Curly Girl's Guide: Gym Tips
Posted on 03 January 2019
It’s that time of year again… As we wrap up December and set our sights on our goals for the new year, many of us have plans to take 2019 by force.
For many people, the new year is an opportunity to kick their health and fitness into high gear. Finding the motivation to stick to a workout routine can be a bit daunting, especially if you’re stressed about keeping your curls looking right.
But should something as simple as hair get in the way of a good workout? No way! While we may not be fitness coaches or personal trainers, when it comes to curls, we gotchu covered. 😉
That’s why we’ve put together a few of our own tips and tricks to help you crush your workout and still come out with bomb-looking curls.
Mind Over Matter
The quality of your workout is determined long before you slide on your favourite pair of yoga pants and head out of the door. It starts with your mindset!
At the end of the day, your hair is just one of the amazing and dynamic things that make you, you! While we would love to always have flawless, pillow-soft curls 24/7, we all know that no one ever died over a little frizz.
But don’t worry, there are still ways to come out of your workout routine with a gorgeous head of curls. We’ll take you through some of our curly hair tips that’ll help keep your mind on your reps, not your ringlets!
Exercise With Dry Curls Only
To lock in a kick-ass wash-and-go with popping curls, you need to make sure your curls are completely dry before breaking a sweat. Moving and messing around with your curls while they’re still partially wet actually disturbs your curl pattern and encourages unruly frizz.
But if like most curlies, you feel like air drying takes forever and a day, you can always opt for plopping or blow drying with a diffuser to speed up the process.
Timing is EVERYTHING!
Of course, there are better or worse times to plan your workout. For instance, strapping on your running shoes and going for an afternoon jog while you’re still waiting for your curls to dry, is setting you and your curls up for disaster.
It may help to take the extra time to plan out your workouts to work with your curly hair routine.
You can always work around your wash schedule to make sure that you're not following up a fresh wash-and-go with a workout or wait until the end of your last workout of the week to finally wash your hair.
Embrace the Up-Do
You’ve probably seen those gorgeous Instagram selfies of fitspo ladies who rock their kinks and curls with their super chic athletic wear. But what works for the ‘gram won’t always work in real life.
While having your curls free can make for stunning workout selfies, wearing your hair down can get in the way of your workout.
We encourage curly girls to throw their hair in an up-do or protective style prior to working out to keep their curls safely out of their face and to make sure loose strands don’t get caught on any equipment (eek! 😱).
These kinds of styles will also prevent your curls from frizzing up from excess movement and also keep the sweat from dripping down your curls.
Our favourite options are pineapples (a high and loose ponytail that sits on the top of your head) and high buns. Make sure to tie your curls loosely or pick up a few creaseless ponytail holders or scrunchies so you don’t leave a dent in your hair.
If you tend to really break a sweat during your workout, you can always pair your bun or ponytail with an athletic headband. That way you can wick moisture away from your face while also preserving the curls at the crown of your head.
Style Ur Curls Last
After a great workout, it can be tempting to let your curls loose to cool down before getting ready. Resist the urge, and leave your curls alone!
Remember, there’s a good chance that you worked up quite a sweat, which may have left you with a head of partially damp curls. When you mess with damp curls, you risk disturbing your curl pattern, creating frizz.
Instead, finish going through all of the other basics. Cool down, grab a shower, do a quick wardrobe change and then pay attention to your curls.
This will give them a chance to dry and reduce the possibility of frizz. Once you're ready to take your hair down, grab your product and a spray bottle of water and dive into your refresh routine to revive your curls.
Cleansing Ur Curls
After your workout, you are probably wondering what the best way is to cleanse away all of the sweat. You’d probably be surprised to know that you don’t actually have to shampoo your curls after every workout.
In fact, most curly gym enthusiasts will skip the shampoo altogether, even if they have been training like Superwoman in the weight room.
While shampoo can do a great job at cleansing your curls, shampooing too often can dehydrate your curls, kinks, or waves.
So what’s a curly girl to do? Well, it’s important to use products on your hair that allow you to get the most out of your wash-and-go.
The Right Stuff
The kind of products you use in your hair play a major role in how often you’ll need to wash it. Using lighter products will allow you to avoid unnecessary build-up, which means you can really stretch the number of days between washes. A lightweight product is also ideal for refreshing your next-day or post-workout curls.
If you’re refreshing with LUS, you may be able to use just a couple of spritzes of water to reactivate the product already in your hair. If your curls need a little more help, you can try mixing a few pumps of our All-in-One with some water in a spray bottle. Give it a shake and spritz the mixture all over your hair without making it too wet. Check out this video demo of our founder, Sahar, using this exact same method!
But keep in mind that everybody’s head of hair is unique. If you find that your hair is more prone to oil and product buildup then feel free to wash it as needed.
Work It, Curly Girls! 💪🏽
At the end of the day, whether you’re in the gym, on a trail, or in a yoga studio, the most important thing for you to focus on is getting a killer workout. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in how you or your curls look throughout the process.
Focus on your end goals and allow yourself to get out there and work up a good sweat. The real secret to care-free curls is to actually stop caring and obsessing over your hair every waking moment.
