The Huffington Post: Hair Ready for the Gym by Gina Rivera

We go to the gym to look great. We also want to look great when we go to the gym.

So, how serious can we be about getting a great workout when we’re worried about our hair? The truth is that the two go together quite nicely. You can easily follow the trends while doing all those crunches, butterflies and lunges. In fact, some of the hottest styles feature a somewhat undone look and that makes it all the easier to nail the latest looks at the gym.

What you don’t want to do is wash your hair beforehand. That may sound obvious for a number of reasons…why wash your hair before a workout? But the impulse may be to wash if you’re shooting for the perfect ‘do. The reality is that if we want our hair to look great with some fullness that can stay a little loose without falling apart during a workout, we skip the shower. Freshly shampooed and dried, hair can be slippery and, particularly at the gym where you’re moving around a lot, that will make it more difficult for a loose braid or ponytail to hold. So, hold off on the shower.

Ponies, chignons and braids are among the hottest styles for any time of day this season and, it just so happens, they can all perform really well at the gym. In fact, it’s hard to imagine trending ‘dos that are better for a workout. Short hair, too, is in and easier at the gym, for obvious reasons, but not essential. The common thread is to keep it loose. Create some volume before you execute that braid or ponytail.

To make it even easier for the hair to keep its hold, use moose or gel before you style and some volume-lifting powder at the roots. Those treatments will give your hair the promised latest looks and some texture and hold to that ponytail, bun or braid for more staying power.

Another tip for the short term, when you need to wash your hair but don’t want to lose the holding power, use one of the popular dry shampoos. These will take out some of the oily moisture, and that, also, can add to the volume and the texture that will give your hair added hold.

Nailing these trends, gather your ponytail toward the nape of the neck. Low is in. Of course, you can also go from here to a twist or bun. For braids, go with a fishtail, again keeping it loose.

As always, be open to change!