Regular Exercisers...natural or relaxed

[cheri_flava74]

Hi. I have been having scalp soreness/tenderness so I went to see a stylist. I told her that I was thinking about going without a relaxer. She suggested that it would be healthier but natural hair would be harder to managed exspecially if you work out. She was talking about pressing natural hair and working out. She (of course) recommended a different relaxer and her as a stylist. Anyway, which do you think would be easier?

 

[angelita842002]

If your hair is natural then you wont have to worry about it reverting while your getting your workout on. I am natural and workout three times a week were I am sweating alot, so on those days I cowash. I wear a bun every day during the week my hair is never tangled or hard to deal with. Its actually easier. Then shampoo on the weekend. I dont see how natural hair would be harder if you keep it in a bun go and workout then cowash. Compared to relaxed hair you have to worry about it staying straight and not getting poofy from sweating.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I think either can be easy if you know what to do for it.

I've never had problems with relaxed hair being poofy after working out because I keep it tied up.

I haven't had problems with natural hair being poofy/frizzy either for the same reason.

I think it's a matter of knowing what to do to your hair before and after the workout.

 

[bablou00]

Im relaxed and I run everyday. I walk out of there like I just swam a couple of laps. I dont think its easier for either its just how you like to have your hair styled after you work out. If you dont care about your hair being straight all the time then I think its easy if you do then u have to worry about using heat to keep it straight. Its taken me a while to get used to my hair not being bone straight and down all the time but I know what my ultimate goal is and if keeping heat out of it is going to help me then thats what Ill do. Good luck to you. I know its hard to maintain a work out schedule while tryin to maintain your hair.

 

[tbhomes2003]

I have been working out regularly since 2002. I started with Natural hair and recently switched to relaxed hair. Because I was working out daily, I had to manipulate my hair often and apply heat to my natural hair in order for it to look decent (My hair is 3c/4a about 1inch past APL). The sweat also horribly dries my hair out. It seemed like once my hair grew (approached bra strap length) it would break because of all the dryness, manipulation, and heat. Now that I am relaxed my hair, in my opinion, is way more manageable and thicker than ever because I don't use heat and I have to manipulate it less. My hair is currently in braids, but when it is not I can pull it into a phony pony, bun, wear it down, without heat or looking crazy .

 

[lsubabiedee]

Unless you are going to be wearing straight styles on natural hair, I don't see why it would be harder to manage.

 

[Bouncy Curls]

I am texlaxed and work out everyday and I have no problem with poofy hair. However, when I was natural, after a workout, my hair for some reason would be very hard and matted. It could have been that at that time I was not properly caring for my hair and not moisturizing it properly. As mentioned, if "straight" hair is not a concern you should be ok. Best of luck!

 

[neenzmj]

I definitely vote for natural. In fact, one of the reasons I went natural was due to exercise. I just couldn't see trying to maintain a straight style and workout as consistently as I'd like (plus I sweat a lot!) Now I can workout, rinse my hair and put it in a ponytail, bun or just let it dry naturally. I'll never go back to a relaxer. I enjoy the freedom of natural entirely too much!

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

I'm relaxed and just started working out regularly. I have no problem maintaining my hair. I don't wear my hair bone straight so I just rinse or cowash after each workout and pull it back. Very easy.

I also don't see how natural hair would be hard to maintain while working out, especially if you're not planning on wearing a press 24/7.

 

[Nightingale]

I voted natural, but I am texturized. I like being able to rinse my hair after practice and lifting, and not worry about messing up my "do" or having to use heat to restyle.

 

[Galleta]

i have relaxed hair. when i workout, i usually wear a scarf around my edges to keep then fairly smooth then after i workout i spray some oil on the edges and wrap it back up. depending on how vigorous the workout, i decide on whether or not to cowash. in the winter i only cowash once a week and in the summer i cowash almost ever other day if i feel like it.

 

[ChoKitty]

I've started working out daily on relaxed hair and have had no problems. Of course, I don't wear my hair bone straight..I have bangs, they never poof or anything, and the tend to be the most soaked after a workout.

I think it is truly personal preference.

 

[camellia]

I voted natural.

I've just started working out again and my hair is natural. It's not hard to maintain. I do my workout with my hair up in a bun, shower afterward and rinse my hair with water. I shampoo and deep condition three times a week. Very low maintenance.

 

[preciousjewel76]

It's a matter of preference. I think it's possible to workout with either natural or relaxed hair and maintain it - you just have to find the methods that work for you. I am relaxed, and I workout about 5 days a week. I don't sweat a lot, but I don't find that the relaxed hair is problematic after a work out. I sometimes wear a headband or bandana on my head when I work out, which helps to absorb sweat. If my work out was really strenuous, I'll either cowash or rinse my hair with water (at the very least, I rinse the hairline/nape). Then I just moisturize/seal, and pull my hair back to airdry. No biggie! I don't think anyone should let their hair dictate their fitness regimen.

 

[Poohbear]

I exercised more often when I was relaxed.

But my exercising habits isn't due to whether my hair was relaxed or is natural... my lack of exercise now that I'm natural is due to LAZINESS!

 

[Cheleigh]

Either way. I exercised frequently as I was relaxed. I didn't have a problem, other than my hair needed to be washed more frequently, which meant more shop time (I couldn't get my hair as straight as I liked it at home).

I don't wear straight styles as a natural, so it's easier for me to wash/style it now. That's basically the only difference.

 

[UmSumayyah]

I love your pic in your siggy, Poohbear. You're just as cute as can be!

 

[tiffers]

I've never had natural hair, but I would imagine it would be easier to keep up with.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I'm not sure if one would be easier than the other. I am natural and If I had to guess I would say that relaxed would be easier. Only because I cw after every workout 4x a week and detangling sometimes and having to get my hair into a ponytail is a bit much due to shrinkage. Now, that may lead you to wonder why I'm natural if thats the case. It's because I love my hair as it is and can straighten as I see fit. I'm barely shoulder length when my hair is straightened so shrinkage is a motha. I think that as my hair gets longer it will get easier to pull into a ponytail/bun. I can't wait!

 

[kimbaparis]

i vote relaxed, but i have 4b hair. when it was natural i had to twist it before working out or it would mat--it mats with moisture if something isn't done to straighten it while it dries. i am texlaxed now so i can put it in a bun more easily and just head out after the workout. i can smooth the edges with a little gel or beeswax and 10 minutes with a scarf if they are too frizzy. my natural hair was very hard to manipulate unless braided or twisted every night and evey work out which was too much as i work out 3-4 times a week often going straight to work. i often think when reading these posts that 2as to 3cs just don't understand how much the difference is between their hair that curls and hair that is super kinky hair and mats if you look at it wrong. i texlaxed my hair in part because i didn't want to give up my physical health. texlaxed hair make me an overall healthier person (unless i wanted a short little afro in which case i wouldn't be on the lhcf!)

 

[sharifeh]

I'm transitioning but I would say relaxed is easier

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[twolala]

I am relaxed, and usually the problem areas when working out are my edges. So, I just use a Dri Sweat headband for my edges and that usually helps

 

[FoxxyLocs]

If you're planning to keep your natural hair straight all the time, that might be an issue. If you're ok with natural styles, I'd say natural is easier. I'm natural and I exercise regularly, but I don't sweat much so it's no big deal.

 

[bronzephoenix]

If you're wearing your hair natural, it's almost impossible to sweat it out. However, frequent rinsing/cowashing/detangling may become a pain depending on your texture and it's tendencies.

But natural and pressed?! That always presented a problem for me. Even after my hair was heat trained, my roots would still swell if I sweated too hard. Sweat makes pressed hair stiff. And you're not able to rinse the sweat away without going back through the entire straightening process again.

Relaxed may be easiest if that's what you prefer & are accustomed to. However, since you're currently having scalp issues, natural sounds safest!

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[rawsilk]

I voted Relaxer because when I was fully relaxed, I just put my hair up in a high pony, let it dry and took it down with no issues ... at all. Can't same the same with texlaxed or natural hair.

I will say this: for those naturals who plan to press/flat iron, it can definitely be done; you just have to find the right stylist or get your straightening technique down pat. I went to this stylist who flat ironed my hair so well that I worked out outside in the Southeast summer humidity, at the gym, in the steamy locker room, shower (w/ cap, no scarf), etc. for an entire week and my hair did not revert one single bit. I know this because I decided that my hair is too flat when pressed, etc. and I wanted to texlax it in order to style it and wear it out. That meant that I had to get the waves and natural curl pattern back into my hair to see what I was doing. I am telling you, I did EVERYTHING during that week to get my hair to revert back without washing hair (I even ran the shower and sat on the edge of the tub) and ... zip, nada, not one wave or hint of a wave. Moral of the story: you can press/flat iron your hair enough to withstand exercise, heat, humidity.

I remember that the stylist used a very (I mean he!!fire) flat iron that heated on the stove and she sprayed every single section with a Keracare -like spraying solution before passing the iron through only once. My hair was glistening like glass, soft and seemed healthy/bouncy. I would have loved it but the only thing that I could do was put it in a ponytail and I wasn't entirely comfortable with the thought of putting that much heat on my hair on a regular basis. (Hence, my decision to texlax so I could rollerset and/or airdry.) Also, by way of background, I found this stylist based on a recommendation from a WL woman I stopped in a store because her hair was amazing and I wanted to know where she got it done; she said that she had been going to this stylist for like 10 years - high (high) heat, every two weeks for 10 years and she was WL.

 

[Austro-Afrikana]

I am natural and exercise daily. I wash once per week and have no problem with my styles not lasting as long as I wear my hair up during exercise and wrap my edges with a scarf.

 

[Bun Mistress]

Either. I go fo long stents of flat ironing my hair and I work out 6 to 7 days a week. Get a sweat wicking headband and a ponytail holder and you will be fine. People act like if a drop og water touches your head you will have an instant afro.

 

[greenandchic]

For me its relaxed. When I was natural it was a constant struggle with long detangleing sessions and breakage no matter what I did. I don't and didn't use heat on my hair or I straighten it...ever, so all I had/have to do with either WnG or twist to set.

 

[naija24]

idk....i think being natural would be easier, so long as you weren't gonna straighten it afterwards.

i think while relaxed, i could never get bone straight hair unless i used heat all the time. it would frizz and look natural anyway :O

 

[havilland]

Natural and bone straight relaxed if u don't care about your hairstyle.

I co wash and wear a pony ALL THE TIME. It's no easier for me now that I'm natural. Although when I was bonelaxed I enjoyed co washing more. (Less tangles)

If u want to have a cute hairstyle every day, then it makes it more difficult. I think naturals who wear their hair really short or wear twists or braids can maintain "cute" styles better because the workout doesn't kill the style the hair is in.

But if you press or flat iron or roller set....forget about it. Exercise will harsh your whole day.