How to Use a Gym Sauna

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Walking into a gym sauna can be an intimidating experience, since it can feel like everyone but you knows how to use it. Your time in the sauna begins with the decision of whether to use it before or after your workout at the gym, unless you are going to the gym just for the sauna! Then, it’s just about learning a few pieces of common-sense etiquette and safety. You’ll soon be sweating it out in your gym’s sauna like a pro.


Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making the Most of a Sauna at the Gym

PDF download Download Article
  1. Some people feel that the sauna works best as a way to warm up for your time in the gym. This allows you to get your muscles feeling good before you even start stretching, which is still a necessity even when you use a sauna before a workout. [1]
    • There probably won’t be room to stretch in the sauna, but stretching and warming up right afterwards is a good idea before even a light workout.
  2. Finishing up a workout in the sauna feels good for many people. By increasing your blood’s circulation, it can help you loosen up, reduce swelling, and relieve pain on the infamous “day after.” [2]
    Advertisement
  3. Some people have strong opinions one way or another about which sauna order is best, but ultimately it comes down to your personal preference. Give each strategy a chance and see which one is best for you. [3]
    • So long as you hydrate well before and after each time in the sauna, you can even use it before and after a workout!
  4. Being on your own in a sauna gives you a great opportunity to try out different heat levels on the temperature dial and figure out which one feels best. Always start low and work your way up, and only stay in the sauna for 5 minutes at a time when trying a higher temperature than you’re used to. [4]
    • The dial is usually intuitive with lower heat at one end and higher heat at the other.
  5. To choose your most comfortable position in the sauna, keep in mind that most saunas have multiple seating levels, and that heat rises. Sit at the top if you want more of a swelter, and stay toward the lower end if you are a sauna novice. [5]
    • The difference between the sauna levels at a standard heat level is from 90 °F (32 °C) at the bottom of the sauna to 185 °F (85 °C) at the top. [6]
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Following Gym Sauna Etiquette

PDF download Download Article
  1. Regardless of whether you sauna before or after a workout, clean yourself off before getting in. Just a quick rinse with a bit of soap, like you would do before a swim, will help make the sauna a much cleaner environment for everyone involved. [7]
    • For your own benefit, it’s also a good idea to shower after using a sauna, too. Some people like to start with warm water and slowly turn the temperature down for a cool, refreshing feeling.
  2. Regardless of what people are wearing inside, you will need a towel to sit or lay on in the sauna. In gym saunas, most people will probably be in a swimsuit or underwear under the towel so that they can lay it down beneath them. [8]
    • Wearing flip flops in the locker room and in the sauna to protect yourself from infections is a good idea.
    • If you are particularly concerned about your clothing choices, wear a bathing suit the first time you use a new sauna and see what others are wearing on the inside. This can be a good indicator of what’s expected of you.
    • Never feel pressured to wear less than you are comfortable with. Even if everyone else is nude, you should stay as clothed as you need to feel safe and confident.
  3. Unless there’s no no room elsewhere or you’re in the sauna with friends, you won’t need to sit less than a few feet from other people in the sauna. You may find it awkward to sit in a room so small with strangers, but everyone else is probably thinking the same thing. [9]
    • Some people consider it proper etiquette to sit on a different level from others, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to get hotter than you are comfortable if doing so would require you to move up.
  4. Some people prefer exhausting, blistering heat in a sauna, while others see it as a relaxation opportunity that calls for moderate heat. Traditionally, the temperature is controlled by whoever wants it coolest. If you want to turn the heat up or down, ask everyone in the sauna what their preference is. [10]
    • Don’t be afraid to ask. If you are way too hot or cold, chances are good that at least some of the others in the sauna are too.
  5. While it’s tempting to steam your sinuses in a sauna, the hot, moist rooms quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses if people use them while they are sick. Once your symptoms disappear, you can hop right back in. [11]
    6. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using a Sauna Safely

PDF download Download Article
  1. Using the sauna for extended periods of time can lead to heat exhaustion, extreme dehydration, and at its worst, cause you to pass out. If the sauna doesn’t have a clock or a timer, use your watch to keep track of time. [12]
    • Without a watch or a timer, it can be tough to measure time. Play it safe and leave before you think 15 minutes has passed, since missing a few minutes of sauna time is better than heat exhaustion.
    • Don’t bring electronics into the sauna, including your phone. Even just using a phone as a timer can damage the phone.
  2. Your body loses lots of its hydration as you sweat in a sauna, so have a few glasses of water or a full water bottle in the hour or two after you finish up in the sauna. This is especially important if you had a strenuous workout before using the sauna. [13]
    • Starting to sauna without much water in your system can be as bad as not drinking any afterward.
    EXPERT TIP

    Laila Ajani

    Fitness Trainer
    Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 13 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
    Laila Ajani
    Fitness Trainer

    A sauna session after a workout can relax muscles and increase circulation. Saunas can reduce swelling and relieve pain. Stay hydrated, though, as saunas are hot. This is especially important if you had a strenuous workout before using the sauna, as you may be dehydrated.

  3. Passing out from the heat or dehydration is one of the few ways to get injured in a sauna. As soon as you notice that you are feeling foggy or your head has a buzzing feeling, leave the sauna and drink some water. Try to get to a cool, dry place so your body can readjust. [14]
    • If you feel like you might pass out, ask at the gym’s front desk for assistance. They are most likely trained in first aid, and could get you medical attention if your health seems at risk.
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      Warnings

      • Staying in a sauna for more than 30 minutes can be very dangerous to your health.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Never drink alcohol before or during your time in the sauna, as this can cause you to pass out more easily, or fail to notice the passing of time.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      2 Ways to Transform Your Bathroom Into a Sauna
      How to
      Make a Foot Spa
      How to
      Properly Take a Sauna
      How to
      Build Saunas
      How to
      Do Hair Spa Treatments at Home
      How to
      Make a Bathroom a Steamroom
      How to
      Have a Relaxing Spa Day at Home
      What is a Vajacial (and Should You Get One)?
      How to
      Clean a Sauna
      How to
      Use the Shiseido Fino Premium Touch Hair Mask
      How to
      Do a Home Body Wrap
      Create a Spa-Level Steam Facial at Home
      How to
      Use a Sauna Safely
      How to
      Give Someone a Facial
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about exercise, check out our in-depth interview with Laila Ajani .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a22692451/benefits-of-a-sauna/
      2. ↑ https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2012/02/23/sauna-gym-start/
      3. ↑ https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a22692451/benefits-of-a-sauna/
      4. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-10912578
      5. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-10912578
      6. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health
      7. ↑ https://www.gq.com/story/sauna-your-way-to-clear-skin
      8. ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/locker-room-etiquette_n_1598366
      9. ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/locker-room-etiquette_n_1598366
      1. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-10912578
      2. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health
      3. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health
      4. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health
      5. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/saunas-and-your-health

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 22,924 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement