In case your ponytail reaches past shoulder-length, it probably swishes backwards and forwards as you progress. This, Smith says, is the place you possibly can (actually) run into points: “For those who go for a run and you’ve got your hair free whipping backwards and forwards, it’s an absolute recipe for break up ends and actually dry friction burn on the ends of your hair.”
An excessive amount of friction, as we all know, can set off bodily injury, elevate up the cuticle, and trigger frizz. It’s why you may sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase versus cotton or linen materials, so your strands glide simpler throughout the floor, which helps them retain their smoothness and shine. (And on that observe, you may need to put money into some silk scrunchies to additional shield your tresses.) For those who’re not participating in intense exercise, this clearly poses much less of an issue; low-to-moderate depth coaching (assume yoga, Pilates, or strolling) received’t create as a lot friction, so a free ponytail could also be A-OK.
It’s extra of a warning for HIIT exercises or jogs: As a lot as chances are you’ll need to resemble an iconic Baywatch babe once you hit the pavement, all that swishing backwards and forwards can hurt your hair within the long-run. “That’s like whiplash to your hair,” Smith provides.
As a substitute, he recommends wrapping your hair right into a bun or braid, in order that your ends keep tucked in and guarded. Once more, simply ensure you’re not pulling too tightly once you’re tying, so that you don’t trigger breakage on the hairline. For buns, you may additionally need to change up the location every so often: “This manner it is not repeated injury in the very same spot—you are giving your hair a break,” hairstylist Levi Monarch as soon as shared with us.
It’s a fragile dance, and on the finish of the day, a number of damaged hairs shouldn’t deter you from breaking a sweat—common train, in any case, is nice to your magnificence routine. However in the event you’re an avid runner otherwise you discover your pony bopping round throughout a spin class, you may need to tuck within the ends á la buns or braids. Maybe save the lovable pony to your stroll dwelling.