The benefits of a hot tub before and after exercise | JOYEE

The benefits of a hot tub before and after exercise | JOYEE

Hot tub will help you tremendously when you are before or after workout.

You may have heard that there are many ways to relax after a workout, but have you ever heard that a hot tub can also help you relax before or after a workout.

Before workout:

In order to avoid injury, it is especially important for runners and athletes who do full-body workouts to stretch and relax their muscles before starting to exercise.

Soaking in a hot bath dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow, warms muscles and reduces tension. A simple few minutes of hot tub soaking combined with stretching is a great way to prepare for heavy lifting or repetitive body movements.

While there is no absolute cure for sore muscles, soaking in a hot tub will certainly help relieve any pain and inflammation. This, in turn, will help improve your athletic performance and help you reach your fitness goals faster.

After workout:

Studies have shown that there are many benefits of hydrotherapy.  The warm water helps to increase blood flow from the extremities into the core and speeds up the processing of lactic acid and other metabolites produced by exercising.  A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported that the use of a hot tub post-workout can prevent elastic tissue damage in the body.

A critical key in the effectiveness of post-workout hot tub sessions is timing.  In order to get the most out of your experience and reduce muscle inflammation, it’s recommended to wait until your heart rate has dropped back down to normal and you have given your muscles the chance to cool off.  One method in aiding muscle recovery is to ice your muscles (or soak in cold water) for 10 to 15 minutes, followed by a 10 to 20 minute hot tub session.  In doing this, you will help reduce the muscle soreness felt the following day after exercising.