Hi everybody,

Not sure if this is the "correct" forum to post in, but I am interested to hear some opinions as to whether a gym with A/C (air-conditioning) is "better", or perhaps why it may NOT be such a good thing?

Living in a part of the world where temperatures are routinely above 90F (32 C) with very high humidity it certainly "feels" more comfortable in a gym with A/C, but I find that it's much harder to warm-up the joints / muscles and I don't sweat nearly as much as in a "fan-cooled" gym. In Asia, it's frequently "over-airconditioned" and I can actually feel a bit "chilled" if not moving around constantly or doing supersets with very limited rest periods.

I also think part of the reasoning behind the use of A/C here is that the combination of high temps and humidity is a "perfect" breeding ground for mold and mildew growth, so keeping the temps lower and humidity low also helps to control that. But I do miss that feeling of work when your body is using it's own internal "cooling mechanism", and it also reminds me to stay constantly hydrated.

So, having written all that : which do you guys prefer, and why...??

HB

In my condition of having a weak lungs.. working out in the gym with air conditioned is not a good idea.

So in my gym we have A/C and I'm comfortable with this...

A few weeks ago I was training with a friend in another gym where they had cooling fans, and it was just horrible! I do not sweat easily but after 15 minutes i started to sweat there! It's because the fans just distribute the hot air, and the A/C pumps in cold air. So with the fans I felt that the quality of the air wasn't that good, because the air that everyone was breathing out was just pushed around haha

But usually I don't really feel the A/C because everyone opens every single window and the hot air from outside comes into the gym, so it's hot anyway..haha

But for me to cool down I like to drink plain cold water! Even though you should drink hot drinks when it's hot outside, because you body needs energy to cool down the cold water to your body temperature, but for me, cold water (I prefer one with gas) is just the perfect refreshment! :)

Harley,

Well being in the same neck of the woods as you and living with high heat and humidity 24/7/365, I love and need air conditioning. I sweat just thinking so I need constant cool air or I run the risk of overheating. While I can workout with the heat and fans, I prefer A/C as my water requirements double when there is none. I walk to and from the gym in the heat so I have no issues with the joints being warmed up before I work out. When I am at home, I run at least 1 of the 2 A/C units I have all the time - sometimes both if it is really hot :-)

John