Fitter people do start sweating sooner, and sweat more, than unfit people, says Michele Scharff Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery in Alabama.
"As you get in better shape," she explains, "your body anticipates the heat buildup that occurs from exerting yourself." However, less-fit folks who quickly become drenched may be training too intensely, which increases their chance of injury and/or dehydration, Olson adds. Since factors including genetics, gender (men sweat more than women), air temperature and humidity all affect perspiration, sweating more isn't always a sign that you're burning more calories than drier exercisers are.
This has come up in a few other threads.
I live in the desert where the humidity % is usually in the teens and twenties. My sweat evaporates off of me almost immediately. My shirts do not get wet, do not show a sweat stain. Does this mean I'm not working hard??
I love working out so hard the sweat just pours out. It makes me feel like all my efforts to get in shape are paying off. Not long ago I couldn't work out for more than 20 minutes before I got totally exhausted and still was dry as a bone. Now I work out a minimum of 30 minutes VERY hard intervals, then pump iron for 30 more.
Fitter people do start sweating sooner, and sweat more, than unfit people, says Michele Scharff Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn University Montgomery in Alabama.
"As you get in better shape," she explains, "your body anticipates the heat buildup that occurs from exerting yourself." However, less-fit folks who quickly become drenched may be training too intensely, which increases their chance of injury and/or dehydration, Olson adds. Since factors including genetics, gender (men sweat more than women), air temperature and humidity all affect perspiration, sweating more isn't always a sign that you're burning more calories than drier exercisers are.
Thank you for the information! And I wholeheartedly agree with the sweating isn't always a sign of burning more calories. The lady who teaches my step class sweats very mildly, but I can tell she is out of breath and her face is flush. She pushes herself just as hard as the "students" do. If she has to do level 3 while we do level 2, she does. I know she is busting her tail.
