Is Sweating A Sign Of A Good Workout?

How do you judge when you’ve had an amazing workout? For some of us, it’s when you’ve hit new PBs with your weights or smashed through every set feeling like you’re at the top of your game. For others, it’s when you’ve given it your all and are left reaching for a sweat towel. 

When it comes to sweat, some of us can improve our fitness level tenfold and still be left wondering: why do I sweat so much when working out? For others it doesn’t matter how hard we train, we’re lucky to see one bead of sweat. Sweaty or not - does it say anything about your workout intensity or fitness level? Let’s find out.

Why do we sweat? 

Sweat is your body’s genius way of regulating your temperature and helping to keep you cool. When you’re working out, your core temperature rises and your body responds by controlling your internal temperature, so your brain signals for your thermoregulatory response to start. That’s when you begin to perspire. This is called thermal sweating — yes, there are different types of sweating (we all know what it’s like to get nervous sweats!).

How much you sweat can be determined by several different factors including your genes, gender, age, metabolic rate, illness, external temperature and what you’re wearing (sweat-proof leggings, anyone?).

Is sweating a sign of a good workout?

If you’ve been pushing yourself in the gym and wondering why it hardly looks like you’ve worked out at all (or are sweating a lot without pushing yourself that hard), don’t worry, the amount you sweat is not a reflection of the effort you’re putting in or your fitness level. 

There are so many factors that influence how much you sweat, including genetics, climate, clothing and training style. Regardless of how sweaty you get, any workout or movement you do is great for your body and jam-packed with physical and mental benefits! 

For example, walking outside on a hot day may cause you to sweat more than if you did a resistance session in an air-conditioned gym, while the way you sweat in a tropical city will probably be very different to how much you sweat on a cold winter’s day.

Similarly, training in full-length leggings may leave you sweatier than a session performed in bike shorts, and a Pilates session, which is all about strengthening your core muscles, may not have you sweating as much as you do during a HIIT workout, but that’s not to say you didn’t get an effective, killer workout in.

Sweaty or not, you should always aim to stay hydrated by drinking at least two litres of water every day, upping this on the days you’re exercising as your body loses water through sweat and your breath.

What are some other signs of a good workout?

Sweat aside, there are plenty of other ways to benchmark your fitness level, track your progress and tell if you’ve had an effective session. For us, signs of a good workout often include:

• You feel better than when you started! That post-workout endorphin rush and mood-boost is a sure-fire sign you’re reaping the benefits. If you find you’re feeling worse post-workout, your body might be craving rest or it might be time to consider trying a different training style. Sure, working out can be hard sometimes, but aim to find something you enjoy.

• Your heart rate has increased and you’ve hit your target heart rate. If you’re training with a watch on, it can provide a good way to see which heart rate zone you’re in - super helpful if you’re trying to build your cardio fitness or are trying zone 2 cardio. The American Heart Association also has a helpful guide to understanding your maximum and target heart rate zone depending on whether you’re doing moderate or vigorous intensity exercise.

• You challenged yourself while still listening to your body. In case no one has told you, you can push yourself while listening to your body. They’re not mutually exclusive! Try the heavier weights. Pick up the pace. Squeeze out a few more reps. But do it all with great form, don’t overexert yourself, and stop if you feel any pain beyond the burn in your muscles and lungs.  

• Your muscles feel fatigued if you’re strength training — the last few reps should be extra tough! Using your rate of perceived exertion can be a powerful tool to help you train at the right intensity to achieve your fitness goals and break through plateaus.

• You sleep well at night. This is one of our favourite benefits of exercise. When you’ve found a great workout routine and a training style that suits your body, it should support a restful night’s sleep, not hinder it.

Focus on how you feel!

So what’s in a drop of sweat? At the end of the day, it differs from person to person. You might sweat during all of your workouts, only in some or barely at all. When there are so many different factors at play, how much you sweat doesn’t necessarily say anything about how hard you’ve been training.

A consistent routine and a workout plan that grows with you will ensure you’re on your way to becoming fitter, stronger and healthier. So whether you sweat a lot or a little, don’t let it stop you from smashing your fitness goals!