You never take off your engagement ring or your wedding band, do you? You are habitual of wearing that favorite necklace all the time because you love it so much! But is it safe to wear it to the gym or while working out? Let’s try and get to the bottom of this today.
Can I wear my chunky jewelry to the gym?
Wearing heavy and chunky jewelry, be it a bracelet or earrings, to the gym for any type of workout is a big no! You should also avoid neck pieces that have pendants with sharp edges. If you wish to concentrate more on your workout than matching your jewelry with the outfits or your jewelry getting damaged, avoid wearing jewelry to the gym. When it comes to wearing jewelry to the gym, minimal is the best approach! If you really love that piece of jewelry, maybe that is why you should not wear it to the gym!
Can I wear gold jewelry while working out?
Yes you can wear gold jewelry while working out, although it is not a bright idea! The is an increased risk of high carat (high gold content) gold jewelry getting structurally compromised if worn while performing household chores, so you can only imagine what would happen to such jewelry items when worn while working out.
If you simply have to wear gold jewelry at the gym, you can consider gold jewelry with lower carat rating (18 or less) that is harder and structurally robust. However, you must be aware that gold jewelry with a lower carat rating is more prone to tarnishing (owing to a higher content of other metals/alloys). Hence you must ensure you clean it thoroughly post workout.
Will sweat ruin a gold chain or does sweat tarnish gold?
Pure gold is very soft and that is why various metals and alloys are mixed with it in order to make jewelry out of it. The highest rated gold jewelry is close to 22 carat gold, which amounts to approx. 92% of it is pure gold, while the remaining 8% is other metals. Copper and silver are the most common metals added to gold jewelry to make it harder, both of which can turn green upon oxidation, when they come in contact with air and moisture over time.
Exposing your gold jewelry to sweat every day considerably increases the rate at which it would tarnish. So yes, sweat does ruin gold. If your gold is anywhere between 14 carat to 18 carat, it means it has a larger quantity of other metals in it, and is consequently more susceptible to damage owing to sweat.
Can you swim with gold necklace on?
If sweat can have such a tarnishing effect on gold, just imagine what chlorine treated water would do to your necklace! Wearing it once in a while is okay, but in a longer run, chlorine can induce holes into your necklace, by slowly reacting with other metals present in it.
If you have been wearing gold jewelry while swimming, make sure that you clean it thoroughly post the swimming session. This can be done by gently washing it with a mild jewelry cleaner. Avoid using baking powder, toothpaste or detergent as these can be harsh on the metal.
I generally use this mild jewelry cleaner to wash my engagement ring and my daily wear gold necklace, that also has diamonds in it. You can check out the link if you are also planning to keep your jewelry in pristine condition. I use a soft brush with it to clean the intricate areas of the necklace (especially where the stones are housed). I have been using it post my swimming sessions in the summer and after beach holidays.
The joints and clasps on your necklace are the trickiest regions which can accumulate an increased amount of damage owing to the chlorine rich water. You must hence clean these thoroughly and leave the necklace spread out on a clean dry cloth post this to air dry. Do not try to artificially dry any jewelry piece using an air blower or any other gadget, lest it would start turning brittle over time.
Can I workout with earrings on?
Wearing earrings is safe in most types of workouts. The chances of getting hurt at the gym because of the earrings you are wearing are minimal. However, it is your earrings which might be at maximum risk during the workout session.
The susceptibility to being damaged if you wear your earrings over workouts depends on many factors such as the metal used in the earrings, the size and weight and whether they have gemstones in them or not. I have discussed these in detail in the following section.
How do I protect my engagement ring while working out?
If this is the question you have been thinking about, I think I have the answer! There are two approaches.
- I found out that some people have been hiding their rings in a tennis ball in their gym bags by making a 2 inch cut in it. I did try it with a fake ring, and taking it out was slightly challenging. However, this is cost effective and can keep your ring safe if your gym bag is always in sight during your workout sessions. This approach is more cost effective.
- A wristband that you can wear while working out which safely holds the ring! These keep your ring safe while you workout so you don’t have to leave your precious rings in the car or in the locker. You can take it off around your warm up and put it back on once you have finished your workout. This will help you protect your engagement or wedding ring and with this, you are actually wearing it! An added advantage, if you are forgetful like me, is that you will not forget it anywhere. I always keep my ring in this wristband with zipper so it is always close to me when I am working out. Although a bit bit in size, I love the fact that it has a water-proof lining on the inside, keeping the jewelry safe!
Wearing Jewelry to the Gym
So you do like to keep your jewelry – be it the swanky piercing you got done, or the favorite pair of earrings, necklace and bracelets close to you while working out. Then let me help you with what you can and can not do, to ensure you workout hard and keep your jewelry nice and shiny as well.
I will try here to visit this from two perspectives- based on the type of workout , and the type of jewelry.
BASED ON TYPE OF JEWELRY
Wearing Earrings at the Gym
Earrings are a piece of jewelry that almost everyone relishes to wear all the time. We almost never remove them, not even when we go to bed. If you want to wear your earrings in the gym, studs are the go to option, as they are generally smaller and light in weight.
Best Sizes To Wear : When it comes to the size specification, anything between 8 mm to 12 mm should be comfortable to wear while you workout. If the earrings are with stones, it is wise to ensure that they are not too heavy.
Designs to Avoid : Additionally at the gym, avoid wearing chunky earrings, and danglers especially are a strict no-no. These are generally heavy in build and design, and will keep you conscious about the earrings moving all the time while working out. The heavier your earrings are, the more distracting they will be!
Thus, studs are the safest to be worn at the gym. If you have multiple piercings, you can match studs in all of them for a chic look.
Here are some of my favorite earrings which are swanky looking, yet safe to wear in the gym and during workouts. Give this a read, if you are planning to buy something for yourself. Most of these pieces are below $100 and quite affordable.
Wearing necklaces to the Gym
Wearing a chain to the gym is perfectly fine and hardly hinders your workout if you are mindful of the length of the chain.
Preferred Length Specifications : Necklaces are generally safe in the gym if the length is around 12-14 inches or less. Anything longer can come right in front of your eyes or brush against your arms or face while you run or use machinery at the gym. Additionally, there is always a risk of the necklace getting tangled with the machinery.
Watch out for the Pendant : Most of the weight of your necklace comes from the pendant. Keeping this simple and light is what will make you carry it well during your workout. The heavier the pendant is, the chances of it getting swayed with every movement you do are higher.
Simplistic Design : Always go for necklaces that have simplistic, yet not delicate, designs. More the number of joints or protruding edges there are in your necklace, higher the chances of an injury from it! I love wearing this necklace to the gym as it is both chic and easy to workout in.
Material Composition : Go for metals that are robust, like titanium, stainless steel, or even plastic. Metals like gold and silver can be really soft against the sturdy gym equipments and even light a brush with the gym equipment is capable of causing dents and bends in the structure.
Wearing Bracelets to the Gym
When it comes to bracelets, light weight and chain bracelets are the safest at the gym. Others that are also safe are braided or leather bracelets as this one are soft and safe for gym workouts.
Bracelets to be avoided : Huge bracelets with complex designs are a big no. Charm bracelet should never be considered to be worn at the gym regardless of the type of workout as they can get stuck in the equipment and cause injuries.
Wearing Rings While Working Out
Rings can be unsafe even during cardio exercises, mainly the ones that require you to work on any type of equipment where you have to grip metallic rods, be it cross trainers or elliptical machines, pull up ropes, bars of any type. Working with weights is never advisable with rings on!
Sometimes serious injuries to the hands are caused because of rings and you don’t just hurt the ring finger, the neighboring fingers can also take the blow and this can take days to heel. This is not the worst! A serious injury might also require the ring to be cut.
Wearing Pearls to the Gym
Regardless of your age, pearls will make you look more sophisticated wherever you go. However, when it comes to wearing pearls at the gym, you should think twice! Sweat is acidic and this acid can deplete the calcium contained in the pearls, hence damaging them.
Wearing Gemstones at the Gym
While gemstones are generally harder than the metals they are fixed in, a hard blow to them can compromise the complete structure. Repeated scratching and blows can even deplete their sheen, while the stone may still be structurally intact.
Additionally, blows to the piece of jewelry can cause the stone to come undone, fixing which could be challenging.
BASED ON THE TYPE OF WORKOUT
Cardio
Most of the jewelry types are safe for cardio. As long as the piece you are wearing is is light weight and body hugging, you are safe!
Jewelry types to avoid: Jewelry with sharp edges, especially longer necklaces with pointed or heavy pendants can be risky. They can hurt you at sensitive places, especially on your face during your dance workout as they do not remain in place while you work out.
Kickboxing
What is safe? Wearing a small, light weight necklace can be considered safe for your kickboxing session. Light weight studs that do not have sharp edges are also safe considering the chances of getting bruised from such earrings are very few.
Jewelry to avoid: Rings, especially the ones that have stones, are a BIG NO while kickboxing. Most of the precious metals like Gold, Platinum and Silver are malleable and hence can easily bend or develop marks on them. The metals that are hard can give you cuts.
Hard stones like diamond can compromise the ring structure from the impact of strong blows. Rings with soft stones like opal, pearls can be damaged from within and stone can develop marks.
Floor exercises
Generally the floor exercises are slow paced, and hence the chances from getting an injury due to the jewelry you are wearing are minimal.
Size and Fit: The piece of jewelry you wear during your pilates or hot yoga session should not fit too tight. However, it must stay at its place and not move around so much. This is the reason why you must ensure that your jewelry, especially rings and bracelets, fit comfortably.
Jewelry Weight: Light weight jewelry necklaces and earrings should be prefered. A bigger bracelet should not be much of a trouble as long as it does not move around much. Be aware that the shape of delicate jewelry can change over time with the weight of your body on it during certain exercises.
Avoid edges: Sharper edges can not only damage your favorite yoga mat, but can also potentially cause scratches on the body parts it comes in contact with. Go for rounder and softer designs to prevent such incidents.
Weight Training
No Rings at all: Weights and metal do not go well together! If weight training is a part of your workout. Weights can completely damage the structure of your rings. The softer metals are more likely to bend. Rings with stones can also get seriously damaged if you accidently bang them against the equipment.
What to wear: Necklaces that are smaller (not longer than 12 inches) and stay closer to the neck are a perfect choice. Small and light pendants will also not bother you much. Beaded or leather bracelets that stay in place are also totally fine! In earrings, studs or small loops hardly cause any troubles.
Swimming
While I was on a holiday and decided to go for snorkeling and diving, I was wearing my gold necklace that had a couple of small diamonds in the pendant and some beads along the chain. There was no visible damage caused to it! Let us see if it is always safe to wear jewelry when you go swimming.
Jewelry Material: Only jewelry made out of stainless is resistant to reaction from chlorine. So if you must wear jewelry while you go swimming, prefer rings, and smaller necklaces made from stainless steel.
Duration of Exposure: While you can wear jewelry once in a while during your swimming sessions, prolonged exposure to chlorine treated water will damage it over time. Most jewelry pieces start developing dark holes as chlorine dissolves certain metals.
Nothing should be swaying around: Nothing should be hanging around in water when you swim as it can break off or tangle with your costume. Wet skin is also prone to cuts, which are inevitable with loose jewelry pieces. This means, longer necklaces, charm bracelets, danglers are better left home!
Gemstones: Most of the gemstones are safe! But in case the metal that holds it in place damages, it stones can fall off in water. So check your jewelry item every other day to ensure that it is in perfect shape. Also chlorine water poses significant threat to pearls.
Swimming in the sea: If you live around the sea and swimming in saline water is a part of your fitness regime, you must be extremely careful for your ring. Saline and cold water causes your fingers to shrink and you might not even know when your ring slid off your finger. Needless to say, finding it back can be impossible.
Conclusion
As discussed above, minimal jewelry that stays close to your body and is not heavy to carry should be worn while exercising. Avoiding precious metals can be helpful as they are better kept at a safe place to prevent any kind of damage to them.
Only hair accessories (that keep those hair from coming in your way) and wearable gym tech (that helps in tracking important parameters during a workout session) serve a purpose in the gym.
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