No A/C at gym- I feel crazy

[jophsie]

@ericanicolee My gym is a lot like the first location you described, but I’m in the northeast so 90+ days are infrequent so it’s totally tolerable. Do you workout in the mornings? I know some people at my gym who do that on the particularly hot days. Also maybe get one of those special towels you can wet to stay cool? (Sorry I don’t know what they’re called.)

 

[vivienita]

@ericanicolee No, no, no and NO. I live in the southern US. Heat index of like, 100 now. I sweat a lot, but we have AC. And ceiling fans

Earlier this summer something was wrong with the AC there. I don't know what, but I was fucking DYING. I had to leave early. And I didn't go for several days. I was seriously contemplating quitting my membership. Thankfully they got it fixed.

I guess you could ask? Do they have AC? Is there an issue? If this is their normal I would GTFO. Like you, I'm not a delicate princess, but I go hard at the gym and I need AIR

 

[sergiiz332]

@ericanicolee If I’m sweating before I even start working out - it’s a problem. Everyone is different. I don’t function well in high heat and humidity, so climate control is essential to me. Find a gym that works for you. If you are working out less often due to the temperature that’s reason enough to find a different location.

 

[dawn16]

@ericanicolee 1 month in a gym with AC gave me Bells palsy!!

 

[lanelemon]

@dawn16 after googling this it looks like dramatic temperature shifts can cause Bell's palsy in very rare cases (research i found was conducted in UAE which is one of the hottest places on Earth) but the far more common danger of heat-related illness during strenuous exercise outweighs it by quite a bit. Please don't fear air conditioning op, lol

 

[dawn16]

@lanelemon I dont understand the downvotes. Do you think im lying? I had just switched gyms, my last one didnt have ac, so the new one did. It was probably on super strong.. took me 3 months to recover, i stopped going to gym afterwards...was on anti inflammatory injections, i believe some sort of steroids, then like 2 months of physical therapy

 

[lanelemon]

@dawn16 i don't think you're lying, it just came across as a little scaremonger-y? again, what you experienced is very uncommon and for a vast majority of people the benefits of having A/C far outweigh any potential rare medical problems related to it

 

[dawn16]

@lanelemon My doctor said its more likely to come back, now that ive had it, which is one of the reasons im scared to start going to the gym again..hence me joining this subreddit

 

[eaglerider]

@ericanicolee I don’t have a gym, and just do home workouts. I have a stationary bike that I’ve attached stroller fans to. It made a world of a difference to have the airflow on me, especially in the summer in Florida.

 

[fortybrandon]

@ericanicolee I started going to the gym only because it has AC and I couldn't workout in my apartment anymore due to the heatwave, and I live in northern Europe, so probably nothing compared to Southern USA Don't feel bad, find a gym with AC

 

[philosopher61]

@ericanicolee Wow that sounds terrible. If I want those conditions I go to hot yoga. I can’t even imagine trying to do cardio in that place. And the amount of sweat on every single machine. :-/ I’m in Florida so I understand the severity of southern weather. I have decent heat tolerance but I don’t want my gym to be over like 78 and I sure don’t want it muggy. Honestly if it were me I would find a new gym. Who cares if the other people seem fine. You’re not fine. That’s what matters.

 

[trovecatbui]

@philosopher61

Who cares if the other people seem fine.

Besides, a lot of those other people probably feel exactly like OP--miserable but not wanting to make a stink or seem like a baby.

 

[twigagiraffe]

@ericanicolee Different bodies react differently to temperatures, you may be more resistant to cold than the people you see at the gym that seem fine in the heat. It does not mean you are weaker or should have to suffer through it. If possible, i would choose a different gym that you feel comfortable in. Your workouts will be better and you can focus your training on your goals, rather than heat endurance.

 

[lovefirst]

@twigagiraffe This.

As long as I have shade and some water, I can put up with heat all day long but when I tell people that, they're like, "You're crazy. What is WRONG with you?". I tell them it's because I became acclimated to it growing up since our house didn't have AC or central heat.

 

[averagejonah]

@twigagiraffe Yup. I SUCK in the heat, but an fine in colder weather. If I have to work out in the heat I make sure my water is as close to slush as I can make it. Drinking colder water seems to help my body regulate the heat.

 

[phongtranh142]

@averagejonah Oh same! I dump a whole ice cube tray into my water bottle right before heading to the gym.

 

[ericanicolee]

@twigagiraffe This is a good point. Heat endurance isn’t much a conditioning need for me, and I’d definitely rather keep my focus on other areas!

 

[karenyk78]

@ericanicolee Find a different place to work out at. You don't need the stress of extra heat while exerting your body, and if you're like me then you're operating waaay below your optimum capacity because of the heat. Waste of time. Change gyms or consider getting a home gym if you have the option.

 

[hiddenichthys]

@ericanicolee I used to go to a gym that had no AC in a warehouse with high ceilings, also in the South. It would get quite ridiculously hot in the summer (and cold in the winter). Even with fans running, everyone was always super sweaty and in arguably minimal clothing. You may have better luck maybe going later to your gym after the sun has gone down? That’s usually when I went and it was hot but doable. I feel like humidity is worse in the morning but maybe if you go early enough it might be better.

 

[imaginaryvanity]

@ericanicolee Wow, sounds awful. I would not continue to work out there if another reasonable option is available.