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Schvitzing

post #1 of 25
10/15/07 at 2:38pm
Thread Starter 
My gym has recently redone it's old steam room which had been closed for a long time. I have done the whole sauna routine, sauna/shower/rest repeat but am unfamiliar with using steam rooms. Anything I need to know? How long do you stay in, can you stay too long like a sauna. Do you put a towel down on the bench like in the sauna. What's the deal here - would like some help - thanks.
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post #2 of 25
10/15/07 at 3:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ted View Post
My gym has recently redone it's old steam room which had been closed for a long time. I have done the whole sauna routine, sauna/shower/rest repeat but am unfamiliar with using steam rooms. Anything I need to know? How long do you stay in, can you stay too long like a sauna. Do you put a towel down on the bench like in the sauna. What's the deal here - would like some help - thanks.

Bringing a towel to a steam room is an exercise in futility because it will be soaked quickly, but if you aren't wearing swim trunks (which I don't advise) then you might want to bring a towel to lay down on the tile. You can stay in a steam room longer than a sauna but I probably wouldn't advise more than 15-20 minutes. It's a nice way to sweat out some toxins and clear your sinuses.
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post #3 of 25
10/15/07 at 3:09pm
Thread Starter 
You don't advise wearing swim trunks? Or do you mean I should wear trunks? The steam room is off the shower room so I would normally only have a towel and shower shoes.
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post #4 of 25
10/15/07 at 4:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ted View Post
You don't advise wearing swim trunks? Or do you mean I should wear trunks? The steam room is off the shower room so I would normally only have a towel and shower shoes.

I would personally wear some sort of shorts. A towel is going to get soaked which is going to mean you'll have to bring two if you want to shower afterwards and actually dry off, which you could also do, if you wanted.
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post #5 of 25
10/15/07 at 4:16pm
i avoid the steam room because for some reason i feel there's probably some germs in the steam. and if they put a chemical to kill the germs, i'm sure it can't be that good for you to breathe that in... maybe i'm paranoid. i stick with the sauna.
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post #6 of 25
10/15/07 at 4:27pm
I go to the steam room on a near-daily basis at my gym... all I bring are shower shoes (Crocs - please don't hate ) and the towel I'm wearing, and a second towel that I wrap around my head to cover my ears because the steam room is pretty noisy (the steam jets are quite loud and of course the acoustics in the tiled room just accentuate the noise). I stay for about 15 minutes.
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post #7 of 25
10/15/07 at 6:15pm
Our club supplies the towels. You need to wrap a towel around your waist. Some people shave in there, despite the signs, and you don't want to sit in their stubble. Another for the drying after the shower
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post #8 of 25
10/16/07 at 7:28am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the info. Towels are no problem I just took two. 15 minutes it was, followed by a shower then a swim. I was surprised it smelled so good, some sort of eucalyptus scent in the air. Nice to be able to just sit and talk (college football mostly). I could get used to this.

Are there really any health benefits to this or does it just feel good?
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post #9 of 25
10/16/07 at 3:20pm
Taking a steam can really be relaxing. The guys at my gym talk college ball too. No one wears shorts but puts a towel down, easy to do. It's so steamy you can barely see anyway so it's no big deal. I guess I usually stay in about 20 minutes or so and then shower.
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post #10 of 25
10/16/07 at 4:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by markb View Post
Taking a steam can really be relaxing. The guys at my gym talk college ball too. No one wears shorts but puts a towel down, easy to do. It's so steamy you can barely see anyway so it's no big deal. I guess I usually stay in about 20 minutes or so and then shower.

I stay wrapped in a towel myself, though many guys don't wear anything at all not even shower shoes. I don't care one way or another. Any one know if there are legit health benefits to doing this?
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post #11 of 25
10/16/07 at 6:30pm
A lot of people like to use a steam room when they're congested or have a cold... or during allergy season. Great for them, but they're also bringing germs into a environment where germs are easily transmittable. I don't think it's gets hot enough in a steam room to kill viruses. Also, while the steam may provide temporary relief for sinuses/congestion, the heat may be damaging to sinuses as well. There's no right answer, just find whether or not it works for you. Most gyms & health clubs are getting rid of steam rooms since they're too much work to maintain, clean, and monitor for questionable activities (easier to hide in the steam).
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post #12 of 25
10/17/07 at 7:51am
Thread Starter 
Thanks greg, I don't think 'questionable activities' should be a problem. The club is very old as are most of its members, also the place is very crowded at lunch time which is when I go. I guess I never thought about that.
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post #13 of 25
10/18/07 at 9:39am
questionable activities in steam rooms:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/fa...nt&oref=slogin

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643305

fortunately I can't ever imagine anything like this happening at my gym (Lifetime Fitness).
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post #14 of 25
10/18/07 at 1:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by amerikajinda View Post
questionable activities in steam rooms:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/fa...nt&oref=slogin

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643305

fortunately I can't ever imagine anything like this happening at my gym (Lifetime Fitness).

Didn't think that thing happened anymore. I don't mind being naked but I sure don't want to see that. Maybe because the club is small with so many members and the steam room is so crowded nothing will happen. I've never seen anything 'funny' in the years I've been there. Maybe I'm just unattractive - LOL
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post #15 of 25
10/18/07 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ted View Post
Didn't think that thing happened anymore. I don't mind being naked but I sure don't want to see that. Maybe because the club is small with so many members and the steam room is so crowded nothing will happen. I've never seen anything 'funny' in the years I've been there. Maybe I'm just unattractive - LOL

hahahaha nothing to do with your looks whatsoever!

I just think that there are clubs where it happens, and clubs where it never ever happens. My gym is out in the suburbs... and there are lots of familes and kids of all ages there, so that kind of stuff just doesn't happen. But clubs in the city, with a primarily single clientele, I can see that happening as described in those articles.
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