Working out is one of those activities that goes well with full nudity. The Encyclopedia Britannica teaches us that “The term gymnastics, derived from a Greek word meaning “to exercise naked,” applied in ancient Greece to all exercises practiced in the gymnasium, the place where male athletes did indeed exercise unclothed.” The Greek athletes trained in the nude as a tribute to the gods and as a way to show off their toned body. Naturists train naked just for the comfort of being in their own skin and of sweating without hindrance.
Get your Gears
What do you need to train naked? Well, your own body may be the only necessary item if you want to do body-weight training. However, you may want some small items to increase the efficiency of your workouts. Self.com provides a list of 7 equipment essentials to build an at-home gym with minimal space. You can find them online like the few examples below.
I have some of those equipment, as I train mostly in my lounge or on my terrace when the weather allows it, and I can assure they are definitely essentials to a good full body workout.
One question I’m often asked is whether to train barefoot or with sport sneakers. Self.com has a sound answer to this question. I train completely naked, this means barefoot, because I’m used to it and I find it more convenient. An interviewed MD from the article above gives us some interesting insights: “You can reduce your risk of so many exercise-related injuries simply by integrating some barefoot work into your exercise routine and training the muscles not just in your arms, legs, and core, but also in your feet.” If you’ve never tried, you should.
You may ask but If I do not have any equipment at all, and I do not have the money/time/possibility to get some, how should I exercise? I often work out with just a towel laid on the floor, not even a yoga mat. So don’t get stop by your lack of equipment, get naked, find a spot, lay a towel and prepare to sweat!
Workout
When you’re all set, the question, particularly if your are not a fitness guru is what to do? Fortunately, they are so many guides and videos over the internet, including free ones, that it should not be difficult to find a routine that suits you. Pay attention though that you may get injured if you are doing exercises that are too hard or not adapted to you, or simply if you are not performing them well. So, if you are a true beginner, seek advice with a professional trainer.
To get help with our naked work out, Wikihow has released a very well made article that can be your starting inspiration. As the article says, “working out nude is no different than any workout regimen in some respects. You’ll have to warm up, cool down, and avoid straining yourself.”
I have some advice for you though for effective workouts:
- Book at least 45 minutes in your agenda so you have an effective 30-minute workout. You need to break a good sweat. Having said this, Planet Fitness provides a good guide on effective exercise duration, and it may surprise you.
- When you feel you cannot do an exercise anymore, commit to just 1 more movement. This one movement will make all the difference and you will feel it in your next session.
- Do not workout everyday. Allow your body to rest! 8fit provides some good advice on variety and rest.
- Have fun! If you do not like an exercise, my philosophy is it’s probably good for your body, but your brain does not know it. Try to understand the muscles this exercise impacts and find another one. There are plenty of exercises and you need to love making them. Well, sometimes, you need to push a little bit for the love to happen. I hate abs exercises but I forced myself into them to get a strong core.
- Don’t feel guilty if you have to skip a session. Hey, life happens! And sometimes, you need to answer another commitment. Exercise.com has some sound advice on how not to feel guilty in those cases.
Cool Down
After a good workout and when you are sweating profusely, cooling down is important, if not crucial. Verywellfit.com provides a list of simple benefits of a cool down session:
- Allow heart rate to go back to normal.
- Slow breathing.
- Get relaxed.
Personally, I end my workout session by a 5 to 15-minute of naked meditation. This allows my body to cool down, my heart rate to decrease and to get back to controlling my breath. An additional benefit of my meditation session is to visualize my day and prepare mentally for the activities ahead. Then comes shower and pampering time where I finish taking care of my body, by shaving, washing and lotioning.
It took me some time to find the right regimen of exercises, cooling down and pampering. You will find yours by testing and trying. It will depend on your personal schedule and commitments. However, because of this lock down period, it may be the right time to instill new habits and take the time to find what works for you. It will, believe me, change your life for good!
Get Naked, Stay Naked, Live Naked and Share the Naked Love!
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash, from PxHere, by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
