Sauna/Steamroom

DeepGreen

DeepGreen

New member
Your thoughts on steamroom/sauna/whirlpool/spa

Just curious on how others feel on this topic. After working out, I love to spend like 10-15 min in the steam room.

I know, I know, it dehydrates you (thats why I carry a bottle of water into the steam room), but it helps relieves my sore muscles and aches and pains (or maybe its a placebo effect?)

What do you guys think? Are these things beneficial? Or do they do more harm then they do good?
 
Absolutely 100% beneficial to me...

I recently wrote a diary entry about the incredible saunas here in China. One thing I did not mention was how going 1-2 times a week has completely motivated me to keep going and work harder. I have never heard any concerns about dehydration or other problems related to sauna's, especially for only 10-15 minutes. Seems a little far fetched to me. As you said, bringing a bottle of water would solve that problem. For me however, that heat and the water jets 100% make the difference after a long week of working out and exercising as not only do my muscles relax and release their tension, but I also relax and let the stress and worries of the week slip blissfully away as I soak, stretch and resoak for 1-2 hours at a time. Never once in my life have I heard or read any medical concerns regarding therapeudic soaking/steaming/sauna. It makes going to that gym (in the sauna I go to) one of my favorite activities of the week. I would rather go to workout in a place with steam and sauna any day before somewhere that just offered showers.

All through history many different races and cultures have used steam and sauna as a very successful therapy for treating too many different maladies and conditions to list. Sauna's are famous around the world. Sadly in Canada and the US they are few and far between which is unfortunate, as I believe everyone could benefit greatly from them. But for the native american, russian, chinese, japanese and many other cultures, saunas and steam are a cultural norm and have been in operation for 1000's of years. I thank god I am in China now where not only can I go have a steam anytime I want, but I am treated like absolute royalty when I do so. I don't even need to bring water, as the waiters will happily bring me water, fresh fruit, iced tea, or anything else I want. And here, because it is a cultural norm, it is not only fantiastic as far as service, but it is cheap CHEAP too!

If dehydration is a concern (which like I said I have never heard of) then drinking extra water would fix that. But the relaxation and muscle reliveing aspects of the sauna, in my mind, would completely out-weigh any dehydration threat. I wouldnt go every single day and steam for hours on end, but those 2 times a week I do go now are the high point of my week and give me nothing but strength and motivation to move on and go hard!

With all this sauna talk I may just have to go tonight..... ;)

sirant
 
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saunas and whirlpools do tend to raise blood pressure so if you feel lightheaded at all -then you might not want to spend a bunch of time in them...

when I travelled so much with my job, abouot the only bonus to staying in hotels is some actually had pools and whirlpools - whirlpools are about the only thing that releases the tension that builds in my lower back - it might be placebo but it's a beautiful thing to not have back pain for a short time...
 
Tends to raise high blood pressure, I never knew that...

But thanks for the replies, I'm glad I'm not the onoly one recieving these benifits ;).
 
Does it really do anything? At the gym I see some people who hop right off the treadmill and straight into the sauna/steamroom for about 20 min. I always thought that maybe it was just a relaxer and all you're sweating out is just water weight, so does it actually help with burning fat?
 
Actually, the sauna does help your immune system because you lose alot of toxins through your skin/sweating. After exercising, you can rid your body of accumulated latic acid this way too. Does it help weight loss? Maybe not directly but the better you feeel and the better your body is working, the easier it is to stay on track with diet and exercise. Here in the north woods, the "elders" swear by the sauna.:jump:
 
Sauna sessions to lose weight?

Acutually I don't really like so much heat, but maybe I could change my attitude if I knew this would increase my weight loss. People told me that sauna sessions are very healthy for your body and that they also help you to lose weight much faster. Does anyone know if this is really true? And if it is-why?
 
Reading thru a lot of your posts, Jane, you seem to be looking for an easy way out... tricks and such... What works iwth weight loss is consistent behavior.. Use more calories than you take in... No magic...

Saunas can be dangerous for a person with high blood pressure.

The weight you'd lose during a sauna would be water weight - and the second you take a drink it'd come back -

http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weight-loss-through-exercise/13619-sauna-steamroom.html
 
Sauna Question

Hi all,

I have a stupid question. The gym that I belong to has a sauna. For the longest time I never used it. However, I saw many of the other members using this extreamly hot room. Is there any benifit to it?

Thanks
Gizmo

Edit: Looks like my question got moved. Thanks to whoever moved it for me. Didn't see this thread. Blind in one eye, can't see out of the other LOL
 
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The Sauna?

How do you guys feel about incorporating the sauna after working out. Is it something that is really beneficial to weight loss? I know that it cuts water weight, which is then readded with rehydration, but I've also heard that not all the weight comes back. I really don't want to use the sauna, but if it is really helpful, I might just add that in at the end of my workouts.
 
There's a difference between weight loss and fat loss... Peeing or drinking a glassof water can cause weight loss or weight gain - but have no difference on fat...

A sauna might cause some weight loss but will have no bearing at all on the amount of fat you want to lose... SOme find it relaxing after a hard workout... others not so much.. .

Use a sauna because you like it - not because it's going to have some fat loss effect.
 
maleficent said:
There's a difference between weight loss and fat loss... Peeing or drinking a glassof water can cause weight loss or weight gain - but have no difference on fat...

A sauna might cause some weight loss but will have no bearing at all on the amount of fat you want to lose... SOme find it relaxing after a hard workout... others not so much.. .

Use a sauna because you like it - not because it's going to have some fat loss effect.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I really didn't want to do it unless it helped.
 
If I'm hurtin', I go sit in there for about a half hour....seems to lessen the pain, loosen things up a bit.
I have come out feeling thinner but I know its just water weight....cuz it only lasts for a little while;-)
 
because it makes me sweat a lot(that is removing the toxins from body) sauna helps me to recover my illnes. after an appropriate cardio i love to use sauna after a cooldown (thats for the health of the heart - not to use sauna with a high bpm ).I heard it can help muscle pains after the exercise but i am not sure.
 
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