The Dead Rat in the House, Or How I Shaved My Legs

So today I woke up and realized, I looked like an idiot. My one shaved calf patch was practical but was also looked like I didn't know how to groom properly. So when my wife, who actually dislikes men with shaved legs, mentioned that I might want to shave mine, I knew I had to do something. So time to shave up!

Step One: I took those same clippers my wife uses on my hair and buzzed my calves and thighs down with the 1/8" guard, managed to cut myself once, and found out how extremely furry I apparently was before. My wife thought this was hilarious and asked me if I had killed a rat.

Step Two: And here is where men should take note, you need to buy a pack of NEW disposable razors and you need to get the kind meant for women shaving their legs. You also need some quality shaving cream, which thanks to my sensitive skin I already had, to prevent razor bumps. Don't worry about what people will think, just spend the $5 and get some quality supplies. I had the annoyance of my life trying to shave with the same dull razors I use daily for my chest. So lather up and shave down.

Step Three: Go back over again, you missed some obvious patches. Trust me. If you're shaving up to the swimsuit line (which you should if you're a triathlete) make sure to check your hamstrings and the backs of your knees. These will require some contortions to get into place.

Step Four: Accept that shaving your legs if you never have before is a multi-day process. It will take more than one attempt to get them perfectly shaved and smooth.

Step Five: Prepare for massive amounts of ridicule from men who don't understand why you did it. Especially if you're a firefighter!

Now let's discuss the reasons why shaving your legs is actually a good idea.

One: Swimmer's do it. You're a swimmer. And they don't do it for no reason. It allows you to feel the water better. I didn't believe this was true until I put my pants on after shaving and realized how much more sensitive everything is. And that translates to the pool. Trust me.

Two: Road rash. You probably spend a decent amount of time cycling (especially if you're training for an Ironman) and sooner or later, you will wipe out. And you will get road rash. And it is much less painful to apply and remove bandages from shaved skin than from hairy legs. Trust me on this one. It hurts.

Three: Massage. Whether it's a sports massage or your foam roller, shaving your legs lets you get deeper into the muscle and improves the massage experience.

So now that I have shaved legs, I appreciate all these little things. We'll see if I keep it up but for now I don't mind. It certainly makes the KT tape easier to remove!