Polar Bear Swimmers are not the only ones that enjoy an occasional Ice Bath. Many athletes that I have worked with have also discovered the benefits of the icy plunge. Pro Beach Volleyball Players and Marathon Runners have been asked to go stand in the ocean for a few minutes. Other athletes, who are further away from the beach, pick up a few bags of ice to add to the cold water in their bath tub.
Cold water flows out of the tap at 10 degrees Celsius, while the sea can vary in temperature given the time of year. The difference is that the sea water is always moving keeping it at a constant temperature while the tub water has to be churned around a bit to keep it cool.
Here is how the Ice Bath works. The muscles will cool and relax after a few minutes in the bath. At the end of the bath you will experience a strong flush of blood circulating through the muscles that were submerged. This sudden increase in circulation speeds up and improves the quality of muscle recovery by quickly flushing out the lactic acids that have built up in the tired muscles.
Taking care of your body is important when going through a long training process like the Sun Run Training Program. Only the best results can be achieved when you take advantage of the many injury preventative measures available to you.
Muscles in Motion – Vancouver
