is contrast showering really beneficial?
is contrast showering really beneficial?
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Contrast showering, involving alternating hot and cold temperatures, offers several benefits as discussed by Andrew Huberman in the Huberman Lab. It can provide significant cardiovascular benefits and, specifically when incorporating sauna sessions followed by cold exposure, can induce boosts in growth hormone. These increases are beneficial for metabolism and recovery. In addition, performing contrast showers or cold exposure on specific days, rather than immediately after strength or endurance workouts, avoids potential negative impacts on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, which can occur with immediate cold exposure post-exercise 1.
Recovery Benefits
Andrew explains how doing a lot of heat and cold on one day can be more convenient and provide additional cardiovascular benefits. By doing sauna once a week with multiple sessions on the same day, you can get massive increases in growth hormone, which are extremely beneficial for metabolism and recovery. Deliberate cold exposure on Tuesday will not impede the benefits of strength and hypertrophy and endurance workouts.
Huberman Lab
Fitness Toolkit: Protocol & Tools to Optimize Physical Health | Huberman Lab Podcast #94
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