Ice/hot whirl pool for recovery - how long and when

Triathlon Forum
1

i am currently staying at a place for a month that has a spa area with the ice cold whirlpool bath and very hot one side by side.

i understand for recovery standing in the ice cold water is helpful and also going back forth from cold/hot is of some benefit

i want to take advantage or this and am curious on how long is considered ideal for recovery benefits and when its typcially best to do this…assuming right after hard workouts.

any thoughts on if this is time well spent would be appreciated as well.

thanks

2

I never understood the “back and forth” idea.

For me I’ve had good luck with cold water for 15 minutes after a hard
training day.

I’d just do the cold one.

-Jot

3

“Hydrotherapy” is the procedure by which you alternate hot and cold baths to aid recovery. The theory is that the alternating of heat and cold will cause the “crap” to flush out of your legs reducing inflation and promoting recovery. Here is the suggested time period from one unpublished study:

Another (unpublished) study demonstrated that alternating between a warm spa (39-40°C) for three minutes and a cold shower (10-15°C) for 30- 60 seconds enabled lactate levels to recover as fast as with an active recovery protocol.

Here is the entire article, which will give you more information and suggestions on using this technique:

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/hydrotherapy.html

4

“Hydrotherapy” is the procedure by which you alternate hot and cold baths to aid recovery. The theory is that the alternating of heat and cold will cause the “crap” to flush out of your legs reducing inflation and promoting recovery. Here is the suggested time period from one unpublished study:

Another (unpublished) study demonstrated that alternating between a warm spa (39-40°C) for three minutes and a cold shower (10-15°C) for 30- 60 seconds enabled lactate levels to recover as fast as with an active recovery protocol.

Here is the entire article, which will give you more information and suggestions on using this technique:

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/hydrotherapy.html

5

Not to get too technical here but it’s called contrast bath, not hydro therapy. Hydro therapy is simply a fancy word for water therapy. Contrast bath is using hot/cold alternating.

6

I thought I posted earlier saying the same thing but must of messed it up some how. Additionally contrast baths don’t really work. The supposed “pumping” effect happens way to slowly to cause any sort of a flush. Your better off with just a 10-15 minute ice bath after hard workouts.