I love my short hair.  I feel so elegant and stylish wearing it straight or wavy.  But my haircut does become a pain when I want to work out.  How do I keep hair out of my face when I am exercising if it can not even be pulled back into a ponytail?

Of course, I could do the easy thing and wear a baseball hat or headband.  Honestly, I do not like to wear hats when I workout.  I get too hot, too sweaty, and I feel my forehead is more prone to break outs when I have one on.  Headbands are okay but they do not keep the majority of my hair back.  Any forward movement, like push-ups, planks, or even downward facing dog, and all of the sudden hair has fallen forward, sticking to my eyes, nose, and mouth.  Not exactly glamorous.  Plus, hats and headbands are so ordinary.  I am looking for something with a bit more style.  And I know I am not alone.

So, what does a girl with a chic short hairstyle do to keep her hair out of her face while exercising AND still look cute?

Try one of these 4 pretty ways to style your hair next time you are ready to break a sweat.

 

1)  The Tiered Ponytail

This hairstyle reminds me of a luxurious unicorn mane.  It is so beautiful and stays put in any type of exercise.

1. Brush your hair straight back.
   
2. Starting at the top of your hairline, pull back a one inch section of hair and secure it at the crown of your head with a small rubber band.
3. Pull back a one inch section of hair from each side of your head.   Pull these sections to the back and add them to the existing small ponytail.  Secure with another rubber band.
4. Repeat pulling back small sections of hair from each side of your head, adding them to the existing ponytail, and securing with new rubber bands.  I used five different rubber bands for my hairstyle.
5. Gently pull on the hair sections between the rubber bands to give more volume and body.

2)  The Half Up French Braid

French braids are so elegant and beautiful but practically impossible to do on short hair.  This hairstyle solves that problem by only braiding the top half of hair while the rest stays down and out of your face.  French braids take a bit of practice so be patient, and you will become an expert in no time.

1. Pull back a one inch piece of hair from the top of your head.  Separate into three equal sections; left, middle, and right.
2. Take the left section and weave it over the middle section.  Pull tight.  Note: when you cross it over, the left section becomes the new middle section.
3. Take the right section, and weave it over the new middle section and again pull tight.  Now the right section has become the new middle section.
4. Pull back a new half inch piece from the hairline on the left side of your head.  Add it to the left section of  hair then weave it over the new  middle section.
5. Add another half inch piece of new hair to the right section and weave over the middle section.
6. Continue adding hair and braiding until you are half way down your head.  Secure with a small rubber band.

3)  The Half-up Top Knot

Effortlessly chic and trendy, this messy half-up top knot is oh so fashionable and functional for your fitness routine.  Truth be told, this is not the most secure of the workout hairstyles.  Save this one for LISS training or an Iyengar yoga classes.

1. Brush your hair straight back.  Separate the top half section of your hair and hold it up in one hand.
2. Take your brush in your free hand and tease the top section.  This will add a little bit of volume to your top knot..
3. Secure the teased up top section of hair with a small rubber band.  Making a pony tail before you start coiling your hair into a top knot is not necessary but it does make it more secure for your workout.
4. Start to twist your ponytail and coil it around the base of your half ponytail.
5. Secure with a small size rubber band.
6. Start to adjust and pull on pieces of the top knot to give it a messy look.  Secure any loose ends with a couple of bobby pins.

4) The Double French Braid

This stunning hair style is the most difficult of the four to do but it screams beast mode.  You are using almost the same braiding technique as in The Half-Up French Braid but now it is being done in two separate braids on each side of your head.

1. Part your hair down the middle.  Secure one side out of the way.
2. Pull back a one inch piece of hair from the left side of your head.  Separate into three equal sections; left, middle, and right.  
3. Take the left section and weave it over the middle section.  Pull tight.  Note: when you cross it over, the left section becomes the new middle section.
4. Take the right section, and weave it over the new middle section and again pull tight.  Now the right section has become the new middle section.
5. Take the left section and weave it over the middle section.  Note: do not add hair to this section.  You will only add new hair when you are weaving the section closest to the center of your head.
6. Add a half inch piece of new hair to the right section and weave over the middle section.
7. Continue to braid hair, only adding new hair when you are weaving the section closest to the center of your head, in this case the right section.
8. Secure with a small rubber band.
9. Repeat entire process on the other side of your head, this time braiding the right section first and only adding new pieces of hair to the left section.

I hope these great hairstyles give you some ideas and inspiration for your next workout.  Let me know which one you will be choosing to rock at the gym next?