Fox News Chicago presented an interesting segment on black women and exercise. The notion that black women are less inclined to workout when their hair is relaxed vs natural was explored in this segment, and for many this notion was a reality. Some women stated they work out more now that they have the made the transition from relaxed to natural hair. The reporter, Robin Robinson, rocked her relaxed hair in a natural style for the day, apologetically, to see if wearing your hair in a natural style would create less maintenance on the hair, therefore enhancing the overall workout experience.
Has going natural enhanced your workout experience? Do you frequent the gym more now that you are natural? Personally, I think it was just as easy going to the gym with relaxed hair because all I had to do was blow dry my hair, wrap it and slightly bump it with a curler the next day. The video asserts that women with relaxed hair do not want to entertain the idea of visiting the gym for fear of sweating out the perm or their hair reverting to "kinks" but with a relaxer, your hair does not revert back to kinks. I do understand not wanting to sweat out your style especially for those who do not know how to style their hair themselves.
Tell me what you think...
Check out this segment here---> Great Hair Style or exercise
8 comments:
perhaps it depends on the activity. i didn't let my hair stop me from working out 3-4 times a week (cardio and weights), but it has always stopped me from swimming for health. I'm transitioning now and i.cannot.wait. to get in that pool!!
Yeah while the hair does not revert back, it does sweat out, especially if you have hair like mine. It grows fast especially when I work out and when I had a relaxer it would always annoy me to bits and pieces that only after two weeks I would be seeing my natural naps. Now that I have transitioned to an all natural gal exercise issues is a thing of the past.
Being relaxed myself, I would never let my hair keep me from staying healthy. It is all about nowing how to work with your hair. Rather it is natural or not. I would love to know the statistics about these findings and what type of relaxed women were asked. I know too many women who are relaxed that exercise at least 3 times per week.
If you keep your hair in braids or twist and out it in a ponytail or bun you will be sweating at the scalp but the rest of your hair will be fine.
Once you get home take a wet cloth and rosewater and massage your scalp and your scalp is clean.
That's what I do anyway.
For a lot of people I know (myself included), going from relaxed hair to natural is an internal process that is based on accepting who you are, embracing yourself, and learning to work what you have to the best of your ability-- mentally and physically. That's not to say that people with relaxed hair have problems with the aforementioned things...or that ALL people who choose to go natural do either. It's just that (through my personal experience), wearing your hair natural (for a person who hasn't worn it natural all of her/his life) can be a process filled with hesitations: 1. what to do with it, 2. how to care for it, 3. what will your family/coworkers/onlookers/friends think?...etc. Once you learn to love it and care for it, you either learn to care more about what you think of things personally rather than others...or you learn that what you mentally see as something to be apprehensive of in practice and in reality isn't that nerve-wrecking or of importance to other people. Through these "challenges" of consciously taking care of your natural hair you gain insight into who you are as a person. Seeking means of bettering yourself naturally becomes more of an enjoyable desire consciously.
In my opinion, if it was really just about something as vain as worrying about sweating your hair out, most people would refrain regardless of whether their hair was permed or not. Neither conditions of hair are exempt from being displaced by weather or phys. activity.
In my experience at school and at fitness centers one common subject has always been "sweating out a relaxer/hairstyle." I have heard a lot of women complain about it or opt to wear braids for a time. Personally when I was relaxed it was a concern for me (sometimes more than at other times.) If I had a short relaxed style I would not work out because the style had to be maintained by my stylist. However if it were long enough to braid then I would work out. Part of the reason I opted to go natural was hearing other women talk of not working out for fear of sweating out their hair. It struck something inside of me and this was 6 years ago. I thought wow this hair thing is getting in the way of our health! I have seen women with relaxers that work out regardless. These women are usually older and have come to prioritize the importance of health over vanity.
I think it depends on your hair type and on your location... I lived in Miami for years, as a triathlete (running, biking and swimming), and the second my relaxed hair touched sweat, it was as if it had never been relaxed. I used a straightening iron and blow dryer daily, and was still never satisfied with the way my hair looked. This was my motivation to go natural...
My relaxed hair is a problem that keeps me from the gym. Yes, it is sad. The best time for me to work out is in the morning because of my schedule. What I have to go through to get my hair in "working" order before going into to work takes longer than an hour of doing a hard core workout. I am now transitioning and expect to be carefree very soon!
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