http://www.regenerationlab.com/archives/000022.php
click on the link above for my article…notice how I give credit to Charlie, unlike others. My hind brain is fine…that is Sharmer’s problem!
My hind-brain is fine too and Sharmer’s been gracious in crediting me with having my brains there- it’s my fore-brain I’m worried about! (What were we talking about again?)
Automatic mangina I reckon :eek:
What about using contrast showers on recovery days following a massage / stretch session?
have no idea about Sharmer’s problem, but thanks for the link 
i just took one and i love how i feel after them so back to protocal for a minute, this is what i do…
mornings (mon-sat) 30s cold 3 min hot - minimum i do is 4 out of 6 days per week depending if i’m running late for work
post-tempo (3x week) 1 min cold 3 min hot
*never really used contrast showers after weights, usually do sauna before bed on lifting days
Is it okay to do the whole contrast dealeo during your regular post-workout-anti-stank shower? (I should be a writer with my vocabulary)
I just did. Was my first one ever and it was great
found the best way was to remove the shower head from the holder (it’s on metal hose) that way I could apply it to specific parts.
I don’t see why not, especially as a lot of people are showering at a track facility with higher water pressure than at home
Why do you have to stop showering with cold water at the end? Is this bc you want to reduce any possible swelling after flushing out the system?
You want to normalise your core temp afterwards to speed up recovery and prevent sluggishness, which could otherwise happen for a significant period afterwards.
O.K. then say if I took my contrast shower at 7 p.m. then if I wanted to could I take a regular hot shower at 10 p.m. or 12 p.m? I guess what I am asking is if you take another shower later on that is completely hot temperature will this help you, hurt you, or stay the same? What is the least amount of time after my contrast shower can I take a normal shower?
P.S. I love taking a hot shower 2 hours before going to bed sometimes bc I feel a nice soothing relaxing effect and I usually have the hot shower on the back of my neck most of the time coincidentally this is what Clemson recommends as well.
That shouldn’t present a problem
Remember that I am basically adding some of the real world info I have learned from charlie…I did not invent a contrast shower.
Is it okay to do more than one kind of “water” recovery a day? Say, contrast shower in the morning, and ice bath at night? Or even a contrast shower followed shortly by an ice bath?
Earlier in the thread it was recommended that contrast showers be 3m Hot:1m Cold. Sometimes in the morning (depending on who gets to the shower first) I don’t have the luxury of 9 minutes of good and hot water. If the ratio (3:1) is maintained, how short can the increments be while still reaping the benefits?
Thanks,
Dan
You can do both but I’d try to spread them out throughout the day.
Do as much as you can. 1 cycle is still good.
From CT’s latest article
[i] Contrast Baths and Showers
Alternate between 30 seconds of cold water and two minutes of hot water. Perform this cycle three or four times. This technique is very effective at increasing peripheral blood flow, thus facilitating recovery. Again, don’t use this method if you’re suffering from an overuse injury or excessive inflammation.
Note that the warmth of the hot water segment will vary in its effect. You should be careful to select the proper temperature for your objective. For example, very hot water (104-113 Fahrenheit or 40-45 degrees Celsius) lowers muscle tension and decreases neuralgia. Warm water (95-99 Fahrenheit or 35-38 degrees Celsius) will mostly have a general relaxing effect.
According to Kurz (2001), the type of baths/showers you use should vary according to your activity. Use a warm or hot bath after a strength and speed-strength session. Use a cool bath after an endurance workout.
In the case of contrast showers and relative to strength training, I’ll make the following recommendations:
1) After a high intensity workout (strength or speed-strength work), alternate between 30 seconds of cool water (but not too cold) and two minutes of hot water.
2) After a high volume workout (hypertrophy or strength-endurance work), alternate between 30 seconds of cold (as cold as you can stand) and two minutes of warm water.[/i]
Comments? 
i don’t know if a couple degrees difference in cold water temp is worth worrying about.
has anyone else noticed a decrease in colds, flu (or any of the symptoms from cold weather) when doing contrast showers a few times a week?
I’ve noticed that I can tolerate cold weather alot better. When I’m around people who start complaining about how cold it is, I just laugh because I can’t feel the cold air like them. It must be the improved circulation that contrast showers bring.