Probably a silly question - after workout shower temperature?

[Bard]

Hi all,

As the title says, this is probably a silly question, but I'm going to ask it anyway!

I do my workouts first thing in the morning - as in literally fall out of bed, stumble to the gym (my garage), and get into warming up. I was a bit worried about going from being asleep to then getting (almost) straight into a workout, and figure warming up is particularly crucial here - I try and start off slow and make sure I'm feeling ready, heart rate up, joints awake etc before I get into anything serious, is that about what I should be doing?

Now the other question I came here to ask was, straight after my workout and stretching, I go have a shower, grab something to eat and invariably race out the door because by then I'm running late!

With the shower bit, since it's pretty much part of my cool down I was wondering - am I best to have a warmer shower or a cooler shower? I tend to have a warm shower because, well, I don't like jumping in cold water, but I wanted to ask what am I best off doing after a workout?

Regards

Quentin.

[Guest Snake McClain]

I think i can answer this.

One yes at this stage ESPECIALLY your warm up is ridiculously important. Do it and do it right and absolutely do not effing slack off on your warm up!

Second. I have read ( http://artofmanliness.com/2010/01/18/the-james-bond-shower-a-shot-of-cold-water-for-health-and-vitality/ )

that a cold shower is good especially after a workout as there is a muscle recovery/testosterone boost. go for it. See i can't take a cold shower in the morning because i'll start punching babies. but after a work out (after work at the end of the day) it's fine for me.

[Sydnie]

I don't know why but talking about cold showers always reminds me of Laverne and Shirley. I'm just odd like that...

But I like switching back and forth. Especially in the morning after a workout! I get in and it's nice and warm and relaxing then I turn it cool and it wakes me up. I feel like I'm a little less sore when I do that, too. Then again, there are some days when I get up, work out, have nothing else to do for the rest of the day, and I veg out on the couch for a couple of hours. In that case it stays warm the whole way through. =P But I notice that when I do that I'm a little more sore later on.

[aj_rock]

+1 for syd the kyd here. Hot shower to start, then turn down to cool for waking up/preventing excessive sweatiness upon exiting the shower.

[Guest Snake McClain]

+1 for syd the kyd here. Hot shower to start, then turn down to cool for waking up/preventing excessive sweatiness upon exiting the shower.

thats how i do it. start warm but then i slowly turn it down until its freezing and do all the washing in the cold temp.

[AprilMay]

Warmer then slowly switch to cooler/cold works best for me. Having just cold showers usually means someone will feel my wrath during the day.

[Rosie]

I usually got for just about body temp for a post work out shower.

I was told by my marathon running colleague that you definitely shouldn't jump into a hot bath after a long run as your muscles are essentially bleeding! *squeeem*

[CRM114]

In the morning before work: Warm

Post Workout: Cold

Post Game: Cold bath + Ice Packs on throwing shoulder and knees (In my early 20s I used to sit there with a six pack of beer, when the six pack was finished my bath was done... probably not the healthiest thing in the world XD)

[ZenGwen]

I'm usually pretty warm after a workout, so I get in to the shower at warm/body temp, then once I've washed the sweat off switch to a bit cooler.

Cool showers are better for your hair and skin, too. Doesn't dry them out nearly as much. I always rinse my hair with the coldest water I can stand. It's part of why everyone's skin gets to dry and horrid in the winter, too - it's already chapped and terrible, then we jump in a hot shower to warm up, and that makes it even worse!

[Benjsec]

Definately not a silly question - at least having looked at the answers, I'd kinda thought that a warm shower would be good for helping muscles relax and what have you. Well I guess it's time to man up!

And having nicer skin wouldn't hurt

[Timmy M]

i would say not too do too much heavy spinal loaded lifts (particularly squats/deadlifts) early on in the morning as you're 'spinal juices' (not the correct term but i mean bits inbetween your vertebrae) apparently take longer to warm up, so if you do really heavy sets (5 reps and lower probably) then try and do them later on in the day

[Ryan Sannar]

Contrast showers, alternating cold hot cold, two minutes each temp. Finish and end on cold. You can do as many cycles as you want though.

[Bard]

Wow thanks everyone for the great discussion and thoughts!

Benjsec - like you, it looks like I might need to man up and cool the shower down as I must confess I am a bit like Sydnie and will have a nice long hot shower if I can get away with it! I think the suggestion of starting off warm and cooling it down sounds like the best option.

Timmy, good point re the spinal lifts, particularly for me as my back does get sore from time to time (not from workouts, really only just starting those, I mean just in general) and strengthening my back muscles to help avoid that is one of the reasons I've got into this (with my physio's blessing - I did check first!) so the last thing I want to do is take that work backwards! It might be worth splitting the workout and looking at what I can do in the evening. I was thinking that I could fit the morning in well with my work / family committments etc, but now you've got me wondering.

Regards

Quentin.

[Lightstorm]

Cold shower?? f*ck that! It's bloody cold in the UK in winter. Warm shower all the way - possibly a notch or two above comfortable warm. I like to feel the heat

[morethanjustamom]

Cold shower?? f*ck that! It's bloody cold in the UK in winter. Warm shower all the way - possibly a notch or two above comfortable warm. I like to feel the heat

I've been waiting on someone to say this. I'm all about the hot shower!

[Benjsec]

Cold shower?? f*ck that! It's bloody cold in the UK in winter. Warm shower all the way - possibly a notch or two above comfortable warm. I like to feel the heat

Have you looked out of the window recently - I think winter's gone now...

Well at least for another week

[Fbauer]

Cold shower. Ick. No thank you. When I'm finally done with my workout, I shrug out of the vest, slowly lumber my way to the locker room, and bask in the warm, soothing water. My shoulders feel like fire, my legs are like leaden weights - I'll pass on being cold on top of all that, thank you.

[Crowbeak]

I also find starting a shower warm and ending it cold to be invigorating. I dunno about the muscle benefits, though.

In winter you could be very Alaskan... soak in a hot tub and then jump out to immediately do a snow angel.

[Anivair]

Biologically, it's best to have a cold shower (as cold as you can manage). It's good for metabolism and energy and stuff. that said, I can't do that. I do lukewarm, most times, unless I have a particularly sore muscle. I always use colder water to wash my hair, because hot water tends to give me flakes and cold water does not.

[Shortkaik]

Interesting! I've never really thought about this. I'll have to try the cold shower after a workout thing some time. Luckily, I often already do the hot-then-cold shower as it is, since our water heater SUCKS and we're lucky to get 10 minutes before it's run out of steam (har har).