Are you one of those individuals who love to build muscles and become fitter? If so, weight training is the best choice for you.
Setting up a home gym has become popular these days as people find it easier to work out without spending time traveling and do it any time of the day when they are free.
But, if the exercise area is outdoors, there are concerns that the weights might become wet. Such wetness can cause concerns regarding their functioning.
To avoid such worries and carry on with the exercise routine to our advantage, keeping the weights in good condition is necessary.
So, the primary question now is whether or not it’s bad that the weights get wet.
The answer is a strong yes.
It isn’t good when the weights get wet repeatedly. While cleaning them can be tiring, the main concern here is regarding their quality—continuously leaving the weights outdoors can be detrimental.
Hence, please ensure that the weights are kept dry and safe to protect them from extreme weather conditions.
Given below are the disadvantages of wet weights and practical tips given to maintain the weights in any conditions outdoors.
Being made of different materials, metal weights can rust, while rubber weights can spoil due to UV radiation.
So, whatever might be the material used, it is up to us to protect our weights.
Why Is It Bad When the Weights Get Wet?
It is surely not right when our weights get wet but the reasons why might be surprising.
When wet, the weights can be slippery, which could prove dangerous to use, leading to injuries and many more harmful disadvantages.
For those aware of corrosion, it is a well-known fact that metal weights might rust rapidly when exposed to wetness. But, it must also be accepted that the metal will rust in due course irrespective of how we maintain them.
Iron weights exposed to air causes metal rusting as the air breaks down the iron into a couple of chemicals.
When these weights become wet too, it leads to faster corrosion, thereby reducing the durability of the weights considerably.
There might be instances when you are forced to keep the weights outdoors and hence, might not care about the weights getting rusted.
Remember, besides the various nuisances of working out with rusted weights, such pieces are also hazardous in terms of safety.
A Safety Concern to the Health
Any rusty item proves to be a high-risk factor for the bacteria-borne infection, tetanus, which can lead to other problems.
Hence, despite using the rusty weights with the utmost caution, you are still at risk.
Not yet convinced? Let’s look at other outdoor equipment such as the bench press, squats, and others that can prove bad when used continuously.
A rusty bar can be risky for the skin as small pieces of metal can stain it; even more, the metal chips could get into the skin, causing wounds.
There are also higher chances of friction when rusty weights are lifted, thrust, or twisted while doing weight training.
How bad is it when the whole weight bench gets wet? It is tremendously dangerous as the whole bench could start coming apart.
While the soft padding on which individuals sit or lie is well separated from the metal frame body, the main parts that hold the bench together consist of screws and metal bars.
Hence, rusting of these parts is highly dangerous as the chances of the whole bench tearing apart are very high.
So, there is no doubt that it is very bad when the weights get wet repeatedly.
Make sure to wipe them after every use, and in fact, this applies to any wt workout equipment.
An outdoor workout area might be a great idea, but the equipment doesn’t last long if we maintain them properly.
Are Lifting Weights in the Rain Bad?
Once again, we are talking about wet weights here, but the similarity ends here, and there are more differences when comparing working out with wet weights to lifting weights in the rain.
Indeed there are a couple of benefits of exercising in the rain, but we must be careful.
Some of the advantages of exercising in the rain include burning more calories rapidly as we workout harder against the cold water dripping down the body.
But, some pointers that must be remembered include keeping the weights protected against the downpour, avoiding working out during the storm, and taking care of how much weights we lift.
Exercising outside during thunderstorms is dangerous, even more when we use some weights or any equipment that’s made of metal, as lightning can be harmful during these times.
Heavy rain must not be a problem, but if there are any hints of a storm, please shift the workout to indoor areas or if this is not possible, stop the session right away.
When individuals decide to work out during the rain, it is necessary to monitor how much weight is lifted closely. If it is a heavy one, be careful and observe closely for any slippages.
It’s mainly because rainfall can lead to wet grips, and our ability to have a tight hold over the weights also reduces considerably.
Exercising in the rain means our weights are sure to get wet, and when we leave such weights in wetness, they can become too wet, leading to rapid rusting (if made of metal) or extra waterlogging (if the equipment is made of rubber).
So, be careful to rest the weights against something that doesn’t increase the dampness and ensure that the weights don’t come in direct contact with water.
Is It Possible to Wash the Weights?
As mentioned already, it is not 100% possible to avoid rusting the weights at some point. But, we can still avoid over rusting or early rusting of the equipment if we take good care of them.
Until we don’t expose the weights to wetness continuously, they are not at a high risk of rusting, but exposure to too much rain can stimulate the rusting process earlier than expected.
It is still good to wash the weights occasionally to maintain and keep them in good condition.
After washing them with any solution of our choice, it is mandatory to wipe them cleanly using a dry cloth to avoid damaging the weights due to leftover chemicals or water.
As mostly, weights are made of basic metal or rubber material, they don’t withstand chemicals greatly.
Hence, those who decide to wash the weights must also ensure that they are fully dry before keeping them down.
Can Weights Get Damaged Due to Exposure to Sun?
Truthfully, sunlight doesn’t accelerate the rusting process, but metal weights must be handled carefully when exposed to sunlight as they might be too hot to handle.
But, at the same time, rubber and plastic weights succumb from damage due to UV radiation.
That’s why most manufacturers don’t use rubber or plastic on weights, as these materials have different durability under different conditions.
Any synthetic material is subjected to greater damage when exposed to sunlight, and hence, rubber or plastic weights can lead to faster rusting than metal weights.
Final Thoughts
After all this, we can surely tell that it’s bad when weights are left to get wet frequently. But, we can still keep the weights outside if we take the necessary precautions before, during, and after the workout.
When the weights are exposed to water frequently, it leads to rapid corrosion, thereby compromising the quality of the weights.
So, based on the weather conditions, make the right decision to maintain the weights well.