hot tub use

[Jerry Martin]

My wife and I just moved into our new house and it came with a hottub.

I was feeling super-sore today from the "leg day WOD" (walking lunges, squats and back extensions) and I got into the hot tub to see if it could melt away the aches.

As of now, I feel pretty good.

Do any of you know whether using the hot tub in this fashion is recommended? Can I just add daily dipping to my healing regimine?

Thanks in advanced, Jerry

[Steve C Salter]

I use our hot tub occassionaly for my sore muscles, just make sure you don't use it excessively for long periods of times. They can be dangerous if you stay in too long.

[Frank E Morel]

dangerous? only to his sperm count.

Unless you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or asthma.. otherwise enjoy the thing.

[Steve C Salter]

Originally Posted by Frank E Morel

dangerous? only to his sperm count.

Unless you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or asthma.. otherwise enjoy the thing.

Yeah, I should have been more specific. It could possibly be dangerous if you
have any of the above conditions.

[Jay Cohen]

Jerry;

While it won't feel as good while you're doing it, chilling the area, either with contrast showers or just stepping into some cold water, is considerably better for inflamed muscles, least the first 24 hours.

Heat will increase circulation, while cold will reduce it. 5-10 years ago, it was warm baths, heat packs, etc, now it's cold. Most sports pt’s massage people etc, recommend cold over heat.

Now for everyday use and to just melt away the stress, hot tub can't be beat. Use to have one myself.

Closing story, went to a running camp while back, ran trails in the woods, end of run, coach had everyone go stand in the river up to our waists for about 10 minutes, cold as hell, but man, not too much soreness next day.

Just my two cents, but in my training book, ice is my friend, heat is not.

Check out the BioFreeze, pretty good stuff.

[Adam Head]

Coach B makes his lifters get in the pool when the water is 50 degrees, up to their neck, for three minutes.

[Derek Maffett]

An important thing to note here is that the increased circulation from the hot water can cause severe problems if the soreness you're dealing with is actually rhabdo. So I would actually stay away from hot tubs if the soreness is extremely bad (if someone used a hot tub as a common recovery tool, I could see this happening very easily).

[Jeff Haugland]

Contrast showers are the way to go... The cold flushes the lactic acid build up and the hot gets the blood flowing through the muscle to give the nutrients needed to start repairing.

I am a regular user of contrast showers and it has been the single best thing to reduce or eliminate soreness.

[Chris Sinagoga]

Originally Posted by Jeff Haugland

Contrast showers are the way to go... The cold flushes the lactic acid build up and the hot gets the blood flowing through the muscle to give the nutrients needed to start repairing.

I am a regular user of contrast showers and it has been the single best thing to reduce or eliminate soreness.

how long do you usually let the cold/hot water run before changing?

[Chris Sinagoga]

how long do you go with the hot/cold water before you switch?