When I am gearing up for IM’s, I have used the ice baths quite a bit…and like how they aid in my recovery…although I don not find them all that pleasent. I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a hot tub. I have in my head that the warm water will ‘hinder’ rather than help with recovery. Does anyone out there use a hot tub quite a bit? Thought on if it helps with recovery?
Thanks
I wouldn’t, you’ll get very dehydrated. When ever I have a two day track meet and I race both days, I will go in the pool and kick around and stretch. I wouldn’t recommend it.
x2 on the dehydration. i have one and notice that dehydration does become an issue. when i use the hot tub i really need to increase liquid intake to off set the effect of the tub. i think it’s great for the sore muscles though. but that’s just me, might be different for others though…
Yeah, I don’t think it is all that good from a post workout recovery standpoint. But prior to a workout it may help get warm and do some stretching in there.
But the others are right…you don’t really realize how much you sweat in there.
OTOH you could fill it up with ice water and have a gigantic ice bath.
I use a hot tub quite a bit and I believe it helps for certain things like general stiffness and soreness. But not immediately after working out.
You will need to increase your fluid intake but it can be a great way to heat up those muscles and stretch and relax them.
It is NOT good for treating injuries and/or swelling. Use ice for that.
I think the HT jets and simply floating make for good therapy - it certainly is something to look forward
to after a long hard run or a long cold ride. I can’t stand an ice bath, but here is my post-run procedure.
I’m not sure I would buy a tub just for therapy however - we use it a lot more for family time or a glass of wine under
the stars.
.
I have used both ice baths and hot-tubs after many a marathon. I finally wanted to know which was better, so I talked to my buddy that has completed several Western States 100’s(the Kona of ultra-marathons). He told me that hot tubs have always worked for him, and he hasn’t noticed much dehydration from it because he just drinks a bunch of water in it. He also does ice baths too though. He said that in Asian(especially in Japan) they only use heat, never ice. My buddy suggests ice baths directly after a workout because the cold draws the blood away from the skin and into the muscles which aids in recovery. The constriction also squeezes out lactic aid in the muscles. After a 20-30 minute ice bath, he jumps and in hot tub, and the heat relaxes the muscles allowing the micro tears in the muscles to get plenty of blood and clotting material for repair. The heat also allows the lactic acid that was squeezed out of the muscles to flow into the blood stream, and thus get flushed into the kidneys/liver. He said if you had to choose one, you would have to choose heat over cold. Danny Dreyer, the author of Chi Running, the best running book ever, and a ranked ultra-marathoner, says that he only used hot tubs, and uses them everyday!!!
After a 20-30 minute ice bath
Wow that seems awfully long! How cold is his water. I’ve heard that you should only stay in 6-10 mins.
6-10 min ice is plenty.
Hot tub ONLY if you do cold after so it’s a contrast bath - those are good for recovery. Hot isn’t.