Wrestling Mat Hygiene and Etiquette
Rule 1: Make sure you shower before coming to and leaving the gym.
This rule is by far the most important and needs to be addressed first and foremost.
A lot of people don't realize that when they go to sleep at night they end up accumulating a lot of bacteria.
You also accumulate an awful lot of oil on your body that causes your hair to look slick and your face to feel slimy.
This is a natural human reaction but that oil that your skin has secreted has a lot of bacteria within it.
When entering a mat you should always be fully clean because the oil on your skin can then get onto the mats.
Not to mention that you might be wrestling or touching skin to skin with someone else and that bacteria can get on them as well.
This bacteria can carry a multitude of infections.
You can give someone Staphylococuys, a flesh eating disease that can sideline anyone for months.
You also need to shower when you leave the gym because the sweat you ill have excreted will also have bacteria that you do not want in your car seats or on your bed.
Rule 2: Make sure you do your gym laundry.
This rule goes hand in hand with rule number one.
Your sweat contains an amazing amount of bacteria and waste that can cause a multitude of problems.
Aside from the skin infections mentioned before you the sweat(more importantly, the bacteria in the sweat) can get into the cracks within the mats and can cause fungus and odor.
this can not only ruin the mats, but it can also ruin the floors under the mats.
You also want to make sure your gym clothes are clean just for the pure fact that if you work really hard at the gym, your clothes are going to smell.
No one wants to wrestle/grapple/touch someone who smells bad or looks like they haven't showered/ done laundry.
Rule 3: Make sure your fingernails and toenails are cut.
This last rule is by far the most under looked when doing a mat sport.
Making sure your toenails and fingernails are cut is one of the best ways to avoid an extremely angry training partner.
When your fingernails and toenails are overgrown they instantly become a sharp weapon.
They can quickly cut a person deep which may require stitches and can even leave scars.
Cutting your nails takes no more than 5 minutes and can keep you from hurting anyone.
This rule is by far the most important and needs to be addressed first and foremost.
A lot of people don't realize that when they go to sleep at night they end up accumulating a lot of bacteria.
You also accumulate an awful lot of oil on your body that causes your hair to look slick and your face to feel slimy.
This is a natural human reaction but that oil that your skin has secreted has a lot of bacteria within it.
When entering a mat you should always be fully clean because the oil on your skin can then get onto the mats.
Not to mention that you might be wrestling or touching skin to skin with someone else and that bacteria can get on them as well.
This bacteria can carry a multitude of infections.
You can give someone Staphylococuys, a flesh eating disease that can sideline anyone for months.
You also need to shower when you leave the gym because the sweat you ill have excreted will also have bacteria that you do not want in your car seats or on your bed.
Rule 2: Make sure you do your gym laundry.
This rule goes hand in hand with rule number one.
Your sweat contains an amazing amount of bacteria and waste that can cause a multitude of problems.
Aside from the skin infections mentioned before you the sweat(more importantly, the bacteria in the sweat) can get into the cracks within the mats and can cause fungus and odor.
this can not only ruin the mats, but it can also ruin the floors under the mats.
You also want to make sure your gym clothes are clean just for the pure fact that if you work really hard at the gym, your clothes are going to smell.
No one wants to wrestle/grapple/touch someone who smells bad or looks like they haven't showered/ done laundry.
Rule 3: Make sure your fingernails and toenails are cut.
This last rule is by far the most under looked when doing a mat sport.
Making sure your toenails and fingernails are cut is one of the best ways to avoid an extremely angry training partner.
When your fingernails and toenails are overgrown they instantly become a sharp weapon.
They can quickly cut a person deep which may require stitches and can even leave scars.
Cutting your nails takes no more than 5 minutes and can keep you from hurting anyone.
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