Ice baths might be the tough guy’s daily salute to recovery, but if you’re not a fan of the manly shrinkage or feeling like a salmon in a supermarket, then consider the polar opposite: heat baths.
A new paper by the American Council on Exercise saw runners perform three interval training sessions per week and then had them spend 30 minutes afterwards either in a sauna suit or a hot bath.
The runners who did this had greater improvements in VO2max capacity and lactate threshold economy. This means you can actually improve your training without adding volume or intensity, making it an ideal weapon if you’re tapering before a big event while still getting fitter.
No need to go for the full boiled lobster either, as just a balmy 39 C was enough to keep the runners hot to trot.
