Swimming and hair

[cleowasmycat]

Right, I need to tone up my arms and my arse so am going to try swimming. I can't bear the gym. Prob is my hair. It's on the dry side anyway and I colour it so really don't want it to get wet. It there a solution to not get it wet at all? Do swimming caps really work?

Your hair is going to get wet no matter what way you look at it. A relatively tight silicon cap will help but it will get damp anyway - also swimming with your head up is absolutely horrible for your back, neck and shoulders.

If you saturate your hair with clean water before you put your swimming cap on it will help stop the chlorine having such a bad effect. Your hair will always get wet while wearing a cap so it's better that it's clean water rather than chlorinated.

Lots of conditioner!

I swim most days & my hair is like straw - just have to use conditioner liberally

I think swimming caps do work but I can't bear them.

I swim everyday. Usually put some leave in conditioner and tie my hair up on top of my head and then wash afterwards. Then deep condition once a week. Something oily on my hair seems to stop the chlorine getting in.

I am in the same position op. I pile my hair on top of my head in a bun...then use one of those big towelling Alice bands round my head....i find this way only the hair at the base of my neck gets a little wet at the roots.

(1) Have a shower before you swim and make sure your hair is soaked with clean water

(2) Then put a tight silicone cap on. Don't have one too tight though as it'll give you a massive headache if you're anything like me.

(3) After each swim rinse your hair thoroughly for ages with just clean water before shampooing

(4) Then shampoo once with specialist cleansing shampoo. This is a good one: www.amazon.co.uk/Swimovate-Pool-Anti-Chlorine-Swimmers-Shampoo/dp/B0051T157W

(5) Then use your normal shampoo but I'd suggest a conditioning one if your hair's drier.

(6) Then condition with lots and lots of condition. Try to do the ends much more than your scalp. Washing your hair more regularly because of swimming will mean it becomes greasier at the roots easier so try to avoid conditioning the roots.

(7) Roughly towel dry your hair and add a tiny bit of coconut oil to the very ends of your hair. It'll take some practise to get the amount right.

(8) Use a good heat protector spray like Kerastase and style as normal.

(9) Once a week or once a fortnight depending on how regularly you swim use coconut oil to do a deep condition of your hair.

I have been swimming every day for six years and I've managed to maintain good condition.

Try lightly combing coconut oil through hair before swimming. Waterproofs temporarily and conditions so minimises moisture leaching from salt and discoloration from chlorine, also bit of Sun protection if outdoors. When you get out, shampoo as normal and hair will be great.

If you want to tone up your arms through swimming, going along and doing half hour of breast stroke, even every day, isn't going to do much at all.

To see real results you need to be front crawling and pushing yourself hard. I don't mean going fast but doing big, deep strokes that you can feel pushing you along and working your muscles. I would suggest even doing crawl without moving your legs so your arms are doing all of the work.

You should also look at swimmers weights to attach to your wrists. It's bloody hard work at first but it only took me about six months to get real definition in my upper arms after I started using weights.

Caps help - I like the TYR long hair silicone cap. Currently, I plait my hair, flip it over my head, and then put the hat on. If I have time, I put on anti chlorine hair balm before this.

I then use Boots swim and gym 4 in one shampoo after, and my very long hair is in good condition. On non swimming days (I swim 2 or 3 days a week, run or cycle another 3 or 4) I use Ojon cleansing conditioner, with a deep cleanse shampoo and intensive conditioner once a week.

I wet my hair and then put conditioner through. After class I wash as normal apply deep conditioner and drive home like that. Next a spot of lunch then wash off conditioner and style hair.

Another vote for the Boots Swim & Gym. I also use at home periodically if I feel my hair isn't in tip top condition.