What do you do in a sauna and steam room?
 

So, I just got a new job (hooray) at the YMCA (double hooray) and it comes with a free membership (hoorays all around). The YMCA also has a sauna and a steam room (*runs around yelling and whooping). I LOVE to sit in the sauna and the steam room- I love how warm it is in there! But I know that there's also supposed to be some benefit to sitting in all that heat- and there's a difference between the dry heat and the wet heat.

What's the difference? What can I do in there that will "maximixe" the goodness of the free sauna/steam room (besides check out the naked chicks)? :D

IIRC a sauna helps the skin because all the sweating you do pushes out all the crap in your pores, but a steam room may do the same.

They're damned good for relaxation though.

if you have high blood pressure you don't want to go in either... bad things could happen...

Saunas - The combination of body perspiration, rest and rapid cooling stimulates circulation, reduces muscular and nervous tension, and supposedly makes for a restful nights sleep (though I've never found that... )

Something on it i've never understood, but saunas raise your body temp to over 100 degrees, which puts it into a 'fever' state. The fever state is the bodies natural healing process and it increases production of white blood cells... so it's supposed to be good for you.

Steam is good for respitory ailments - including sinusitis and bronchitis.. .makes breathign easier - makes my hair super curly....

Steam also increases your body temp faster because the humidity makes it tougher for you to cool down. You need to get to 103-104 to gain the toxin releasing benefits. What was sadi above is basically correct for a sauna due to the dry heat.

The only reason I know any of this is because I was also curious and Googled for a while to get some data. I'd include links here but didn't save any; they'd be easy enough to locate if your had an intertest.

I can tell you that sitting in a steamroom or sauna after a tough workout (or during a bad hangover) can help you recover faster. Basically, its annecdotal evidence of the above claims. When we bought our house, I had the builder install a steam shower for me because it also helps me get over colds by losening up my sinuses.

Hmmm all i ever really used a sauna for was loosing some quick weight before wrestling meets. Wouldn't really recomend that though cause it is very unhealthy and saps your energy pretty bad.

If you go to some steam rooms, there are plenty of activities you can do... not that there's anything wrong with that.

I love steam and sauna rooms.

I meditate.

In Finland you go sans clothing and towel. It was a bit interesting to be on my honeymoon with another couple, naked, with my wife somewhere else.

I love the sauna. I usually take a magazine and read while relaxing on my towel. Naked is the best way to be, but I like to have a towel on the bench just to keep my butt from sticking to it.

I pretend I'm in a jungle.

most places would insist on it- it'd be pretty gross to be sitting where other's naked sweaty asses have been... a little hygiene is a good thing...

Yeah, all I know about them is that some wrestlers \ MMA fighters \ boxers have to use them to cut weight. Deyhdrating yourself like that, if done properly, isn't "very unhealthy" and doesn't "sap your enegry". I would certainly say it's more healthy to not have to cut weight, though. :D

Wow...I can't imagine a healthy way to dehydrate yourself - especially just to lose weight - and even more especially for an atheltic competition. Dehydration by its very nature is unhealthy as it cuases problems with organ function including your heart, liver and kidneys. Water is life.

I used to wrestle and always hated having to drop a pound or two running in a plastic suit. Made me feel like crap. But if I monitored my weight days ahead of time things went a lot smoother. And I won much more without using this process.

I'm curious to see some research to support your opninion!

I don't know of any studies offhand, but I do know if athletes hadn't perfected the system of cutting weight so that it didn't sap their energy, they wouldn't do it.

Everybody has an opinion....and people do many stupid things because they think they must.

Just because some people do something doesn't mean they've figured out a way to do it effectively. That's where the phrase "Because we've always done it that way" comes from.

Ok, let me put it this way. Someone who fights at 185 is going to get destroyed if their opponent has the same skill level but cuts to 185 for weigh ins and comes into the ring at 193 or so. That is the reason they do it, not because it's "always been done that way".

Oops...I must have touched a nerve. Sorry about that! But I also just can't agree.

What you said rarely works that way. The person dropping 8 lbs. of water is nearly dehydrated with low electrolytes and minimal fuel and they can't think properly. The other person is feeling good. Any weight advantage is usually trumped by by those factors. You just can't rehydrate fast enough. And only the pro boxers have a day between weigh-in and the bout; everyone else does it prior to the competition.

Perhaps we should just agree to disagree! Or perhaps not. Here's a link. Read on...

http://www.iahsaa.org/wu98-1.htm

Medical authorities recommend losing no more than two pounds per week. When this is done through increased exercise and decreased calorie intake, weight loss will be due primarily to fat loss. It may be possible for some athletes to lose a maximum of four pounds in a week without dehydration, but muscle tissue will be lost along with the fat. It is not possible to lose weight faster than this without dehydration occurring. Losing more than 2% of one's body weight (3 pounds for a 150 pound individual) in less than 24-48 hours will result in a decrease in aerobic performance and endurance. Losing more than 5% of one's body weight (7 ½ pounds in a 150 pound individual) in less than three-four days (72-96 hours) will negatively effect power, muscle endurance, aerobic performance, muscle strength especially in the large muscle groups of the legs, and mental concentration. Such weight loss can also decrease the body's ability to cool itself. Losing more than 2% in 24-48 hours or 5% in 72-96 hours does not seem to have any negative effect on performance lasting less than thirty (30) seconds.

Quick weight loss methods used to lose weight at a rate greater than 2% in 24-48 hours or 5% in less than 72-96 hours generally include excessive exercise, excessive food restriction, fasting, and dehydration. These methods primarily reduce the body's water and energy supplies, and cause more muscle loss than fat loss. Rule 4-4-4 of the national high school wrestling rule book states," The use of sweat boxes; whirlpools; rubber, vinyl, and plastic type suits; or other artificial heating devices; diuretics; or other methods for quick weight reduction purposes is prohibited and shall disqualify the individual from competition." That has been a national rule since the 1979-80 season and has been an Iowa High School Athletic Association rule much longer. Methods of quick weight loss are not only detrimental to health and performance, they are also against the rules.

Water is the most important nutrient, therefore, the most dangerous weight loss practices involve restricting fluid intake or otherwise dehydrating the body. It is not possible to adapt one's body to dehydration. The body does not function more efficiently without water by forcing it to go through repeated bouts of dehydration. The greater the degree of dehydration the poorer one's performance and the greater the risk of health and medical problems. Research indicates it is impossible to completely rehydrate the body in less than 24-48 hours. The longer the body has been dehydrated, the longer the rehydration process will take. Research also indicates water loss due to diuretics or laxatives takes much longer to replace than water loss due to exercise. Also, the use of diuretics and laxatives can cause the body to retain more fluid upon rehydration, thus causing a greater weight gain. These methods should absolutely be avoided.

For those individuals involved in weight reduction some experts offer the following advice to help minimize complications:

1) DO NOT restrict fluid intake.
2) Reduce bulk-forming foods (such as high-fiber cereals, raw fruits and vegetables) from the diet 1-2 days before weigh-in.
3) Decrease food and fluid intake for the absolute shortest time possible in order to make weight.
4) Immediately after weigh-in, begin rehydrating the body with a glucose/electrolyte replacement fluid or water.
5) Remember rehydration takes at least 24-48 hours.
6) Chronic weakness, tiredness, or being light-headed may indicate weight loss which is too severe.

In summary, excessive weight loss, especially through dehydration, can be detrimental to a student-athlete's health and performance. Coaches are asked to follow these guidelines when working with student-athletes involved in weight reduction:

1) No student-athlete should engage in methods of quick, rapid weight loss.
2) No student-athlete should be allowed to participate below the minimum percent body fat recommended by the ACSM without first having medical clearance.
3) No coach should encourage student-athletes to restrict fluid intake.
4) Every coach should closely monitor student-athletes losing weight.
5) Every wrestling coach should use body composition testing as a guideline to determining safe, minimal wrestling weight.
_________________________________________________

So, I think I've supported my position with outside sources. Tag, you're it!

Ha ha ha! I like that. I can just imagine some guy in a sauna playing out some jungle adventure or something like that. :lol:

Oh, no, I'm not offended at all. We're just talking. You didn't personally attack me, so I'm not cranky in the slightest.

All my experience with this is in a MMA format, which does weigh-ins the day before as well. Under the proper supervision of a doctor\trainer, an athlete can drop 8 lbs. of (mostly) water weight and rehydrate and replenish electrolyes to be able to perform at their elite level. I don't know of a quantitative figure on that I can point to, so I guess I'll just point to all the athletes that cut weight and are functioning correctly.

I agree with your link almost completely (people can get used to cutting weight and the body will adjust somewhat to help). However, I was talking about professional athletes under the supervision of nutritionists and doctors, not "student-athletes".

I guess I don't understand how you can "agree with your link almost completely" if you haven't provided any factual support. What don't you agree with? These people are experts and it just so happens that it applies to high school. The fact remains the same that these experts are experts for people, not just high schoolers. You also haven't supported how much this happens in the real pro boxing world. Does it it is it something form the "old days?"

I took the time to Google some facts to support my opinion. I only support the facts, not the group providing them so I basically mean that I'm being objective... are you being objective or attempting to defend something you said?

Does sweating it out in the sauna/steam room really "sweat out" toxins? What kind of toxins? Howlong does it take, an hour in the room?

I have only been in the sauna a couple of times. After reading all of this discussion, it makes me want to rush to the gym and get in there to relax a little.

Here are a few interesting links on these rooms...

http://www.vhi.ie/experts/fitness/FIT_Q187.jsp

http://www.fsunews.com/vnews/display.../446c984d5ac7b

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_bath

http://healthtips.bigfitness.com/fit...ment/60049.php

Thingstodo, thanks for the links! Going over the first link right now.

Okay... obviously before and after makes sense, but what about DURING? I can't see anything wrong with drinking water unless of course you're in there trying to cut weight for some short of competition.

Just courious if there might be a reason NOT to drink during your time in a sauna.

Whoa, naked chicks? Somebody left that important part out the last time I was in a steam room

Both. I don't see a logical reason they would continue to cut weight like that if it was not the most effective way to maximize performance in a weightclass sport. Your links prove that normal high-school athletes shouldn't do this, which I agree with.

People do a lot of illogical things. Like the redneck, who's famous last words were "Hey, watch this." Didn't your parents ever tell you they didn't care if every other kid jumped off a bridge...?

There's no reason at all not to drink in the sauna. Over here where sauna bathing is more of a social event than a health thingy people often drink beer in the sauna. Obviously it's not that bright to drink alcohol in a dehydrating environment so drink responsibly! Since it's so warm the beer gets all warm and nasty, so we usually bring in a bucket of cold water or snow to store the beer in. Oh, and absolutely no glass bottles in the sauna!!! And don't pour beer on the sauna either. The smell is horrible and takes forever to get rid of.

You can drink water in the sauna as well. Just bring something to keep it cool in.

http://www.graciemag.com/?c=150&a=4147

Wrestling, MMA, boxing, all of these sports still cut water before a weigh in. They do it because it lets them have more physical mass then the weight class allows.

If the weight limit was say 200 pounds. If I weigh 210lbs normally but then drop 10lbs of water I can pass the weigh in. Now I'd have an extra 10pounds of muscle, a big advantage.

I use the sauna for 60 seconds after my shower...because I'm in a rush and I dry quicker if I jump in there right after. :lol:

That reminds me... everyone needs to drink beer in a hot tub once in their life.

Thanks guys! I've found that hanging out in the sauna right after I work out means I'm not sore the next day, which is nice. I like how warm it is too... of course, I have this wierd thing about being warm....

But I found this when reading Wiki:

That sounds sort of... oh, HOKEY. Anyone care to probe the valididity of that statement for me? Because that would be really, really cool if it were true....

I wouldn't be caught dead in a public sauna.

I do, however, really enjoy a dip in the hot tub, but that's obviously not the same thing.

Gilda

your heart rate does rise, that's one of the reasons why people with high blood pressure shouldn't go in them - -but i don't think it's the same thing as 20 minutes of aerobic activity.. .