If you have ever watched the Tour de France (or, for example, the swimmers at the Olympic Games, or the football players at the European Championships) you may have noticed something: that many athletes shave their legs. While this might be something to suggest in swimming (fish don't have hair either), it is a lot more noticeable in cyclists or football players. But why do professional athletes shave their legs?
Does shaving your legs make you more aerodynamic, and therefore faster?
The most common assumption is that people expect shaving your legs to immediately make you more aerodynamic. And that seems very logical: it is not without reason that cyclists wear the sleekest suits, ride the lightest bicycles and do extensive tests in the wind tunnel to further develop aerodynamics. And it is also easy to imagine for swimmers: after all, fish are also completely slippery, allowing them to easily glide through the water.
The theory behind this is that because the air (or water) encounters less resistance from hair, you would be faster. But that has actually never been convincingly proven. If you notice any effect from shaving your legs, it is mainly mental. The placebo effect. You're faster because you think you'll be faster without her. You feel faster.
If it doesn't make them faster, why do they shave?
There are two main reasons given for why athletes shave their legs. The first are the massages: professional athletes get a massage several times a week, and those massages simply hurt more when your hair is pulled. If you are nice and clean shaven, the masseur's hands will also slide more easily over your body. It does not matter much for the effectiveness of the massage, but it does matter for the pleasure you get from it.
The second is the fact that it is more hygienic in case of falls. The average cyclist regularly stretches out on the asphalt in his life. And that causes abrasions. To keep those wounds as clean as possible, it's a good idea to shave your leg hair. There is plenty of dirt stuck in your leg hair, and it is probably not fun to have to pluck leg hair from a scrape.
This is exactly the reason why it is also smart to shave your butt hair by the way, you don't want any dirt left behind there either, right?
The latter is appearance and tradition: if every cyclist does it, then it is simply a ritual that makes you part of the group. It is something with which you can show the outside world that you are a professional cyclist, and something with which you prove that you take your sport and your goals 'seriously'.
Appearance is also an important reason for shaving for many athletes. Muscle definition is more noticeable when you keep your legs clean-shaven, so if you want to show off the muscles you've worked hard to build, shaving your legs is a good idea. Just look at a footballer like Christiano Ronaldo, who is (and if you're wrong) he is very proud of his sports body. That's why he keeps his legs neatly shaved.
Even if you have some beautiful tattoos, that can be a reason to shave off the dark hairs over them. After all, you did not suffer for your work of art in vain.
A final reason is possible comfort of clothing. Many athletes, including runners, swimmers and cyclists, indicate that their tight clothing fits more comfortably if they have shaved their body. There is less friction and irritation because there is no extra layer in between.
Are you getting bored of shaving with razor blades? Are you done with the wounds and constantly repurchasing disposable blades? Then invest in The BushBuster 4.0 , a body hair groomer that you can use all over your body to trim your hair. Thanks to the protective cover over the blade, cuts are a thing of the past!
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