With the change in the weather (warm, but with overcast) we are experiencing some heavy mugginess throughout the gym. This affects us two ways: 1.) we have to mindful of our equipment 2.) we have to be mindful of our bodies.
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by Daniel from CrossFit Eastbay:
At CFEB, we work hard. Which is great, but it can have an immediate downside if certain precautions aren't taken. To illustrate this point, after one particularly stuffy and sweaty session in the yoga room at Ironworks, my brutally honest wife and her oh-so-expressively crinkled nose informed me of a hard truth: I stank.
Now, nobody enjoys being stinky (except maybe my parents' dog). So I endeavored to remedy the problem with some good new-fashioned research on the internet: what is body odor? and how do you fix it?
It's a delicate subject, so I'll be both vague and blunt: you've probably been a bit ripe yourself at some point or other, particularly when the weather is warm and the quarters close. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, so here's a bit o' beta on keeping the funk firmly where it belongs: on your iPod.
First, a bit of biology
We all know the cause of body odor is sweat, right? Well, not directly. You see, there are two types of sweat glands on the body - eccrine, which are everywhere, sweat out an odorless mixture of water and salt. Apocrine glands, however, are located in areas dense in hair follicles (underarm/groin), combine some fatty acids with their salt and water, and it is the bacteria that feed upon and break down the fatty sweat that cause the odor. Yummy, I know. So controlling body odor is more about battling bacteria than it is about stopping sweat.
Knowing is half the battle
The other half is doing something about it.
Use deodorant. Might as well start with the most obvious one. Most deodorants contain alcohol that turns the surface of your skin more acidic, making it less hospitable to bacteria. Personally, I hate the smell of perfumed deodorants (since when does "fresh rain" smell like a hungarian bath house?), so I opt for the unscented variety. I like Mitchum brand, but have heard good things about Trader Joe's brand. If it irritates your skin, try baking soda or talcum powder, or use an antibacterial soap when you shower.
Skip the anti-perspirant, though. These work by using aluminum compounds to temporarily block your pores, eliminating your ability to sweat. This just doesn't seem like a good idea to me - fighting bacterial freeloaders is one thing, but disrupting your body's natural processes can have unintended effects, as can smearing metal compounds all over your skin. Also: it wrecks your clothes.
Workout in natural fabrics. Synthetics like polyester and rayon can turn a mild "phew" into a full-blown "gah!," but cotton sucks to workout in. The solution? Merino wool. It's a bit pricier, but its natural wicking and anti-bacterial properties make it something of a wonder fabric - you can wear it for days on end and then ride a crowded subway car without attracting a single dirty look. It even comes in ultralight weights suitable for summer. Gita and Ynez, our fashionistas-in-residence, recommend brand-names Icebreaker and Patagonia, but you can also find nice stuff by Backcountry and Smartwool. The Backcountry outlet is a great place to pick some up for less, or keep an eye on CFEB's favorite super-discounter,Steep and Cheap.
Cut your hair, hippy. OK fellas, I know that some consider the idea of trimming anywhere below the neck tantamount to wearing ultra-short cutoffs with a rainbow flag patch on the ass (not that there's anything wrong with that), but it's time to embrace your inner metrosexual. Ever wonder why guys tend to smell so much more than ladies? All that hair under your arms and *ahem* elsewhere provides an ideal breeding ground for the odiferous little bacteria. Companies like Gillette and Norelco are hopping on the bandwagon with products specifically (and sometimes hilariously) targeted for men, so you're running out of excuses: it's time to man up and trim down. You don't need to go bare skin if you don't want to, but please: if you can braid it, trim it.
Watch what you eat. It wouldn't be a CrossKitchen article if I didn't lecture you about food, would it? What you eat can have a definite effect on how you smell. Both vegetarians and those who consume large quantities of meat tend to be stinkier than those with a more balanced diet. Onions, garlic, curry, spicy food, coffee and alcohol are also prime culprits to be consumed in smaller quantities if you're a repeat olfactory offender.
I'm assuming here that I don't need to tell you the really obvious stuff (like "shower daily" and "wash your workout clothes between uses"). If I do, then you're probably beyond my help (in many ways). But armed with these tips, even the muskiest malefactor can finish a long metcon smelling like a rose. It has definitely helped me, if my wife's crinkled nose is any indicator.
Check out the comments to
the original post for a great discussion on clothes as well.
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WOD
"TEST 3"
tabata squats
max reps of muscle-ups in 4 minutes
from
CrossFit.com:
The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals. Tabata score is the least number of reps performed in any of the eight intervals. Begin time for muscle-ups immediately after the last 10 second rest interval. Test score equals Tabata score multiplied by number of muscle-ups completed.
see
How Fit Are You? [
pdf]
