This way you stop sweating after a squash session

The statement 'if you don´t sweat on the court you´re doing something wrong' is true for many squash players. But what if you continue sweating for half an hour or even for an hour after the training or match? I belong to that club. I often see players with sweat drops running down their foreheads long after finishing the training and even after taking a shower. Sweating is normal but sometimes simply unpleasant. For example, if you have an appointment or have to go to work straight after squash you certainly don´t want to feel sweat running down your face and back. And in the summer this problem gets even worse.

Don´t lose your hope. The tips below help you stop sweating faster after squash and you´ll feel a lot fresher when you leave the club and get into the car or onto your bike.

First it’s important to understand why we sweat. We perspire to keep our body temperature standard: by sweating, we lose excess body heat. The moment your body temperature goes up due to physical exercise, the sweat drops that evaporate on your skin will make you cool down. This is why in order to stop sweating faster after squash it´s important to make your body temperature drop as quickly as possible. Try out the following tips:

Drink ice water immediately after squash

A study at the University of Sydney shows that thermoreceptors in your stomach have an effect on perspiration of the body. The people in the test group who drank ice-cold drinks appeared to sweat significantly less during exercise than people who drank warm drinks. If your club has a bar, order a cold drink with ice cubes after training and drink it slowly. You can also prepare a cold drink at home by putting your drinking bottle, filled with water or sports drink, in the freezer before you go to play and take it with you in a cool bag. There are squash bags equipped with a built-in refrigerator compartment which come in handy if you want to take ice-cold drinks with you to the squash club. For example, the Prince Tour Challenger 9 Pack and the Dunlop Performance 12 Racket Bag have this special compartment.

Keep your shower temperature under control

Although after squash it might be tempting to take a hot shower to let your muscles relax completely, in order to stop sweating it´s better to keep the water temperature just below your body temperature. Contrary to what might sound logical, an ice-cold shower doesn´t help you stop sweating either. Actually a cold shower makes you sweat more after squash. Don´t rush straight to the shower either, but give the body some time to cool down while enjoying your cold drink.

Choose loose and airy clothing

Although it´s recommendable to wear quick-drying synthetic squash clothing on the court, after showering loose cotton clothes are the best choice. Cotton is a natural, breathable material and lets the sweat evaporate easily, cooling down your body more quickly. Another tip is not to wear your shirt inside your pants until you arrive to your next appointment. Wearing linen clothes is also a good option especially in the summer months.

Cool down your wrists under the tap

If you still find yourself sweating excessively fifteen minutes after showering and getting dressed, try keeping your wrists under running water. The cold water flowing over the large blood vessels in your wrists cools down your body more quickly, causing perspiration to stop sooner.

Be cautious with care products

It´s better not to apply greasy or moisturizing care products like body lotion, face cream or hair gel immediately after taking a shower. Wait half an hour or until your body has cooled down properly and yo´ve stopped sweating.

You may also be interested in the following articles:
The importance of a proper warmup for squash
Why you should eat bananas during a squash match
Signs that your opponent is getting tired