Why Your Pee Feels Warm Post-Exercise and Other Weird Workout Qs, Answered

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When weird workout sensations have you asking, "Is this normal?" Dr. Google is probably your go-to. But, as you might have guessed, not all online "experts" went to school to study exercise science—so we found someone who did. Here are the answers to your most random sweat sesh questions from an actual human expert.

“Why do my legs itch when I run?”
As your hard-working muscles raise your core temp, blood surges to your skin to dissipate the heat. That may make you more sensitive to irritants like scratchy fabrics, lotions, even sweat. Annoying, but temporary.

“Why do I yawn when I'm lifting?”
Pumping iron can jack up your adrenaline to the point that your calming parasympathetic nervous system jumps in to temper it. Yawning is a natural side effect.

“Why do my toes go numb in cycling class?”
Your shoes could be strapped in too tightly. If not, a long bout of sitting may be preventing blood or nerve messages from reaching your tootsies. Stand up on your pedals for a few minutes until the tingles subside.

“Why does my pee feel hot post-workout?”
Blame your hot core temp again. Intense exercise or a session longer than 30 minutes will likely warm up your insides, urine included. It should chill in about an hour.

Source: Keith Baar, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise biology at the University of California at Davis