If you’ve ever hit the gym or gone for a run, you’ve probably seen folks rocking hoodies while breaking a sweat.
But the big question is, does working out in a hoodie actually make sense, or is it just a fashion statement?
In this blog post, we’re going to explore the pros and cons of hitting the treadmill or lifting weights with your favorite hoodie on.
Does Working Out In Hoodie Make Any Difference?
Help in warm-up
- Though a hoodie might be a comfortable gym attire for some people, but it helps in the warm-up.
Warm-up is very important before any workout to prevent injury and to get in a beast mode. Well, a hoodie does this job pretty well by insulating the air inside.
- You will likely warm up pretty fast if you wear a hoodie during a workout.
- If you don’t want to waste your time and time on warming up then the best thing is to elevate the warm process by wearing a hoodie.
More sweat
So, this might be the main reason why so many wear hoodies during running or workouts.
They think that they will sweat more and it ultimately means more fat burning.
- Though I am sure that hoodie makes you sweat more, but does it help you in the fat-burning process? Well, that is questionable.
However, don’t worry we will find the answer to this further in this article
Mental toughness
So, I have heard from many people that they wear hoodies because they want to challenge themselves during a workout.
You can read on forums and talk to people around you who wear hoodies during workouts.
- Some people’s motive is to challenge themselves by withstanding the heat and sweat during a workout.
- When we work in a hot environment, our heart increases which leads to the use of more energy.
Does wearing a hoodie help in weight loss?
While many people think that wearing a hoodie means more sweat and more sweat means more fat loss.
While this might look like simple logic but in reality it is completely different.
You might have seen many wrestlers, boxers, and weightlifters wearing tons of clothes on them in a hot summer before a weigh-in.
- And that made people think that this helps in weight loss. Well, actually it does help but the only thing you are going to lose is the water weight.
- This is a temporary water loss that many wrestlers do to lose a few pounds.
- When we talk about bodybuilders, they lose water weight so that their muscles get proper definition, so that they are more visible during a competition.
Related: Is working out in sweatpants a Good Idea?
Now there have been numerous studies regarding fat loss while working out and sweating.
There was one study that suggested that our heart rate becomes high when we work in a hot environment.
This also increases the intensity of the workout. The study further suggests that when you sweat more, your body needs to decide between fat and carbs as fuel.
And guess what our body uses carbs more than fats in hot weather.
- On the contrary, our body uses more fat in normal conditions than carbs.
- But there is a catch, the study also shows that we burn more calories when we work in hot climates. So, ultimately we will burn more fat.
But then another study was conducted by. Which suggests completely different outcomes.
The study concluded that you will lose fat more if you work in cold weather in comparison to hot weather.
- But out of all this, if you plan to wear a hoodie to lose some fat, then you can try.
- However, the best way to cut down your fat is to reduce your calorie intake and burn more.
- You can wear a hoodie while doing a workout if you want to feel more intensity in your workout.
- Wearing a hoodie while working out will make you sweat more.
- If you do running or any high-intensity workout, it will surely increase the intensity of that workout. But this will also make you dehydrated very fast.
So, if your goal is to just lose some weight and get a nice physique, then is best if you keep yourself hydrated while working out in a hoodie.
Related: How Long Does Temporary Weight Gain After Exercise Last?
Why do bodybuilders wear hoodies?
You might have seen many popular bodybuilders like Phil Heath wearing hoodies during a workout and that made you wonder why they are wearing hoodies in summer.
Well, let’s put some light on that…
So there are various reasons why bodybuilders wear hoodies while working out.
Avoid distractions
- Many bodybuilders wear hoodies to avoid any distractions. They want them to be less approachable so that they can focus on their workout.
- The meaning of Workout for bodybuilders is completely different than a normal person because that is their profession.
Not only that they want them less approachable. Some bodybuilders wear hoodies because they feel more focused while wearing a hoodie.
They can take a cap and focus on their workout without any distractions.
Help in water loss
As discussed above you can lose water weight if you sweat more and drink less water. Different athletes do this for different purposes.
- Boxers and wrestlers do this to shred some pounds before weighing in. This is a temporary water weight loss. It will come after they drink water.
- But bodybuilders, want to lose water weight by sweating more to get more muscle definition and make their muscles more visible.
Many bodybuilders do their workouts in hoodies before any competition and stop drinking water near competition to get that definition.
Quick warm-up
- Though bodybuilders need less warm-up than a normal person because their muscles get mature and used to the movement.
- Still, to avoid any injury and open up the joints, they do a quick warm-up.
Hoodies help them to get warm pretty fast because of the increased temperature the blood circulation becomes fast.
Avoid sweat from draining
Not all but some people including bodybuilders don’t like their sweat to drain on equipment or the floor.
Hoodie helps them to soak up the sweat and prevent it from draining on the floor.
Disadvantage of wearing a hoodie during a workout
You might make up your mind about wearing a hoodie during a workout, but it is better to know some disadvantages before wearing it.
Less movement
When you wear a hoodie, the first problem that occurs is that you get less freedom to move your muscles or body.
Sometimes, if a hoodie is not stretchable enough, it can limit your body movement, which can be dangerous and not so pleasing during a set.
So, if you decide to wear a hoodie during a workout, make sure to get one that has some stretch in it.
