the contrast shower method i use is one charlie recommended on the old board, which is: 3 min hot as you can stand, followed by 1 minute cold as you can stand; repeated 3 times & always ending with cold. this method does not go along with clemson’s method of not using freezing water, but i find it works very well for me after a demanding CNS workout. another cool thing is the state of euphoria it leaves you in once you are finished.
I want to resurrect this thread for a bit to ask everyone’s opinion on how much recovery methods lose effectiveness with time:
If one were to take a contrast twice a week, and do the same with a hot bath (different days for all) would the effectiveness wear off to some extent after half a year?
If so, how much?
If not, after how long, if at all?
Just did 8x (2min HOT with 30 sec COLD. Went from a local spa to the pool, seemed to work very well. I feel very tired though. not sure if that’s the 16 min in the spa, or the rapid changes. any thoughts? best way to learn is to try. i will keep you up to date with my experiences
Thanks fastdude. I actually have been doing contrast showers a lot (although not as extensive a shower, usually just 3 minutes hot, 1 cold and repeat), because I don’t really have access to many other recovery methods. I’m just wondering how long its going to take for the stimulus to grow old.
I used 2-3 minutes hot (I think) and 30 secs cold (as cold as I could handle) after my last two competitions for 4 cycles. Was about 30-40 minutes after comp - that was warm down and after competition stuff.
I was about 80% less sore and tired than when I didn’t do it.
Cool, thanks.
Clemson sounds right and certainly you have had the experience to say that.
But I guess if you change the stimulus in whatever method you use even a little they my improve or increase the effectiveness over time.
If this the case, it would help athletes who are limited in what they can use as recovering mechanism.
Clemson,
Could you please go into more detail about aiming the shower at the back of the scull? Do you focus on other parts of the body as well?
thanks
Periodisation and cycling of recovery and therapy protocols …
Interesting concept Clemson
Thank you all for the great responses. My fears have been assuaged.