Explained: Should You Tan Before or After Workout

A perfect tan can help further define the appearance of your toned body even when you are not flexing them. It is an encouraged practice that contributes to increased blood circulation and can help bodybuilders look even leaner because the darker bronzed glow adds defining details that draw eyes towards the muscle contours.

As a competitive or professional bodybuilder, it’s only a matter of time before you start wondering why bodybuilders tan and if you should tan before or after workout. Yes, tanning using self-tanner like a spray tan is one of the perfect ways to achieve a bronzed glow that helps bring out the sculpture of your toned body but when should you tan if you are planning to hit the gym anytime soon?

Before we answer that,

Is it OK to Workout Before Tanning?

Yes, it is perfectly ok and recommended to work out before a tanning session. As a matter of fact, working out and light exercises are a great combination to get the skin ready before tanning given that it helps stimulate the pores of the skin to allow for a soothing experience as a result of increased blood circulation. Opting to tan your skin after the stress of a workout is a better choice to make, and this is not just for the sake of it, but for the fact that doing so has benefits like: 

• Helping to create the evenness of the golden glow across the skin and also aiding the feeling of ease and relaxation after a rigorous workout session.
• Also, performing your workout before tanning has a way of firing up the pores of the skin, making them wide open so that they become receptive to the tan when it’s being sprayed or when the rays of the sun hit the skin. All in all, when choosing to work out before making your tanning appointment, be sure that you’ve been adequately hydrated and have had time to mellow out from your tasking exercise routines. 

Is it OK to work out after tanning?

Unless you are tanning through the sun, otherwise known as sunbathing, then it’s a bad idea to workout immediately after using a self tanner, tanning lotion, or sprayed tan. Working out after a tan is not a great idea because the sweat coming off of your skin can cause a splotchy tan and easily make your undeveloped tan streak or wash off which is definitely not a soothing experience. 

Tanning before a workout is something often seen amongst tanning newbies who have little or no experience, but because they do it doesn’t mean it’s right. Bodybuilders should as much as possible avoid the scenario by not working out immediately after a tanning session. Instead, you should delay going to the gym or working out for at least the first 8 to 12hrs after a fresh tan. 

Even if you got your perfect tan through sunbathing, chances are that most people would find themselves suddenly tired, less motivated, and unable to muster up that drive to hit the gym after the tanning session. Another thing you notice is even when you manage to show up at the gym and well into your workout routine, you will quickly realize you’re not perspiring the usual way because your sweat becomes somewhat oily and waxy due to the spray tan solution at the tip of the pores of your skin being washed off by your sweaty clothes. 

However, if you are in a tight corner due to a situation or another and need to do some exercise immediately, then step into the shower and wash off your tanning oils or sprayed tan, alongside other residue products before jumping into the treadmill, as this helps you avoid oily sweat which generally distresses your entire comfort while using the gym equipment. 

Or you can instead switch to a much more suitable self-tanner for workouts like the MineTan Workout Ready Self Tanner

How Does Sun Tanning Affect Workout?

Unlike tanning lotion and spray tanning, when combined with a workout, a sun tanning session can produce some very important vitamins to the body which is a great additional benefit, but these sometimes come at the price of being drained, tired, and energy-sapped. Although tanning in the sun does not burn calories as sleeping all night on your bed in your room does, it often feels like enough exercise of its own, so you may feel tired and reluctant to go straight to do a workout. But if you can muster up the courage and get your workout done after sunbathing, there are several health and wellness benefits you get to unlock like: 

• A good dose of Vitamin D to effectively strengthen the bones and avoid bone fractures
• A good sleep cycle regulation 
• Boosted workout recovery time amongst others is one of the most important effects of sun rays on a bodybuilder. 

Should You Suntan Before a Workout?

A suntan can last for up to 7 days, so yes, you can suntan before a workout. Getting sun-tanned before a workout can be a very effective way to ease off in readiness for a workout. This is great because it’s a natural way to get a perfect tan, and doesn’t appear to have any negative effect on most people’s workout plans aside from the occasional tiredness as a result of just lying around and doing nothing which can be countered by moving your workout outside and get tanned simultaneously. You kill two birds with one stone, getting your skin tanned while simultaneously working out. *wink*

Should You Suntan After a Workout?

Yeah sure, you can suntan after a workout too. Sun tanning post-workout is also a great idea because after working out, the body’s blood circulation must have increased and the pores of the skin opened to let water out (sweat), which is a necessary stage before the tanning begins. 

Aside from that, sun tanning or sunbathing after a workout is a great way to help your muscles relax after a rigorous workout session. I mean you get to lay down on a comfortable sunbathing bed to receive sun rays alongside its vitamin D into your skin and just switch sides when needed. 

Whatever you choose to do before or after your workout, make sure you adequately rehydrate yourself for the occasion as both processes of working out and sun tanning involve you losing body fluids through sweating.

How Does Spray Tanning Affect Workout?

Spray tanning does not negatively affect working out directly and neither does a workout negatively affect using a spray tan, as a matter of fact, they complement each other to give you a deeper tan.  It’s safe to use a self tanner like a spray tan after a workout and also safe to spray tan before a workout provided you didn’t start working out immediately after getting sprayed. As said earlier above, not only is it amateurish, it is a bad practice to exercise immediately after spray tanning and the reason is that your tan needs time to develop, and if it’s not yet developed, you will get tan seam lines and tan streaks or worse get part of your tan washed off by sweaty clothes.

Sprayed tans are usually as their names sound – “spray”, so when applied on the skin, it’s comparable to painting on the wall. And if you’re familiar with paints on walls you would know that for it to last, it must become dry and not wet or swamped. This is the same thing that happens with spray tans for bodybuilders and people who workout; tremendous sweating that happens during a workout makes undeveloped sprayed tans become weak and typically just unhinge, peel or wash off from the skin with time. 

However, if you’re keen on sticking with this practice, one of the recommended tips is to wait for 8 to 12hrs for the spray tan to dry and develop before you shower and pick up your dumbbells or jump onto the treadmills so you don’t ruin your perfect tan. 

Should You Use Spray Tan Before a Workout?

Sure, you can use a spray tan before working out as long as there is an 8-12hrs time interval in between your tanning and working out, so your tan can develop. 

Working out immediately after getting a fresh tan or using a tanning lotion is a bad idea because it takes a bit of time for the tan solution to sit and develop on the skin. Anything moisture should not come in contact with the skin pending the time it takes the tan to develop which is approximately 8 hours or 12 hrs, staying dry is not possible if you workout immediately after tan because you will sweat which will make your perfect tan get ruined by excessive sweating caused by the workout. 

Patience during a spray tan development phase is a fairly safe precautionary measure to avoid defacement of your tan and a total waste of your money and of course hours of a tanning session. But if you’re inseparable from the gym, consider completing your workout sessions moments before making your tanning appointment. Tanning bodybuilders should always know that the fresher and newer their tan, the greater the chances of it getting destroyed. That’s why it’s best and smart to give it time to properly dry off, develop, and blend with the skin before hitting the gym so your spray tan can last. 

Should You Use Spray Tan After a Workout?

It is perfectly safe and completely okay to use a spray tan after your workout. If you are going to be working out, choosing to tan using a spray tan after working out is one of the most effective ways to achieve the best golden glow. The reason is very simple. Workout prepares you by enhancing the free flow of blood to achieve dilated pores all over your skin so in the instance you start spray tanning, your skin becomes more receptive making the tanning result desirable. 

This is also true to tanning through the sun or sunbathing after a workout because the skin has been prepped and the process becomes easier on the skin as the UV rays can penetrate the open pores and go deep down underneath the skin to trigger the melanocyte cells producing the needed melanin that gives you your desired tan look.

How Does Tanning Beds Affect Workout?

Tanning beds will not negatively affect your workout and performance, the same way using a sprayed tan or tanning through the sun will not negatively impact your workout. Tanning beds, also called sunbeds for indoor tanning, are a great alternative to spray tans and sunbathing and can be used before or after a workout to get a deeper tan.

They are more effective and quick, it’s just like tanning through the sun but without the heat and sunburn and also faster. You get to spend less time tanning as opposed to tanning under the sun. Because the UV rays from the bed lamps are more focused and directed with purpose. With a sunbed, you don’t have to wait for your tan to develop as is the case with a spray tan, it’s just like tanning through the sun but faster. You get to spend less time tanning as opposed to tanning under the sun.

Using Tanning Beds Before Workout 

Using tanning beds before working out is a good way to speed up tanning results, so it’s no surprise that a lot of bodybuilders practice this, and some gyms have sunbeds. However, one notable downside to it is that you might find yourself a bit tired because UV sunbed is an actual bed but with UV lamps, and as a result of being on a bed and in a closed space, your body muscles relax, getting you dog-tired while at it. 

This is the reason why going straight for a workout afterward becomes extremely difficult because you are already zapped off energy back at the tanning bed. However, if you must do exercise after using a tanning bed, it is very important, to spend more time doing light exercises to warm up like cardio so you can get your muscles ready for the heavy lifting. 

Using Tanning Beds After Workout

As opposed to using a tanning bed before working out, it’s recommended to use UV tanning beds after a workout so you can take advantage of the bed to make your muscles relax and cool down after a rigorous workout session. Using sunbed after your workout also allows your skin to become open to receive extra UV lights seeing as your skin pores become dilated, this increases your chances of getting an even tan for your skin. 

However, the vital point here is that either method ultimately depends on your personal preferences, and if using a tanning bed after working out seems like your preference, do well to take a shower to get rid of the workout excessive sweating before stepping in the bed.

Does Exercise Make You More Tan?

Exercise does not directly make you more tan, however, the process of sweating can contribute greatly to having tanner skin because it opens up your skin pores and allows for a seamless permeation of UV rays beneath the epidermis. But as a warning, it’s always best to take a lot of water so you’re adequately hydrated for both tasks – exercise and tanning – both of which are a great combination to squeeze you dry of body fluids.  

Will Sweating Stop You From Tanning? 

Sweating is helpful while tanning under the sun as it’s a natural and healthy way for the body to cool off when under too much heat. So, no, sweating will not directly stop your skin from getting tanned through the sun or when using a tanning bed.

However, excessive sweating can cause a splotchy tan and obstruct the tanning process of a fresh tan that is yet to develop because the dripping sweat will make the even tan streak.

Does Tanning Dehydrate You?

Yes, tanning can lead to dehydration, and you may feel thirsty, dry, and become lightheaded especially from the sun heat. This is why one of the recommended tips is to have a bottle of clean water by your side when sunbathing at the beach or very close to you when using a UV tanning bed and drink it when you start to feel thirsty or dry. 

So, whether you’re up for using a tanning bed, self-tanning, sun tanning, or spray tanning, it doesn’t matter because the loss of body fluid and skin dehydration is an inevitable part of the tanning process, and water not only replenish lost body fluids, and contribute to increased blood circulation, it also helps to flush out body toxins. UV rays, by their very nature, extract liquid off your skin because they are a sort of heat radiation so it’s normal. 

When you stay hydrated during and after your tanning session, you lower the chances of your skin becoming flaky, having tanning bed bumps, and itchy tanning rashes.

Conclusion

So that’s it on tanning at the gym, and tanning before or after working out.  It doesn’t matter if you have chosen to get tanned before a workout or tan after a workout, either of the two works provided you choose the right tanning method that works fine with when you’ve chosen to give yourself a tanner skin, you should be fine. Also, this is just our opinion is not in any way obligating you to pick one against the other as none of them are pitch-perfect but depends on what tips works for you and your journey to getting and sustaining a beautifully trimmed, sun-kissed bronzed skin.