Sauna & Ice Bath

Sauna & Ice Bath

Heat and cold are used for different reasons and many people run both. A home sauna applies dry heat, which raises skin temperature, opens blood vessels and is used for muscle relaxation and winding down after training or a working day. A portable sauna is a framed, insulated enclosure rather than a built cabin, so it needs no plumbing, no construction and no dedicated room, and it folds away when not in use. An ice bath does the opposite, using cold water immersion to constrict blood vessels and reduce the sensation of soreness after hard exercise; it is also used simply for the alertness that follows. A portable ice bath is an insulated tub that holds cold water and ice for a usable period, and at 80cm by 75cm it suits a garden, garage or yard rather than needing a permanent installation. Practical points worth knowing before buying either. Both need a level surface and, in the case of the ice bath, a plan for filling and emptying a substantial volume of water. Cold immersion is a genuine physiological stress, so start with short exposures at moderate temperatures rather than extremes, never use either alone if you are unsure how you will react, and speak to a doctor first if you have any heart, blood pressure or circulatory condition, or if you are pregnant.

Urban Fitness supplies both, with a Recovery home sauna in black and a Recovery ice bath at 80cm by 75cm. For massage and recovery tools see Massage, and for the wider range Home Fitness.