Monday 7 March 2011

Steam room

Recently I've invested in a Fitness First - 4 month gym membership for around £150.
Unless I'm away I'll visit every single day, not to work out but to use the steam room.
You may be thinking "Mike, why pay to go to one of the most expensive gyms in the country with almost every single piece of equipment a gym would ever need yet only use the steam room???" to which I say "I like steam".
If you divide the £150 over 4 months you'll see I'm only paying about £1.25 a day which... still isn't really worth it for just the steam room and it would make a lot of sense to use some of the other apparatus the gym has to offer and, ya know... actually work out like maybe do what the gym's supposed to be for?
BUT, in a desperate attempt to justify my own laziness I will explain about all the benefits of the steam room in one post full of juicy condensed facts. The irony is that the gym shuts in 50 minutes and instead of going I'm writing a post about going, classic.

STEAM ROOM




















That's basically what it's like. However, although it's unisex I've never seen a female inside it.

Pros:

- Helps respiratory problems, I suffer from asthma and recently I've had quite a bad cough. The steam inside the steam room adds moisture to your lungs, throat and nose which soothes them and makes it easier to breath.

- It flushes out your pours by making you sweat loads! This is the best way to clean your skin, it really helps get rid of acne too!

- Following on from the last point it is a great thing to do for contrast bathing, if you go in the steam room then come out and have a cold shower then it will narrow your blood vessels (steam room relaxes them) which gets rid of any inflammation and also it closes the pores in your skin (steam room opens and cleans them).

- It helps heal damaged muscle tissue, if I'm ever aching then I'll go in the steam room and it will sort me out straight away, a lot of top level athletes swear on it!

- It's a relaxing thing to do, a great place to go and think. Also it makes you come out so refreshed! It's a great thing to do at the start of the day but at the same time it can be good to do just before sleep too!



Cons:

- If someone opens or closes the door on the steam room it will make loads of tiny droplets of steaming hot water drop from the ceiling, it stings.

- If you stay in for too long you will probably shrivel up and die, or something.

31 comments:

  1. Never been in a steam room, but it sounds like it would feel good.

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  2. I also never been in a steam room

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  3. They feel great for a little while, but I can't stand them for too long

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  4. I've spent like a half hour in one, easily beating all of my friends. When I had a gym membership it was where I would relax and collect thoughts.

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  5. Yeah, that last put always puts me off. Someone would probably think it completely hilarious to jam the door whilst i was in there -_-

    That said, i hear it's good for you, so have fun with it.

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  6. Have you tried an Onsen? They are pretty hot too

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  7. nothing like a good steam.

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  8. Yesss I have tried an Onsen, it was a while ago in Turkey I believe but from what I remember the water was scoulding hot! I could barely get in it!

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  9. I have enjoyed steam rooms the few times that I have been in them, just don't stay in them too long or you totally will pass out!

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  10. I wish they had one in my gym, especially co-ed.

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  11. Steam and then jacuzzi (or vice versa) is awesome.

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  12. my gym has one too. its just too great.

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  13. I love steam rooms, but I don't think I would buy a gym membership just to use one.

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  14. I love steam-rooms with menthol in them.

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  15. I'd say between 5 and 15 minutes is enough!

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  16. With mentol this things are so awesome

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  17. Tried it a single time. Couldn't do it again :P

    I'm temped to give it another shot since I read all the pros about it in your post.

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  18. Steam room + menthol does sound good!

    and go for it Assange fan!

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  19. There is a sauna in every house where I live, which is awesome! Those steam rooms are a bit different, though, I believe.

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  20. sounds great, there's nothing like a good steam

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  21. if you have the cash, then go ahead.

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  22. I fell asleep in a steam room once ;P

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  23. steam rooms are awesome, they feel great

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  24. steam rooms are great, it's healthy and you relaxing nice post +followed

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  25. I love steam rooms!

    Shame I can't find a gym nearby that has one anymore.

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  26. Although I love the feeling when I come out of a steam room, whilst I am in there I can't help but feel so paranoid and uncomfortable.

    I wish there was an easier way.....

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  27. expensive membership - didn't realise fitness first was that much. If you're going everyday though should be worth it.

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  28. How do you compare the steam room to hot tubs?

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  29. Well I'd say hot tubs are more relaxing and fun but not as health beneficial (although they do have a lot of similar benefits such as relieving muscle tension etc)

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