How Dry I'm Not
February 2, 2011 2:23 PM Subscribe
Help me get out of the pool: Strategies for post swim workout re-entry to the dry world.
I've started a new workout plan that includes lap swimming. I've never been a big swimmer. I'm fine in the water, but I have discovered after a mid-day workout, I just don't know how to handle the get-dry-and-chlorine-free-and-back-to-work bit without what seems a lot of unnecessary rigamarole. I feel this is taking way too long, it's a hassle, and my least favorite part of the deal.
For example... after today's:
~ I wore my suit under sweats and brought dry underwear so I could wear those after -- but was still kinda wet-ish in this crowded locker room, so sweats ended up damp.
~ Toweled off when I got out of the pool... but then towel was wet and chlorine-y and when I rinsed off in the locker room, I could not really get dry with it (later found they do offer towels somewhere at the rec center).
~ Dump all this wet stuff into a bag... with my wallet and keys kicking around somewhere. Socks got wet, so had to skip them....
~ At home it's wet suit, chloriny towel, hair wacky, need a home shower to really get sorted out...
OK... I'm sure this sounds like I'm an incapable dork, asking "how do I get dry after the pool" ['uh... towel dude']..... and I am 50, and have taken a shower or two in my day.... but I feel there must better routines developed by regular swimmers and swim team types.... how do you work it? What do you take? Do you suit up at the pool, or go in sweats/suit like I did? I want to minimize the hassle, and speed this up.
I've started a new workout plan that includes lap swimming. I've never been a big swimmer. I'm fine in the water, but I have discovered after a mid-day workout, I just don't know how to handle the get-dry-and-chlorine-free-and-back-to-work bit without what seems a lot of unnecessary rigamarole. I feel this is taking way too long, it's a hassle, and my least favorite part of the deal.
For example... after today's:
~ I wore my suit under sweats and brought dry underwear so I could wear those after -- but was still kinda wet-ish in this crowded locker room, so sweats ended up damp.
~ Toweled off when I got out of the pool... but then towel was wet and chlorine-y and when I rinsed off in the locker room, I could not really get dry with it (later found they do offer towels somewhere at the rec center).
~ Dump all this wet stuff into a bag... with my wallet and keys kicking around somewhere. Socks got wet, so had to skip them....
~ At home it's wet suit, chloriny towel, hair wacky, need a home shower to really get sorted out...
OK... I'm sure this sounds like I'm an incapable dork, asking "how do I get dry after the pool" ['uh... towel dude']..... and I am 50, and have taken a shower or two in my day.... but I feel there must better routines developed by regular swimmers and swim team types.... how do you work it? What do you take? Do you suit up at the pool, or go in sweats/suit like I did? I want to minimize the hassle, and speed this up.
Here's what I figured out this past month when I was taking swim lessons twice a week. The big difference between you and I is that my gym has towels which they offer, and I only used those. So that's the first thing I would recommend for you to do—that'd eliminate that annoyance. But, if you have to use your own, you could just segregate it with your suit (see below).
1) I carried my towel with me to the pool, put it somewhere safe and dry. This was only so, before step #2 I didn't have to go back to my locker. So, optional depending on how you feel about going back to your locker to get your towel.
2) When I got out, I would not dry off—yes, I'd walk around sorta wet, but whatever everyone was wet—but carry the towel with me to the showers, whereupon I would rinse the chlorine-y water off, take my swimsuit off in the shower (get the water nice and hot too since I am in the northeast US and taking swimming lessons in this region in January is not something I'd do again, but that's another story...) and then dry off.
3) After finishing drying off as much as possible with the towel, do the whole get-dressed thing, and put my wet swimsuit in my backpack away from dry stuff. My gym also has one of those nifty swimsuit spinner things that gets it pretty dry, so this may not be as good for you, but you could also just bring a plastic bag with you, which is what I would have done otherwise.
3a) I would hang up my suit at home to finish drying overnight, easy-peasy. If you're using your own towel, same story I'd assume.
4) Use the electric dryers in my gym to do the last bit of drying off (hair and whatnot). Not really necessary actually, usually I was pretty dry at this point, but pleasant, especially considering the weather (see #2).
Oh, and I would always take my contacts off before getting into the pool, and (usually) put them back on after the shower. This worked pretty well for me.
I'm not sure how long this all took me, but it was definitely less than twenty minutes. Dunno if you need to cut it down even more though. I'm not a regular swimmer, and as you say, someone who's been swimming for ten years may have something way faster, but this worked well for me.
posted by dubitable at 2:36 PM on February 2, 2011
1) I carried my towel with me to the pool, put it somewhere safe and dry. This was only so, before step #2 I didn't have to go back to my locker. So, optional depending on how you feel about going back to your locker to get your towel.
2) When I got out, I would not dry off—yes, I'd walk around sorta wet, but whatever everyone was wet—but carry the towel with me to the showers, whereupon I would rinse the chlorine-y water off, take my swimsuit off in the shower (get the water nice and hot too since I am in the northeast US and taking swimming lessons in this region in January is not something I'd do again, but that's another story...) and then dry off.
3) After finishing drying off as much as possible with the towel, do the whole get-dressed thing, and put my wet swimsuit in my backpack away from dry stuff. My gym also has one of those nifty swimsuit spinner things that gets it pretty dry, so this may not be as good for you, but you could also just bring a plastic bag with you, which is what I would have done otherwise.
3a) I would hang up my suit at home to finish drying overnight, easy-peasy. If you're using your own towel, same story I'd assume.
4) Use the electric dryers in my gym to do the last bit of drying off (hair and whatnot). Not really necessary actually, usually I was pretty dry at this point, but pleasant, especially considering the weather (see #2).
Oh, and I would always take my contacts off before getting into the pool, and (usually) put them back on after the shower. This worked pretty well for me.
I'm not sure how long this all took me, but it was definitely less than twenty minutes. Dunno if you need to cut it down even more though. I'm not a regular swimmer, and as you say, someone who's been swimming for ten years may have something way faster, but this worked well for me.
posted by dubitable at 2:36 PM on February 2, 2011
As others said: 1. dry off AFTER you shower. 2. Keep your wet stuff separate from your dry stuff. There are specialty bags for this but I always just rolled up my damp towel around my very damp suit.
As far as the chlorine goes, there are specialty chlorine-removing shampoos but I don't know any way to totally de-chlorine-ify after swimming.
posted by sninctown at 2:52 PM on February 2, 2011
As far as the chlorine goes, there are specialty chlorine-removing shampoos but I don't know any way to totally de-chlorine-ify after swimming.
posted by sninctown at 2:52 PM on February 2, 2011
Two towels. Pool towel and post-shower towel. You can then stand on the pool towel to get your feet dry while you towel off with the other towel. Put everything damp-to-wet in its own bag. I go to the pool with street clothes but I have a locker [costs $ but super worth it] with suit, towels, shampoo and the like. You can even get those chamois type ppol towaels that pack up super small but dry you off pretty thoroughly.
posted by jessamyn at 2:53 PM on February 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 2:53 PM on February 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use a swim duffel. It has three sections, all sealed off from one another. One of the sections is has a mesh window to the outside, so a wrung-out swimsuit stuffed in it has a chance to dry a bit during the day. Everything else will stay perfectly dry.
You can also buy these small, hyperabsorbent towels. They'll suck all the water off your body, wring pretty dry and not take up space in your bag.
posted by apparently at 2:53 PM on February 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
You can also buy these small, hyperabsorbent towels. They'll suck all the water off your body, wring pretty dry and not take up space in your bag.
posted by apparently at 2:53 PM on February 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
Several suggestions, not in order of the post-swim procedure, but I'm sure you can sort them out: Take two towels. Use one of them, last thing before leaving the locker room, to dry off your feet before putting on socks & shoes. Take an extra minute or two to dry yourself really thoroughly before putting clothes on; if it's not socially awkward, hang out naked and air-dry for a minute after toweling off. Put a towel on your head to keep your hair from dripping, if need be. Use a swim duffel to keep wet & dry items separate. Take a travel bottle of shampoo or use a special de-chlorinating shampoo (sold at swim shops and on swim gear websites). Take your suit off in the shower and rinse it thoroughly in the stream of water from the shower. Have a drying rack set up at home to finish drying suit & towels. Dry suit goes back in the duffel; the towel you used for wiping your grubby feet should probably go in the wash. If you swim more than once a week, it's good to own a large supply of bath towels. You don't need thick luxurious ones; cheap beach towels or hemmed pieces of terry cloth are good because they fit in your bag better and are OK to lose. Don't use fabric softener on your towels; it makes them less absorbent.
posted by Orinda at 3:07 PM on February 2, 2011
posted by Orinda at 3:07 PM on February 2, 2011
My method is very similar to dubitable's though where I live is even colder.
1) take dry towel to swim area
2) once done swimming, take towel with you to shower area and hang it on the hook
3) shower (take off swimsuit at this point), then dry off*
4) head to locker and pick up dry clothes to put on. use the hairdryer as necessary
5) place wet swimsuit in plastic bag (I use a regular old grocery bag) and then place plastic bag in your gym bag
6) immediately after you get home, place wet swimsuit (if you didn't use the spinner machine at the gym, it'll be very wet) and wet towel in bathroom or other place to dry out
*7) optionally, you can buy the de-chlorining mix (Speedo sells one) and use it at home in your sink before hanging your swimsuit out to dry
*dude, no one cares if you're naked. it's a locker room
Twist for those of you wearing contacts: wear goggles in the pool and you probably won't have to take out your contacts while swimming. This is what I do and I heartily recommend it as it makes for a much more pleasant experience to be able to see while swimming.
posted by librarylis at 3:16 PM on February 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
1) take dry towel to swim area
2) once done swimming, take towel with you to shower area and hang it on the hook
3) shower (take off swimsuit at this point), then dry off*
4) head to locker and pick up dry clothes to put on. use the hairdryer as necessary
5) place wet swimsuit in plastic bag (I use a regular old grocery bag) and then place plastic bag in your gym bag
6) immediately after you get home, place wet swimsuit (if you didn't use the spinner machine at the gym, it'll be very wet) and wet towel in bathroom or other place to dry out
*7) optionally, you can buy the de-chlorining mix (Speedo sells one) and use it at home in your sink before hanging your swimsuit out to dry
*dude, no one cares if you're naked. it's a locker room
Twist for those of you wearing contacts: wear goggles in the pool and you probably won't have to take out your contacts while swimming. This is what I do and I heartily recommend it as it makes for a much more pleasant experience to be able to see while swimming.
posted by librarylis at 3:16 PM on February 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Edit: you can use the de-chlorining mix ON YOUR SUIT before hanging it out to dry so it will last longer. Please do not put it on yourself!
posted by librarylis at 3:18 PM on February 2, 2011
posted by librarylis at 3:18 PM on February 2, 2011
I do exactly what librarylis said. I keep showering items (shampoo, soap) with me along with the dry towel so I don't have to stop at the locker between swim and shower. I think I end up spending only about 15 minutes in the changeroom. I don't use any special shampoo/soap and I still smell a bit like chlorine after.
posted by bread-eater at 3:25 PM on February 2, 2011
posted by bread-eater at 3:25 PM on February 2, 2011
If your facility has a dry sauna, that will help get you dry and bring up your core temperature.
Most grocery and drug stores carry Suave or L'Oreal kids shampoo that de-chlorinates. It's way cheaper than the swimming store version, and in my experience it's just as effective. You have to be ok with smelling like a creamiscle, though!
posted by charmcityblues at 3:30 PM on February 2, 2011
Most grocery and drug stores carry Suave or L'Oreal kids shampoo that de-chlorinates. It's way cheaper than the swimming store version, and in my experience it's just as effective. You have to be ok with smelling like a creamiscle, though!
posted by charmcityblues at 3:30 PM on February 2, 2011
If you don't already have a dedicated gym bag (I noticed that you just said "a bag"), get one! Make sure it has at least one outside pocket. Keys and wallet go in that outside pocket along with anything else that must not get dry- then don't touch it until you're ready to leave. I personally drive without shoes on, so when I go swimming at the gym I wear flip-flops in and out, then put my socks/shoes back on when I get back to the car (of course, I live in FL, so it is very rarely cold enough that I can't go outside in just flipflops, YMMV somewhere colder). It saves room in my bag, no unpleasant wet socks, and I'm a very disorganized gym-goer so the fewer things I have to keep track of, the better.
If your rec center offers free towels to use, I would absolutely take advantage of that, because it's one less wet thing that you have to be concerned about.
posted by kro at 3:42 PM on February 2, 2011
If your rec center offers free towels to use, I would absolutely take advantage of that, because it's one less wet thing that you have to be concerned about.
posted by kro at 3:42 PM on February 2, 2011
Response by poster: Great stuff! I see some thought has been put into this. Thanks all, I will try these suggestions. I wish there was a sauna and more amenities in the locker room ... but, alas it's a rec center. I time my workouts... but now, I think I'll time my post workout too!
I am finally fully dry from today's workout. :-)
posted by ecorrocio at 3:55 PM on February 2, 2011
I am finally fully dry from today's workout. :-)
posted by ecorrocio at 3:55 PM on February 2, 2011
I found it to be a horrible gross feeling to put on regular cotton sweats after swimming. The humidity in the building would just squick me out and the sweats would immediately stick and feel all clammy. Can you wear some lightweight clothes until you get to back to work, and then change into work-appropriate wear?
My hair stylist recommends a "clarifying" shampoo for post-swimming. I just used the Suave stuff for kids.
Also, consider some sandals for the deck and locker room. Plantar warts are no fun.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:37 PM on February 2, 2011
My hair stylist recommends a "clarifying" shampoo for post-swimming. I just used the Suave stuff for kids.
Also, consider some sandals for the deck and locker room. Plantar warts are no fun.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 4:37 PM on February 2, 2011
Some thoughts:
- As previously mentioned there are non towel items that help take care of the 'first dry' - my personal fav. Finishing can then be dine with a very small dry towel.
- dechlorinating shampoo is nice and you may find that it helps your skin if you can sweat a little with a hot shower or sauna first.
- sweating will, however, keep you damp for a long time after. A long time. It's worth taking your time drying off to cool down before getting dressed. I like taking that time to stretch.
- rinsing in cold water then hanging your gear up will help with longevity and odor. If you can rent a locker that's nice but many many workplaces will have somewhere you can hang up your wet stuff.
- cotton is not your friend, clothing wise. Just saying'.
posted by mce at 4:41 PM on February 2, 2011
- As previously mentioned there are non towel items that help take care of the 'first dry' - my personal fav. Finishing can then be dine with a very small dry towel.
- dechlorinating shampoo is nice and you may find that it helps your skin if you can sweat a little with a hot shower or sauna first.
- sweating will, however, keep you damp for a long time after. A long time. It's worth taking your time drying off to cool down before getting dressed. I like taking that time to stretch.
- rinsing in cold water then hanging your gear up will help with longevity and odor. If you can rent a locker that's nice but many many workplaces will have somewhere you can hang up your wet stuff.
- cotton is not your friend, clothing wise. Just saying'.
posted by mce at 4:41 PM on February 2, 2011
Do you shower off before getting into the pool? I swim 3 days a week and I have found that if I hop in the shower to wet everything down (hair, skin, suit) before I get into the chlorinated water, I stink far less of chlorine.
Maybe look into getting a swim cap too. Covered hair means it won't be all chlorine-y after.
I wear my suit under my sweats to the gym, as I find it takes far less time in the locker room so I can hop in the shower real quick, get my hair up in a cap, and head for the pool.
posted by godshomemovies at 5:51 PM on February 2, 2011
Maybe look into getting a swim cap too. Covered hair means it won't be all chlorine-y after.
I wear my suit under my sweats to the gym, as I find it takes far less time in the locker room so I can hop in the shower real quick, get my hair up in a cap, and head for the pool.
posted by godshomemovies at 5:51 PM on February 2, 2011
A side note about the reek of chlorine on your skin:
A friend who's an aqua therapist told me about salt scrubs. I don't know if that sounds too girly for you, but a good salty scrub totally gets the smell of chlorine off your skin.
posted by bassjump at 8:46 PM on February 2, 2011
A friend who's an aqua therapist told me about salt scrubs. I don't know if that sounds too girly for you, but a good salty scrub totally gets the smell of chlorine off your skin.
posted by bassjump at 8:46 PM on February 2, 2011
I'm a little confused about the sweats, if you're going to the gym from work and heading back to work after. Do you change from work clothes to swimsuit/sweats, back to sweats after you swim, and put on work clothes when you get back to work? That sounds like a hell of a lot of hassle right there.
I wear whatever I happen to have on when I head to the gym. I take my work clothes with me.
My gym provides towels, so I grab 3 as I go in to the locker room. I get undressed (if I was coming from work, I'd hang the clothes up carefully.) I throw two towels in the locker, grab my swimsuit and head to the shower.
I pre-shower before I get in the pool, and put on my suit in the shower.
I take one towel with me to the pool to provide a little cover and so I can dry off my face when I get out.
I grab the two dry towels from my locker and head to the shower after my swim. Take a real, honest-to-god wash-everything shower. I wrap one of my dry towels around my head, use the other to dry off my body.
Back at my locker I drop my body towel on the floor and shuffle around on it to get my feet (mostly) dry. Put on my undies. Blow-dry my hair. Put on my work clothes. Stick my dirty clothes in a plastic bag to carry home.
My gym rents lockers for a monthly fee, and that fee includes laundry service for my gym clothes. All my wet crap goes straight into the laundry bag and down the chute as I'm on my way out. Before I had the laundry service I brought my wet swimsuit home in a plastic bag.
I'm perfectly dry when I leave the gym, and dressed for work.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:23 PM on February 2, 2011
I wear whatever I happen to have on when I head to the gym. I take my work clothes with me.
My gym provides towels, so I grab 3 as I go in to the locker room. I get undressed (if I was coming from work, I'd hang the clothes up carefully.) I throw two towels in the locker, grab my swimsuit and head to the shower.
I pre-shower before I get in the pool, and put on my suit in the shower.
I take one towel with me to the pool to provide a little cover and so I can dry off my face when I get out.
I grab the two dry towels from my locker and head to the shower after my swim. Take a real, honest-to-god wash-everything shower. I wrap one of my dry towels around my head, use the other to dry off my body.
Back at my locker I drop my body towel on the floor and shuffle around on it to get my feet (mostly) dry. Put on my undies. Blow-dry my hair. Put on my work clothes. Stick my dirty clothes in a plastic bag to carry home.
My gym rents lockers for a monthly fee, and that fee includes laundry service for my gym clothes. All my wet crap goes straight into the laundry bag and down the chute as I'm on my way out. Before I had the laundry service I brought my wet swimsuit home in a plastic bag.
I'm perfectly dry when I leave the gym, and dressed for work.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 9:23 PM on February 2, 2011
I'm a swimmer (like competition, 2 workouts a day). You will always smell like chlorine and have drying things hanging everwhere. Your hair will be funny. Nothing is dry vouch is the lot of the swimmer. All else is false.
posted by dame at 2:13 AM on February 3, 2011
posted by dame at 2:13 AM on February 3, 2011
I'm working through this too, and it does get easier the more you go, as you work out a little routine. My biggest discovery so far sounds obvious, but took me a while to work out: When you dry yourself prior to dressing, dry yourself completely, all over, all in one go. No rubbing your torso and your arms, tying the towel round your waist, then realising your pits and your neck are a bit damp and drying them better, then dressing the top half, then rubbing your legs, going to dress and realising your nether regions are still damp, drying them again, etc. etc.
Just stand there, you and the towel, without picking up any clothes, and dry EVERYTHING. Then dressing is so much easier. If you have hair of any length, bring another small towel to tie round it while you dry to prevent dripping.
posted by penguin pie at 5:17 AM on February 3, 2011
Just stand there, you and the towel, without picking up any clothes, and dry EVERYTHING. Then dressing is so much easier. If you have hair of any length, bring another small towel to tie round it while you dry to prevent dripping.
posted by penguin pie at 5:17 AM on February 3, 2011
Oh, and for any women reading: Do. Not. Wear. Tights. (Pantyhose to our Namerican friends, I believe). The logistics of drying and reclothing/shoeing your feet in tights are enough to make you just give up and walk home nekkid.
posted by penguin pie at 5:21 AM on February 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by penguin pie at 5:21 AM on February 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
Less is more. Suit up in the locker room, shower and use a chlorine removing soap in the shower directly afterwards. Leaving any chlorine in hair or on skin has to make you itch constantly. Dry off and put suit in a plastic grocery bag. Double bag it or triple bag it.
posted by JJ86 at 6:56 AM on February 3, 2011
posted by JJ86 at 6:56 AM on February 3, 2011
Carbon dioxide neutralizes chlorine. Bring a bottle or can of soda water to rinse off with in the shower. Also the suit. Sounds crazy, but try it and see.
posted by freshwater at 8:20 AM on February 3, 2011
posted by freshwater at 8:20 AM on February 3, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
On the wet towel front, I go pool to locker (for shampoo etc) to shower to locker, and I only dry off after I'm clean, so the towel still does the job. My experience was that cheap beach towels work best for this, as they dry quickly at home and are small to pack.
posted by carbide at 2:32 PM on February 2, 2011