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Contrast Therapy (Sauna & Cold Plunge)

What Is Contrast Therapy?

While contrast therapy is not a new concept—it has been used for hundreds of years as a natural way to boost health and wellness—this method of exposing the body to extremely hot and cold temperatures has seen a fresh revival among health enthusiasts.

Contrast therapy involves breathing and moving intentionally between a sauna (heat) and a cold tub (cold). When your body becomes very hot in the sauna and begins to sweat, it increases your blood flow, which delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscles—not to mention a hit of feel-good chemicals to your brain, like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. And when you move from the sauna to a plunge in the cold tub, your body moves into a state of acute stress, called hormesis. This type of stress is the good kind; it tells your body to repair itself and teaches it how to effectively handle similar stressors in the future. Plus, the cold tub has its own therapeutic effects, like boosting the immune system, improving metabolism, and reducing inflammation and pain. Contrast therapy is commonly used by athletes to boost performance and recovery, and it pairs well with all forms of training, exercise, and stretching.

What Benefits Does It Have?

There are many well-researched health benefits of regularly using saunas and cold tubs, along with benefits for using them together as contrast therapy. Here are a few:

Sauna

• Mimics exercise by boosting temperature, heart rate, insulin sensitivity, and immune cells

• Improves heart health by raising nitric oxide, vascular function, and blood flow and lowering blood pressure

• Reduces risk and duration of infections like influenza and the common cold

• Provides neuroprotection by increasing neurogenesis, blood flow to the brain, and heat shock proteins and lowering inflammation 

Cold Tub

• Slashes calories by increasing body’s supply of healthy brown fat and reducing lipids, which are heavy & unhealthy fats 

• Increases alertness and productivity by triggering adrenaline and dopamine levels

• Reduces stress and depression

• Boosts immune system (up to 300%!)

• Increases circulation 

• Reducing pain and swelling in joints 

Contrast Therapy (Hot & Cold Together)

• Increases physical performance by building body’s endurance and ability to recover 

• Soothes body-wide inflammation

• Increases production of human growth hormone (HGH), which helps body build muscle, burn fat, and experience more energy

What Can I Expect When I Come?

Contrast Therapy sessions are 75 minutes and cost $40. Private sessions and group sessions (up to 4 people) are available. 

Before

• Hydrate

• Take a shower

• Bring a couple of towels (or rent one for $5) and a robe for your comfort (the bathroom is in a separate building)

During

You’ll be guided through your therapy session using the following schedule:

1. Twenty minutes in the sauna

2. Breath work and a one- to two-minute plunge in the cold tub

3. Twenty minutes in the sauna

4. A one- to two-minute plunge in the cold tub 

5. Ten minute warm-up in the sauna 

After

• Hydrate

Contrast Therapy Is Not Right For You If You:

• Are ill [wait until you feel better before coming in for contrast therapy]
• Are pregnant
• Have low blood pressure [talk with your doctor first]
• Have abnormal/altered skin sensations or impaired circulation
• Have open wounds/broken skin
• Experience hypersensitivity to cold
• Have angina pectoris or other severe cardiac disease
• Have peripheral vascular disease
• Are under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Have epilepsy
• Not recommended for children or the geriatric population.

Resources:

Body Therapeutic Architecture 

Higher Dose 

@drjamesdinic on Instagram 

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep Tissue Massage is a form of bodywork that aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. Deep Tissue Massage is a highly effective method for releasing chronic stress areas due to misalignment, repetitive motions, and past lingering injuries. Due to the nature of the deep tissue work, open communication during the session is crucial to make sure you don't get too uncomfortable. Keep in mind that soreness is pretty common after the treatment, and that plenty of water should be ingested to aid with the flushing and removal of toxins that will have been released from the deep tissue during the session.

Sports Massage

Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics. Engaging in sports is harsh on the body and can often lead to injuries in both the short and long term. Sports Massage enhances performance and prolongs a sports career by helping to prevent injury, reduce pains and swelling in the body, relax the mind, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates. Sports Massage is also highly effective in aiding the rapid recovery of an athlete from an injury by encouraging greater kinesthetic awareness and in turn promoting the body's natural immune function.

Swedish Massage

Swedish Massage is a very relaxing and therapeutic style of bodywork. It combines oils or lotion with an array of strokes such as rolling, kneading, and effleurage to help the body improve its circulation. The benefits of this type of bodywork are wide-ranging and include relief from aches and pains, decreased stress levels in the body, enhanced mental clarity, improved appearance, and greater flexibility.

Chinese Cupping Massage

The experience of Chinese cupping is always different for everyone, most people enjoy it. Glass cups, fire and Chinese oils make this technique stand out as one of the best ways to literally suction your soft tissues, allowing them to loosen from the tight muscles. This releasing of the fascia that holds muscles and causes tightness is great for improving range of motion in the shoulders, back, hips and legs. Don't forget the de-toxing. Suction pulls toxins, pathogenic factors, blood poison, dead lymph and cellular debris from deep within the tissues to the surface. These debilitating agents are then more easily expelled from the body. The deposits dissipate from a few hours up to several weeks, depending on the amount of stagnation and the patients post treatment activities.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a form of soft tissue therapy intended to eliminate pain, increase range of motion, and rebalance the entire body. It does this by using massage techniques to stretch the fascia and release the bonds that exist between the fascia, muscles and bones. Fascia is the connective tissue that connects and covers all muscles, organs, and skeletal structures of the body. Direct myofascial release is sometimes known as deep tissue work. Indirect release applies light pressure and gently stretches the fascia; this allows for increased blood circulation and relief from pain.

Hot Stone Therapy

Hot Stone Therapy is a style of massage where heated stones are placed at specific sites on your body to deepen relaxation and promote circulation in your muscles. Muscles that are heated with these stones release tension and stress much more deeply and quickly than with a traditional massage. The overall experience is very relaxing, nurturing, and rejuvenating.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger Point Therapy is a style of bodywork that focuses on stimulating and releasing "trigger points" in your body. Trigger points are tender areas of tension similar to acupressure points, except they occur in the belly of the muscle rather than along the energy pathways of the body. These "knots" are built up throughout a person's life due to physical, mental, and/or emotional stress. During a session, focused pressure is applied through a variety of techniques order to release your trigger points. This process can be quite painful at times, yet the effects are lasting and profoundly transformative.

Active Isolated Stretching

Developed by Aaron Mattes, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is a dynamic system for improving your flexibility and overall well-being. As you probably already know, stretching your muscles not only reduces your chance of injury, but also strengthens your tendons and improves your circulation.

Reflexology

Reflexology is a type of bodywork that focuses on applying pressure to the specific nerve zones in your feet. Unlike other foot massages that intend to mostly relieve tension in the feet themselves, reflexology is a far more in-depth science that aims to harmonize your entire body. According to reflexology, every part of the human body is mapped into your feet. Reflexology treatments have been found to be highly effective for conditions such as allergies, headaches, and depression.

Myofascial Massage

Myofascial massage is a technique used to treat injuries and discomfort, reducing pain and increasing range of motion. Myofascial massage differs from other types of massage in that it targets the fascia - the membrane surrounding muscles - rather than the muscle itself. Since fascia completely encases every muscle in the body, imbalances in the fascia can have serious effects on your range of motion and comfort level. While other forms of massage can overlook the fascia, myofascial massage focuses specifically on releasing tension in this important membrane.

Structural Integration

Structural integration (COMING SOON!) employs soft tissue manipulation with the goal of realigning the body in relationship to the force of gravity. The theory underlying structural integration asserts that often the body's connective tissue is \"bound up,\" thus restricting opposing muscles from working independently of one another. Thus, we aim to loosen the restricted connective tissue by using a practice very similar to deep tissue massage. Practitioners typically prescribe a specific sequence of ten sessions lasting between 75 and 120 minutes in order to \"unlock\" the whole body.

Normatech Boots

Sit in a comfy recliner with your feet up and experience the benefits of the Normatech boots. 

 

1. Normatec boots decrease muscle tension and inflammation

Inflammation has been researched heavily in recent years and it has been linked to a range of different performance and health issues. The Normatec boots from Recoverfit can help decrease muscle tension and inflammation, which helps reduce recovery time. 

2. Decreases recovery time 

When you reduce inflammation, you help reduce the overall recovery time for your muscles. This helps give you the benefits of good recovery whilst also increasing the time you can spend in the gym and training! No matter if you are a full-time athlete or just love the sport you are involved in, decreasing recovery time gives you more time to do what you love and is one of the key benefits you can get when using Normatec boots. 

3. Increase range of motion and flexibility

Increasing range of motion is important for a wide variety of sporting activities including powerlifting, athletics, and ball sports. The Normatec boots help to increase the range of motion in your legs by increasing the overall quality of your muscle recovery. 

4. Reduces swelling and water accumulation

Swelling can be inevitable after you have had a serious or minor injury. And this is where the Normatec bootsreally come into their own and offer some fantastic benefits to your recovery. 

The massage techniques developed by Laura F. Jacobs are based on natural physiology and bring the benefits of expert sports massages and cold compression to your recovery. 

5. Normatec boots increase circulation 

Poor circulation has been linked to a range of different health issues and the Normatec boots can help increase circulation which is great both in terms of overall recovery and general well-being. Better circulations contributes to the health of both your heart and muscles and is another great reason to incorporate Normatec boots into your recovery strategy.