I am done I comb through it and put it in rollers. It's fine by morning but I do have to wash it every 4 days to prevent salt build up. I co-wash (wash using conditioner only) so I haven't noticed any drying of my hair. I don't know what the results would be if I used shampoo.

I JUST POSTED ABOUT THIS AND ONLY 1 PERSON RESPONED. I AM GLAD I FOUND THIS ONE.

i wear lots of wigs and i also have a weave in now. So i just wrap my hair up. I hated wearing my permed fresh wrap to the gym. Im going to start wearing my hair out in the next few months since its pretty long now, so wrapping it up i will continue to do

This its a major problem among black women. Hair should not stop us from being healthy. I am not licensed but I do hair on the side. So I wash mine once a week regardless of me working out or not .. When you workout and sweat a lot you need to be sure to wash your hair once a week. Just like your face and/or body your scalp gets gross too from sweating . Ok now about my hairstyles .. I do styles that I can just get up and go.. And I dont wear wigs or weaves .. I do a lot of staw sets or roller sets.. Im actually under the dryer right now .. This week I did a slicked down ponytail look.. As if my ponytail is going toward one side and my free hair is roller set. I dont ever wear ponytails but this style gives the illusion of one . Next week im going to do individual twists then set it in small rods . I do water aerobics so with that humidity and ther sweating I do outside of the pool these styles are great for me.. Oh and I have a relaxer too . Hope this helps good luck on your weightloss !!

So glad I found this thread. I'm debating whether or not I should transition to natural or get another relaxer. I'm about 1 month past due on my relaxing schedule and I was just going to stretch because I'm on a roll with my exercise program and though I am motivated, I don't want to take the chance that a fresh relaxer might de-rail my progress.

i no longer relax my hair but when i did in high school and college i had BSL length hair. i was on volleyball teams, swim teams an played rugby, so i worked out quite a bit and frequently washed my hair.

honestly i never understood the issue some black women had with exercising and their hair. get the work done and get the dirt out. anything less is just an excuse to not work out :laugh:

my basic routine to wear my hair in 2 side braids where the ends were tucked in to my braid as well as possible (this was especially important on game day for rugby otherwise i'd get my hair pulled). afterwards, i'd wash and condition like normal and then would wrap it and dry it. i never fooled with rollers or curling irons because it was pretty much a waste of time for me considering i'd be washing my hair 4-5 times a week at least.

but now i'm natural so it's whatever. i usually wear 2 strand twists or boxed braids, but when my hair is loose i work out with either a fro, a puff or 2 side braids if i'm getting in the pool.

I have braids in , but when I am wearing my natural hair I usually pull it up in a ponytail. Its very frustrating especially getting my hair permed then blown out just to sweat it out. I hate wearing a scarf to the gym since my crush works there..lol

I'm agreeing with the others. Pony tail and cool air does the trick. I don't like them either, but I have hair that's just passed my shoulders and I don't do hair sticking to my head. I make it loose enough that it does pull and it allows air to circulate under my very think hair. I don't care what it looks like to other people as long as I'm comfortable lol I can't do the scarves as I find it makes my sweating worse my keeping heat on my head, so rock on to those that can.

I agree I've been natural for nine years, my hair is long and thick which makes it very difficult to maintain now that I've decided to really go hard working out. I can't let my hair dictate my working out any longer. When it was shorter it was easier to maintain but with length, the struggle is too real! I'm at a crossroad; chop it off and remain natural or relax it.

ps: I'm just not the type to put a lot of energy into doing my hair.

:bigsmile: hey everybody,

i'm an african american girl with medium length permed and straightened hair. i'm curious of what other girls like me do with their hair during and right after excercise. sweating a lot is totally messing up my hair and driving me crazy but i'm not gunna stop working out :bigsmile: and i don't want to just cut my hair of like my gym teacher suggests... lol

i need ideas from personal experience. thanks

The hair issue is a nightmare. I'm mixed race but have afro hair like my mum and exercise, humidity, swimming.... it's all a pain in the *kitten*.

I tend to tie it up tight and wear a scarf or sweat band but even then it starts kinking and curling and frizzing.... I visit my hair dresser... ALOT :laugh:

I think it's only a problem as I have had my hair relaxed.... my mum lives in Spain now and is constantly in the heat and the pool swimming etc so she just leaves it curly now, she does not deal with it at all anymore lol

Back when I had a mild relaxer, I usually didn't wear my hair blow-dried straight because it was too much maintenance, painful, and ruined my hair. After working out I would shampoo or rinse my hair and then condition it. Then I'd let it air dry. It was curly with some control.

Now that my hair is natural, I put it up in a pony tail. I use an elasticized ribbon that I knot myself so I can control the shape and minimize creasing. When I return home, I shampoo or rinse and condition my hair based on whether it needs it. I put it up in a Curlease towel or old t shirt for 15 to 20 minutes to remove some moisture and then I let it air dry.

I've made plenty of excuses not work out over the years. My hair was never one of them.

Not african american here but can I ask a slightly off topic quick question?

I have very curly hair naturally and live in a super humid climate so when I straighten it the next day when I wake up I look like Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride. I know, lots of African American ladies with relaxed hair wrap it somehow at night. Can anyone direct me to a website or something to show me how to do that? I think it might help my hair.