Are you team pants or team commando? (Picture: Getty Images)

When you’re getting dressed for the gym, underwear might seem like a pretty straightforward decision.

But while some people wouldn’t dream of attempting a workout without the protection of pants, others see the extra layer of fabric as nothing but a sweaty inconvenience.

A recent Pour Moi survey of 1,500 UK women found 5% never, or rarely, wear underwear to the gym, but if online forums are anything to go by, the real number could be far higher.

On r/womensfashion, a number of users said they go commando, including Commercial_State_767 who wrote: ‘Who can stand panties under skin tight leggings or workout gear?’

Another, nicadic, said underwear ‘feels gross’ after a period of rigorous exercise, while spicy_fairy added on r/yoga: ‘I sweat too much to be comfortable with undies on under my leggings.’

When the debate reared its head on The Girls Bathroom podcast recently, hosts Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo both admitted to doing the same, with the latter saying: ‘I always go pantless in a legging… you just don’t need them.’

That’s certainly not the viewpoint of every gym-goer, though.

‘This is the reason I wipe gym equipment down before and after I use it… commando just sounds horrible to me,’ wrote girlsledisko on r/beginnerfitness, with GoldxBrownSugar adding: ‘That’s honestly disgusting. Why would you not?’

‘Every gender should be wearing the best barrier they can, it’s already gross enough in there,’ commented IT_chickadee, while BlackMagicWorman called team no-pants ‘so filthy.’

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After the recent Hyrox scandal, where athlete Joanna Wietrzyk competed with visible diarrhoea running down her legs, fitness-related hygiene issues are at the forefront of many people’s minds.

But is working out without underwear genuinely a hazard, or are people getting their knickers in a twist over nothing? Metro investigates.

The case for wearing underwear

For Stephen Roland, founder and PT at Fortify Personal Training in London, ‘wearing underwear in the gym is mainly a hygiene issue’, since ‘less fabric to absorb sweat’ means ‘more sweat ending up on the machines.’

There are health benefits for you too, with Dr Asiya Maula, director and GP at The Health Suite, telling Metro: ‘Underwear can provide a useful layer of moisture absorption during exercise, especially if you choose breathable, natural fibres like cotton.’

This can be particularly helpful when activewear is made from synthetic materials, which she says ‘aren’t always kind to sensitive skin.’


Gyms are pretty sweaty places at the best of times (Picture: Getty Images)

Dr Maula continues: ‘Without underwear, sweat, bacteria, and discharge come into direct contact with the fabric, and then the fabric sits directly against the skin.

‘If those leggings are reworn without washing, or worn for hours after the gym, that can raise the risk of irritation, folliculitis, or yeast and bacterial infections, including UTIs in those prone to them.’

Odour is another consideration.

Anwen Davies, certified personal trainer and gym and fitness product developer at Net World Sports, says this is ‘probably the biggest argument against exercising without underwear,’ as research shows polyester worn during intense exercise becomes far smellier than cotton.

‘Synthetic fibres are oil-loving, so the fatty compounds in sweat cling to them and feed odour-causing bacteria, which barely show up on cotton at all,’ she tells Metro. ‘Underwear acts as a buffer layer that absorbs a lot of that sweat before it seeps into your gym clothes.’

What are your thoughts on going commando at the gym?

It’s more comfortable and practical.Check

It’s unhygienic and I wouldn’t do it.Check

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Then there’s chafing, which can really impact your flow during activities that require repetitive movements such as running and cycling.

While ‘underwear won’t remove the risk of this entirely,’ the PT says it ‘adds a layer that reduces direct contact in some of the areas most prone to rubbing, particularly around the thighs and groin.’

Finally, there’s the question of modesty, which is the point Anwen would ’emphasise most for clients.’

‘Not every pair of gym leggings or shorts is built to handle a deep squat or a deadlift,’ she adds.

‘Fabric stretches with increased load, and if it’s not manufactured for that level of movement, you can end up showing more than you intended. If you’re going without underwear, this is the risk you’re signing up for.’

The case for going commando

For some, avoiding VPL (aka visible panty line) is a major benefit of this, but for others, aesthetics have nothing to do with the decision.

‘I have actually had a client tell me that they preferred working out without underwear on as they found it more comfortable and less restrictive,’ says Stephen. ‘Thankfully we had no decency issues at any point in time!’

While many object to this due to the ick factor, Dr Rupa Parmar, GP and medical director of Midland Health, tells Metro there’s ‘nothing inherently unhygienic’ about exercising sans pants — and ‘provided your gym clothes offer enough coverage, they should generally provide ‘enough of a barrier between you and a gym bench.’

In fact, there may even be a hygiene argument for ditching them.


For many people, it’s about avoiding VPL (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Bacteria thrive in warm, moist conditions, and an extra layer of fabric can actually give them a better environment to grow in,’ explains Anwen.

‘This also applies to male gymgoers. If underwear becomes warm and damp due to sweat, it can cause something called jock itch. Looser gym wear without underwear is sometimes recommended specifically to keep that area cooler and drier.’

As Casey Lee, owner of Purposeful Strength training studio in Richmond, Vermont, highlights, ‘a lot of clothing is now compression based or even comes with liners built in to the shorts, pants, or leggings’, meaning there’s no fear of an accidental flashing incident.

Even if there was a danger of this though, he tells Metro he’d ‘simply swap out a few of our movements to make sure they’re in positions that keep them covered up,’ adding: ‘It’s just another thing to manage in a session.’

Either way, etiquette is key

Ultimately, whether you wear underwear or not, there are some gym hygiene rules that are worth following.

Dr Parmar warns that — whether you’re wearing underwear or not — when it comes to shared equipment, germs can pass between exposed skin and surfaces, particularly if somebody has cuts or broken skin

‘That’s why it’s wise to wipe equipment before and after you use it, use a clean towel as an extra barrier if you want to, and wash your hands after using shared equipment,’ she advises.


A little consideration can go a long way (Picture: Getty Images)

Lewis Pearce, owner at Boxstop x Boiler Room Fitness in Wakefield, echoes this, saying that although he wants to foster a ‘welcoming environment where people feel comfortable, confident and able to train without feeling judged’, clothing may become an issue if it starts ‘affecting the experience of the people around them.’

‘The point where we would step in is if it became inappropriate, visibly uncomfortable for other members, or created a hygiene issue within the training environment,’ he tells Metro.

‘Hygiene is particularly important in our gym because our sessions can get pretty intense! With functional fitness, Hyrox-style training, kettlebells and hot-room sessions, there’s plenty of sweat flying around regardless of what anyone is wearing.’

Denise Chakoian, certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree, agrees that it’s less about whether someone is ‘technically wearing underwear’ and more about whether their clothing provides adequate coverage and works for the movements they’re doing.

‘If clothing were very loose, sheer, or revealing during certain exercises, I might suggest a different option simply to avoid an uncomfortable situation,’ she tells Metro.

As Dr Maula concludes, neither choice is ‘wrong’, but ‘it’s the habits around them that really count,’ and ‘washing kit, showering after exercise, and choosing breathable fabrics are what matters most.’

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk

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