Quote:
Originally Posted by Mochawk
Exit out hot. Baths work better as well
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I agree on baths, but having two bodies of water at vastly differing temperatures isn't feasible for most folks. Hence, showers.
The exit temperature should always be cold, unless late at night and one is about to retire. This excerpt is taken from John Paul Cantazaro:
Contrast methods Seven years ago, I had a chance to spend some time with Dr. Mel Siff at his ranch in Colorado. He shared with me some secrets on advanced recovery techniques. Here are a few tidbits on contrast methods that I think you’ll find interesting:
- Always start with hot and end with cold (unless you plan to go to sleep afterwards, in which case you should end with heat).
- The duration of each stimulus is 1–5 minutes, but here’s the kicker. Apparently, the body will adapt to the duration so you must vary it each time.
- The body should be almost completely submerged (Dr. Siff had an 8-foot deep Jacuzzi) and motion is desirable (particularly in the cold environment, e.g. swim).
- The temperature must be appropriate (hot should be very hot, i.e. up to 110 degrees F, and cold should be cold, i.e. as low as 60 degrees F).
- Repeat the process 3–4 times.
From Mike Robertson:
Contrast Showers/Baths
Contrast showers and baths are one of the easiest methods for speeding recovery after an intense workout. The hot water stimulates dilation of the blood vessels, while the cold water produces constriction. This contrast effect aids in the mobilization and removal of ****bolic wastes, and brings fresh blood and nutrients to the damaged area to speed recovery.
The premise here is simple: Treat the area trained most intensely (e.g. low back following heavy deadlifts) with 1 minute of hot water, followed by 30 seconds of cold water; this is considered one circuit. A few simple rules should be adhered to when taking contrast showers and baths:
- Hot and cold water should be as hot/cold as tolerable
- Perform for 3-5 circuits
- Always end with COLD
Kurz recommends a bunch of different temperature modalities in Science of Sports Training, but I found this interesting:
"Sudden cooling by a shower or bath stimulates the sympathetic system and invigorates. Gradual cooling stimulates the parasympathetic system and calms the athletes down (Naglak 1979)"
Personally, I've always ended on very cold during my AM workouts, and I actually find contrast showers too stimulating in the evening, so I opt out, because I have enough trouble with my sleep cycle. There's no question though that contrast showers kick ass for recovery.