Sweating - What Does It Mean?

Is breaking a hard, dripping sweat the sign of a good workout? Most assume that the more you sweat, the harder you have worked. Well, according to experts, sweating might not always be the best indicator of a great workout.

Sweating is part of our bodies’ natural defense system and works to maintain our regular body temperature. Sweat can be brought on from extreme heat, physical activity or nerves, but while working out, sweat actually cools the body and prevents it from over heating. The amount of sweat that we expel while working out is dependent on a number of factors, including fitness level, climate and level of exercise. Thus, the number of calories burned and how much we sweat might not always correlate.

Although many fitness experts will agree that sweat is a good indicator of the intensity of our workout, most agree that a more accurate and appropriate measure can be found by monitoring your pulse, which can be done by simply counting the number of heartbeats per minute with two fingers on your neck, or by using a heart rate monitor. So sweat away, but don’t feel bad if you’re not filling buckets. Ultimately, the number one goal of any workout is to feel great when you’re done, so work hard and reap the rewards!