Sports Recovery
A recovery routine beginning after training/competition (cool down) and continuing for up to 24 hours post training effect or competition.
Ice Cold water immersion and Active Recovery are the top two rated strategies for Recovery. The total recommended duration of one immersion session is 6±6 min; with up to 3 immersion sessions per average training week is highly recommended. An average water temperature of 10±3 ºC for ultimate results.
Cold Water Cure
The application of alternating hot and cold water to the whole body can help recovery by increasing blood flow, stimulating the central nervous system, decreasing swelling, decreasing stiffness, increasing range of motion, decreasing muscle soreness and increasing the removal of metabolites.
Timing
Research suggests that an equal ratio of time in hot and cold water immersion in a bath/spa or shower is ideal. Finishing with cold water helps to reduce body temperature and inflammation; this ‘ices’ the whole body which is great for recovery.
Recovery
Many athletes insist that an ice bath after intense training helps them recover faster, prevent injury and just feel better. Using Ice Cold immersion will help stimulate muscle cell activity to repair damage and strengthen the muscles (muscle hypertrophy), it can also help the prevention of delayed onset muscle pain and soreness (DOMS), which occurs between 24 and 72 hours after exercise.
Perfecting A Well Known Phenomenon.
Heat build-up and muscle trauma are the enemy of all athletes. Medical science has prescribed ice as a well proven remedy for muscle and tissue damage for more than 100 years.
With Ice Cold Immersion of the whole body you can achieve significant extra endurance.
During immersion the cooling water is continuously circulated to enhance water to skin temperature , which optimises cooling. Total Body Immersion in Ice Cold Water helps to flush out waste products such as lactic acid from muscles and uric acid from joints.
Once you get out of the ice bath, your body will start to warm up again and drive fresh blood to the muscles thus helping to bring vital nutrients back to the muscles. Alternating hot–cold water treatment is ideal for sporting injuries and in a rehabilitation purposes.