So, do you need to sweat to actually get a good workout? Does a workout that leaves you dripping burn more calories than one that doesn’t?
Well there is a misconception that the indicator of a good workout is how sweaty you are at the end. We think that if you aren’t soaked then you likely didn’t burn that many calories.
Well I’ll set aside the other misconception that calorie burn is also a good indicator of an effective workout and focus today on a few facts to clear up the story on sweat.
The Mechanism of Sweat
Our bodies actually produce two different kinds of sweat through two types of sweat glands; apocrine glands and eccrine glands.
Apocrine glands are located in our hair follicles and lead to the surface of the skin. They are mainly found in your armpits and groin as well as on your scalp. They produce a thick fluid consisting of proteins, fats and steroids. When this fluid comes in contact with bacteria on the skin’s surface and is broken down, the result is that characteristic “body odor”.Perspiration from these glands is mainly emotionally activated, such as when you’re nervous or stressed.
Eccrine glands occur over most of your body and open directly onto the surface of your skin. There are about 2 to 4 million of these glands. They secrete water and electrolytes, primarily sodium with a little potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This type of sweat does not feed the bacteria on our skin so doesn’t produce a smell.
The primary job of these glands is thermo-regulation. When our internal body temperature increases our endocrine system sends a message to these glands to release sweat onto the skin that cools us down as it evaporates.
Why Do We Sweat?
There are many reasons why we sweat. A lot of them have nothing to do with working out. We can sweat as a result of emotions like nervousness, anxiety, pain, or stress. Being in a hot room or wearing too many clothes can cause us to get sweaty. We can also sweat when eating, especially when eating hot and spicy foods thanks to the receptors in our mouths that detect heat.
Is Sweat The Sign of A Good Workout?
If we used sweat as an indicator of a good calorie burn then why doesn’t lying in the sun on a beach help us lose weight? Man, I wish!
Also we don’t sweat when we are swimming so does that mean swimming isn’t a good workout? Of course not, we don’t need to sweat because our body is being cooled off by the water we are in.
There are also reasons why you might NOT sweat during an intense workout.
- First off, 2-4 million sweat glands is quite a range. If you are a person with closer to the 4 million number you likely produce a lot more sweat than your workout buddy who has half that amount.
- Secondly, If the ambient temperature is cool, your body won’t heat up as much during your workout and won’t be cued to release as much sweat.
- And lastly, your fitness level can have an impact on the amount you perspire during a workout but it’s not as straightforward as you might think. On one hand, people with higher fitness levels may have a more efficient cooling system, so it may trigger sweating earlier in preparation for what it knows is to come. On the other hand a fitter person may sweat less at the same level of intensity as someone who is less fit. If their heart is more efficient it won’t have to pump as hard and their body may not heat up as quickly.
Other Indicators Of A Good Workout
So as you can see sweat is a pretty poor indicator of a good workout.
It’s best to focus on a few more reliable indicators like:
- your rate of perceived exertion (check out episode 43 for more on that)
- an increased heart rate and breathing rate
- muscle fatigue
Even better focus on the benefits of that workout like:
- improved strength, mobility and flexibility
- increased relaxation & decreased stress response post workout
- the sense of accomplishment and improved self confidence from taking the time out of your day to take care of yourself and your body.
There are no wasted workouts! Every time you add activity into your day you win whether you soak through your t-shirt or not.
Focus on how you feel both during and after your workout and you will always reap the rewards – willpower not required.
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