Palmar cooling

Palmar cooling refers to a technique that involves cooling the palms of the hands (and sometimes the soles of the feet) to reduce core body temperature, enhance performance, and recover faster during strength training or physical activities.

Key Insights on Palmar Cooling

1. Technique Description:

   • Palmar cooling involves holding or placing the palms on a cool surface for about two minutes between sets of exercise. This helps lower core body temperature, which can improve exercise performance and recovery 1 2.

2. Performance Benefits:

   • Research shows that incorporating palmar cooling can significantly increase the total workout volume. For instance, experienced athletes observed a 144% improvement in pull-up training volume when using this technique during rest periods 1.
   • It allows for more repetitions across sets without increased fatigue, helping maintain performance throughout a workout 2.

3. Practical Applications:

   • To implement palmar cooling, one can use simple items like bottles filled with cold water or packs of frozen vegetables. The key is to ensure the surface is cool but not so cold that it constricts blood vessels 1.
   • This technique can be integrated easily into regular workout routines, although it requires some discipline to execute effectively 2.

4. Physiological Mechanisms:

   • Cooling the palms helps offload heat from the body, which can enhance muscle function and improve endurance by maintaining the temperature of muscles during exercise. This may also prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 1.

If you're interested in the science behind this technique, it is grounded in physiological responses where the palms and soles serve as effective sites for heat dissipation, allowing for improved recovery and exercise efficiency.