We have gotten quite a few questions about the Cryosauna and we wanted to push some info out so that you can understand a little more about how/why it works. Like anything else that we offer at Vitality, you will have to make the decision if it’s a good fit for you. I think if soreness is something that you experience throughout the week, it may be worth your while to jump in for a few sessions, if it makes you recover better and minimizes your soreness, awesome, you will probably do what you can to integrate it into your weekly battle rhythm. If you don’t see a noticeable difference or can’t stand the thought of standing inside a freezer for 2-3 minutes, life will go on. For the previous 6 years we haven’t had access to the Cryosauana and everyone survived:) It’s great to have options but the reality is, it may not be a good fit for everyone.
Some basic details on WBC (Whole Body Cryotherapy).
Cryotherapy was first used in the 1970s in Japan as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. European studies have found it to be a powerful treatment for injuries and inflammatory disorders. Cryotherapy has been popular in Europe for years and its benefits are just starting to be known in the US. Athletes like Lebron James and Michael Phelps have used it for it’s recovery and performance benefits as well as socialites like Kyle Richards and Yoland Hadid for its anti-aging, anti-cancer, and fat-loss benefits.
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How does it work?
In Whole Body Cryotherapy, an individual enters a cryosauna where liquid nitrogen is used to bring the temperature to about -200 to -270 degrees Fahrenheit. Gloves and slippers are worn to protect the hands and feet and the individual’s head is outside of the chamber. The process takes three minutes in which time, cold receptors in the skin cause vasoconstriction and blood rushes away from the extremities and to the core. Metabolism increases as the body tries to maintain temperature homeostasis. When the individual leaves the cryosauna, blood is pumped quickly back into the extremities bringing with it fresh oxygen and anti-inflammatory proteins.
When it the best time to use cryotherapy?
The most commonly used WBC protocol for athletes is recovery. There are multiple benefits to achieving a WBC-empowered recovery:
a. Achieves full systemic flush of lactic acid and other toxins
b. Increases body’s normal anti-inflammatory process for improved recovery
c. Causes a more substantial flush of inflammatory properties that would otherwise settle in tissue
Most athletes use this protocol 2-3 times/week. Some choose to do a session after every practice, game, or training session. In my opinion, this is unncessesary unless you are a professional athlete whose life revolves around performance.
For CrossFitters, we think that 2x/week is going to be more than sufficient for the style of training that we do. Many will see the benefit from even 1x/week, depending on the intensity at which you are training.
What will a typical WBC session look like?
From getting to Vitality until walking out the door after your treatment, it will take less than 10 minutes. Scheduling, payments, and waivers will all be done online prior to showing up for your treatment. When you get to Vitality and head upstairs to the treatment room, you will be able to use our changing rooms and put on your robe. Men are required to wear underwear and women can go in with underwear and bra or they are able to go in wearing nothing, it is whatever they are comfortable with. You will enter the machine with your robe on and then once the door closes, you can hand your robe to the technician. At the end of the treatment, the technician will crack the door and hand you the robe to put back on prior to getting out. You can step out of the machine and right back into the changing rooms to get dressed. The ease and efficient use of time has made this one of the most popular recovery tools available.
Here is what some experts have to say about WBC:
“Cryotherapy and cold thermogenesis can have enormous application for inflammation control, fat loss and cardiovascular enhancement.”
– Ben Greenfield on robbwolf.com
Dave Aspery ,the Bulletproof Executive, says Cryotherapy curbs pain and inflammation, aids in muscle soreness and recovery, increases fat burning, and improves mood and sleep quality.
Clients that have used WBC have reported increases in the following areas resulting from their treatments.
-Increased Athletic Performance
-Post-surgical recovery
-Rheumatoid Arthritis
-Burn up to 800 calories
-Increased metabolism
-Sleep better
-Better mood
-Increased energy
-Autoimmune disorders
-Skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis
and psoriasis
-Improved skin elasticity