How to Sauna – in Portugal

As Portugal is in carnival mood, I decided to seize the day and go to the gym. After a complete and well done workout I headed to the sauna.

As we Finns like to think – the sauna is a place where you sweat out the stress and anxiety of life. All the toxins of your body drip to the floor in the shape of small pearls. You experience a profound relaxation and leave with a peaceful mind.

But not in Portugal...

I have commented about this before, you can find my former observations in the blogpost GymtasticPortugal. 

How to sauna Portuguese style;

1.     The sauna is part of your workout. Abs in the sauna is a must. You go in, lie down on the highest bench and start to do crunches. The heat helps you burn more calories and you get fit faster. Anyone remembers sauna belt? Same idea. You sweat – a lot – and look slimmer until you drink a glass of water and wadabam. It’s back. Not common knowledge here…

2.     Sauna = tumble dryer. Of course you need to dry up your sweaty clothes after the workout. So why not put the sweaty underpants on the sauna bricks? They dry up faster. The smell is a minus, but who would care? Btw, the stove is a Harvia and I would just have loved to throw water on the stones…

3.     If you do not have flip-flops, use shoes. So somebody decided to wear tennis shoes to the sauna… the same genius wore also socks. The sensation of slimy toes is probably superb.

4.     After working out, it’s nice to have a post workout meal – in the sauna.

5.     If you do not have swimming pants or towel, go naked. Not disturbing at all. We Finns like to be nude, but in Portugal? Nope. I did not want to see what I witnessed.

6.     Push-ups. Someone once told me that the best workout is when you feel your head is going to explode, so why not do it in the sauna and occupy sitting space of other people. The warmer, the better, aim for the highest bench to have the optimal heat.

7.     If you are sick, have a cold or fever the sauna is the cure. (NOT?!?! You crazy people).  

8.     Throw a bucket full of water on the stones and sit on the floor. Makes sense. Not to me since I was sitting on the highest bench.

Picture from the internet... can't wait for Summer, sauna and sausage at the cabin. Relaxation. Until then, deal with crazy rituals in Portugal...

Gymtastic Portugal

Sit tight folks, this is funny... for the Finns.

Ok, so it sounds like this is going to revolutionize your world. It's not. Portuguese people go to the gym, like the Finns.

During my last visit to Finland I noticed the "fit" culture. People of all ages are in very good shape. I suppose it is for "the summer". In this case, IF the sun comes out during the two Summer months Finland has got. You can never be too prepared!
Meanwhile in Portugal, where the sun has been intensive for the past four months and you practically live on the beach, people have floppy bellies and eat potato chips, cookies and other such things for lunch. A swear word for the Fit-Finland culture. If you eat a potato chip and not a goji berry. YOU TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE.

So back to the gym. Working out is fun, the people around you are fun, the place is fun. But mind me the crazy Brazilian Personal Trainer who sometimes persuades me to train with him, which after I cannot feel my legs, arms..face.. toes..fingers. Once he carried me away from training area because my legs did not respond. This is good, in his opinion... myself have severe pain and the usual, toilet seat sitting-standing issue.

To the shower. Flip-flops is a must. In Finland I have not experienced the mandatory flip-flop issue. In Portugal, you are considered a very filthy person if your bare feet touch the floor. Not even the two second rule applies. So you are very contagious if you touch the floor. Like the hot lava game when we were kids, the floor burns!
However, contrary to good old Finland, it is completely normal to depilate every single hair on your body in the shower. And leave it there. To clog the drainer. Now I see why we need flip-flops...

To the sauna. It's a common workout and stretching area. When the Finn is sitting post-workout in the sauna breathing the hot air in and sweating out the stress of the day, the Portuguese is doing push-ups and abdominals beside you..or yoga.. or drying his sweaty workout clothes. It is also common to throw a liter of water on the stones, and then sit on the lowest bench or on the floor, and casually eat a post-workout meal. Or escape the sauna altogether and leave the Finn inside. SISU.

Otherwise, I love my gym and I am willing to recommend it to anyone visiting Lisbon looking for a good workout. I can even hand you over to the Brazilian Personal Trainer.. he will make you cry for mommy.

Beijinhos!


Follow my blog with Bloglovin