# Ladies, do you ever go commando while exercising? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068 "2012-07-13T00:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/1 "2012-07-13T00:32:32Z")
If you’re wearing moisture-wicking shorts, _do_ you need to wear anything under them? And by need, I’m strictly thinking of the threat of infection of your girlie bits, not embarrassing sweating given I work out at home, alone, so no one is going to see me before I toss my clothes in the washer and jump in the shower. I’m having problems finding moisture-wicking undies I like, but I do have several pairs of [these shorts](http://www.danskin.com/product/2095/7-Bike-Short.html), which are close fitting, and…reassure me I don’t need to wear anything under them, or warn me that I do, please. Horror stories, I’ve done it for years stories, just clue me in. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/2 "2012-07-13T00:41:01Z")
I always go commando when exercising. I’ve got padded bike shorts, which you are definitely _not_ supposed to wear underwear with, and my running shorts are pretty much of the type you’ve pictured. I have a pair of the loose, boxer-y kind of shorts, but they have a built-in panty. Launder regularly and you should be fine! ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/3 "2012-07-13T00:52:01Z")
I don’t wear drawls when I’m wearing yoga pants\* because I don’t like VPL. But usually I wear underwear. \*I’m too cheap to get real yoga pants. I wear cheap bicycle shorts and just pretend they are yoga pants. 'Cuz that’s how I roll. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/4 "2012-07-13T01:42:23Z")
Eh. I’m more impressed that I asked co-viewers of Underworld Awakening if they thought [this actress](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2086223/) looked like [this one](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001377/) back when she was [in this](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1309645824/tt0063518)…and it turned out that she looked like her to me because that’s her mom 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/5 "2012-07-13T01:50:45Z")
I’ll be in my bunk. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/6 "2012-07-13T01:59:04Z")
I do not wear undies while wearing my running pants. They are basically spandex capri pants and I’d have VPL if I did. I don’t like to wear them under my lounge pants either. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/7 "2012-07-13T02:04:05Z")
So embarassing to mispost in your own thread… ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/8 "2012-07-13T02:19:07Z")
I never wear undies in workout clothes. Why bother? ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/9 "2012-07-13T02:56:43Z")
It’s bad enough when my running shorts ride up. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/10 "2012-07-13T06:09:30Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I’ll be in my bunk. I’ll be at the gym. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/11 "2012-07-13T06:30:48Z")
What risk of infection would there be? They’re a form-fitting garment, very similar to boxer briefs. As long as you wash them between each wear, I don’t see why there would be an issue. VPL apparently stands for Visible Panty Line, which I didn’t know until reading this thread. I don’t care about panty lines, personally, but cameltoe is pretty unattractive. Just try them on without undies, work up a sweat around the house, then look at yourself in the mirror. If you have serious cameltoe and it bothers you, wear underwear. If you’re cool with that look, rock it. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/12 "2012-07-13T06:45:47Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So embarassing to mispost in your own thread… I was wondering what planet you were on for a second there. 😃 > [@elfkin477](#): > > I’m having problems finding moisture-wicking undies I like, but I do have several pairs of [these shorts](http://www.danskin.com/product/2095/7-Bike-Short.html), which are close fitting, and…reassure me I don’t need to wear anything under them, or warn me that I do, please. Horror stories, I’ve done it for years stories, just clue me in. > > Thanks 🙂 Just an uninformed man here but looking at those shorts, how _could_ you wear anything underneath? It’d be like wearing a t-shirt underneath an UnderArmour shirt. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/13 "2012-07-13T12:04:09Z")
Am I the only one who does wear underwear under bike shorts? I only wear bike shorts if I bike while wearing a skirt or a dress so VPL isn’t a problem. **Ambivalid** \*\*\*\*, it’s not a tight fit at all. Might be a problem if one is wearing granny panties, but otherwise, no. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/14 "2012-07-13T12:08:29Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > cameltoe is pretty unattractive. It is not its the highlight of my day when I see one. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/15 "2012-07-13T12:11:32Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > Am I the only one who does wear underwear under bike shorts? I only wear bike shorts if I bike while wearing a skirt or a dress so VPL isn’t a problem. Wait, so skirt+shorts+underwear? That’s… a lot of clothing, I hope it doesn’t get very hot wherever you are. I don’t think that using the shorts linked in the OP with nothing underneath counts as “comando”: they’re double-duty, like the men’s exercise shorts with a second layer inside (think shorts with built-in tighties). ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/16 "2012-07-13T12:31:24Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > Am I the only one who does wear underwear under bike shorts? I only wear bike shorts if I bike while wearing a skirt or a dress so VPL isn’t a problem. If your shorts are padded, then undies are counterproductive. The padding is there not just to pad but to give you a seamless piece of fabric against your girlie bits so you don’t get chafed. Undies add more fabric and just provide a way to get your knickers in a knot, so to speak. OTH, if your bike has a “cruiser” saddle and you have a relatively flat commute, undies might not be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/17 "2012-07-13T13:37:29Z")
No underwear when working out. What would be the point? ---
**Author:** ![BottledBlondJeanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/0ea827/32.png) [@BottledBlondJeanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BottledBlondJeanie)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/18 "2012-07-13T14:31:24Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I don’t wear drawls when I’m wearing yoga pants\* because I don’t like VPL. But usually I wear underwear. > > \*I’m too cheap to get real yoga pants. I wear cheap bicycle shorts and just pretend they are yoga pants. 'Cuz that’s how I roll. I get the expense thing, but have you tried some of the shorts/pants from Tonic or others designed for hot yoga? Even if you don’t do hot yoga, it is amazing what a difference it makes–you’re never conscious of elastic or clinginess, and it feels so light. Shocked the heck out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/19 "2012-07-13T15:03:23Z")
It’s always hard to gauge if what you’re doing is right because rarely do you know what other people are thinking. If it would help everyone here I’ll visit your gym while you’re working out underwearless and I’ll take the horrible task of judging how it looks 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068/20 "2012-07-13T15:09:09Z")
Depends on what I’m wearing while working out. I have several pairs of loose nylon shorts that aren’t runner’s shorts (and hence, don’t have a built-in panty) - I wear regular underwear with these. Or with regular loose sweatpants. But form-fitting shorts or yoga pants or whatever, nope - commando all the way. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-do-you-ever-go-commando-while-exercising/628068.md?page=2)