Why do athletes shave their legs?

It’s no surprise that Manscaped™ is an advocate for grooming body hair. It’s very much our thing. So, when we start going off the handle about why guys should shave their legs it’s just another Monday.

Sometimes, we have reasons to get really fired up about a topic that already fills us with passion. Today, one of those reasons is external. We’re proud to announce that we are the official grooming partner of USA Triathlon.

In honor of this new partnership, we want to take a minute to talk about athletes and shaving body hair. What else would you expect? In particular, we’re going to discuss shaving the legs. A lot of athletes do it, and we want to explain why. Some of this will be familiar, but some of it is likely to surprise you.

Shaving legs improves performance

It’s a common theme in speed sports. Any amount of drag is unacceptable. Swimming and cycling are probably best known for this mentality and have long seen athletes shave their legs. Is it a coincidence that both of those sports appear in a triathlon event?

It might seem minuscule, but shaving leg hair really does reduce drag. When you’re hypercompetitive, the tiny advantage you get from shaving is enough to matter.

But, performance isn’t restricted to racing. Another well-known sport where guys shave is mixed martial arts. For MMA, shaving is practically required. This isn’t an official rule, but body hair is a liability in a scrap. Even leg hair can get jumbled up or provide extra grip in a pin or lock. Being smooth is advantageous for fighters.

Runners shave their legs to reduce friction and chafing

For runners, shaving leg hair can reduce friction — which means less chafing. Anyone who has trained for long-distance running appreciates the need to always fight chafing. A few minutes with a razor every week can mean the difference between a great race and several days of miserable recovery.

Shaving your legs can increase safety

There are sports where body hair can cause pain, even when it’s just the legs. MMA already pops back into mind. If you sustain injuries in the octagon, they’re going to be easiest to treat without bushy hair in the way.

Hairy legs may lead to infections for cyclists

Cyclists have it much worse on this front. As the saying goes, “crashing hurts.” Road rash is bad no matter what, but leg hair makes it even more miserable. The hairs get tangled in the mess. They get pulled by adhesives and bandages. They can help trap microbes that cause infections. They’re just a problem all around. Smooth legs are easier to manage.

To a lesser extent, this concept holds true for a lot of sports. We talked about chafing with runners, but if you push too far and take a fall running, leg hair complicates the problem.

Smooth legs are easier to manage for contact sports and rock climbers

Contact sports outside of martial arts have the same problem. Hair can provide a grip that you don’t want on your legs. Also, contact sports see frequent leg injuries. Even soccer players shave their legs often enough just to make life a little easier.

Rock climbing belongs on this list. So do any number of other sports where leg hair can cause discomfort, get in the way or inhibit recovery. Whenever any of these shoes fit, a shave is a great solution.

Shaved legs just look good

Let’s come right out and say it. Athletes have great, toned bodies (usually). They work hard to develop lean muscle. While that muscle has a purpose, plenty of athletes want to show off how they look. For this purpose, removing hair makes chiseled muscles pop, and we all know it. It’s why the buff shirtless guy in any movie has no chest hair. He’s not naturally hairless. They waxed him to make his muscle definition more obvious. Athletes can do the same, and who would blame them? If you’re going to put in the work, why not make some people swoon at the sight of your perfect calves? That’s called enjoying the perks of your hard work.

Body hair collects sweat

Akin to aesthetics is a secondary issue of attractiveness. Body hair (even on the legs) collects sweat. Trapped sweat helps bacteria grow, and bacteria produce things that smell bad. If you want to keep your athletic stink to a minimum, shave your legs. It helps a ton — especially if you take care of your upper thighs and move into the groin area with your trimmer. It’s a game changer.

>>Buy The Lawn Mower® 4.0<<

Grooming & pre-race prep

If you think some body hair management could help your game, we have everything you need. Not only do we make the best tools, but we also provide tutorials for every type of grooming you might want.

Shaving your legs with The Lawn Mower 4.0

Shaving the legs is easy. Get your Lawn Mower® 4.0 trimmer, use the shortest settings on it, and attack your leg hair. It’s safely made so that you don’t have to worry about butchering your legs. Instead, you can remove the hair with impunity.

And don’t forget massaging special pre-racing lotions; It’s a lot easier when there’s not a bunch of hair in the way. Smooth legs beget even smoother ones.

If you want to expand your shaving beyond the legs, we have tutorials for all of it. From head to toe, we’ll help you manage your hair so that you can always enjoy the benefits of great grooming.

One thing that we need to mention is the psychological aspect of pre-race prep. You work out, you train, you eat healthily. But what about how getting your body ready affects your mental status? Grooming is a part of that and puts the finishing touch on the 360° preparation to help you be the best competitor you can be.

Shaving legs is perfectly acceptable for men

Shaving is a normal part of life for the modern man. That means that shaving your legs is perfectly acceptable. If you’re an athlete who could benefit from having smooth legs, that’s all the more reason to jump on the trend. You don’t need to hold back. Give it a try and see how you like it. After all, you’re making an informed decision, and you’ll have our full support. We’re always here to help guys with grooming and body management.