At our gym there's a hose down the side of the training area, and the boys use it to rinse themselves off every now and then during training. Anyway, one day a while ago I went to do the same thing (just wash my face and arms etc cos I was covered in sweat) and one of the trainers saw me and told me not to. I've also seen him tell one of the other new boys, who's not ripped either, not to use the hose. I don't speak good enough Thai to understand the answer if I asked the trainer the reason, so I'm hoping maybe someone here knows why it might not be a good idea to wash off your sweat during training, or whatnot.

I was told not to wash off at Sor Tanikul also.. It was when I was having the energy problems and crashing and part way through training I'd try to 'revive'.

I think I was told it'll give you head aches...not positive though as it was a while ago..

I can't think of any really positives or negatives to this other than a bit of a shock to your system...


You wouldn't want to stop sweating and cold water can close you down...though I don't suspect a quick hose off should.. not sure though. If it did stop you sweating (short time) then it might not be so good... then again purpose of sweating is to cool down and cooling down with a hose will put water on you to evaporate and therefor cool you a bit till you start sweating again???

I don't know...anyone know why they might say or why it might be good or bad?

I think you're probably right about them not wanting you to stop sweating. The Thai boys and most of the other Japanese boys are allowed to do it, it was just me (I'm way out of shape now cos I've been sick heaps) and one of the Japanese boys who'd only been here a short time, so maybe it's supposed to have some impact on fitness or weight loss or something.

Maybe, or maybe the old thinking that the more you sweat the better or that it means you'll loose more weight etc

13485 posts mark!!!!!! wow!

I am going to make a few people upset with the following but Bellatrix in my humble opinion beware of all the thai customs on training, especially the ones relating to nutrition, weight loss and water drinking etc. While no one will argue their training method, their fighting skills or the art itself (or how good the food is), i tend to be skeptical about thousand of years old systems and beliefs, put in place before a lot of what we know today. In any case i am not saying you don't have to listen to your trainers, not at all, just question them (like you are doing) and take everything with a pinch of salt!
;)

atreiu-I agree. But thats what we all are programmed to believe-that which we were taught (like we believe our parents are right etc) usally before the age of 5 or 6 and everything we look at is based on our egos (read Mummy and Daddys value system) perceptions.

Maybe your work rate and output rate ( strike count ) is not as high. When parts of your body are so hot that when you poor water on them it feels like putting out a fire then maybe it's ok.
Almost sounds like they are being a little discriminatory, but that is doubtful.
Bellatrix, go ahead and take the hard road, "suffer unto me".

One of my trainers from thailand is staying with me for a couple of months and when he thinks hes putting on weight he stops drinking water because he thinks it makes him weigh more, he doesnt believe me when i tell him its temporary and you sweat it out. I hide in the laundry and drink water before training each morning because he doesnt understand that wetting my mouth wont keep me going for 1 1/2 hr sessions on the pads. But both my thai and local trainer dont like you washing the sweat off, and I sweat like a racehorse but they would rather hose the walls afterwards than let you towel or use water. It is supposed to be because it teaches your body to cool itself more effectively, in the early stages or when you are trying to push up a level you dont want to interfere with your body adapting to the situation, if you cool with water it stops your body from having to adapt to cool itself more effectivly. In theory when your body is working like a well oiled machine you can do what ever you like because your body can cool itself with or without help, so the ice and water during a fight just adds more pep.