Here’s why divers shower after they get out of the pool

If you’ve been watching diving at the 2016 Rio Olympics — and you should be — you’ve probably noticed that coverage consists roughly of 25 percent diving and 75 percent athletes standing around using the showers.

You’ve also probably noticed the green pools that have become huge headlines during these Olympics and wondered if the two were related at all. The answer is no. There is no relation, as divers shower or spend time in a hot tub even when the pool looks perfectly normal.

The answer is simple: the athletes are showering to prevent their muscles from tightening up. Sudden changes in core temperature can cause muscle cramps or other issues. When you’re preparing for the next dive, the last thing you want is the air outside of the pool to make things tougher on you. Hence the outside showers and occasionally, hot tubs.

Some have offered the explanation that divers are trying to get the chlorine out of their hair and off of their bodies, but this is simply an extra positive and not the core reason divers use the shower. While ensuring you’re washing chlorine off of you at the end of the day is a good practice, it’s not something the divers are actually worried about during diving heats.

So no, the green pools aren’t a factor and no, chlorine isn’t that big a deal.