When Should You Do °CRYO: Before or After a Workout?

The screen reads -140°C. You are about to step into a °CRYO Chamber which is swirling with dry cool air that is colder than any natural environment on Earth. The next three rejuvenating minutes will transform you into some kind of super-being. Your muscles will be revived and recharged, allowing you to train again sooner and harder, and you will achieve new peaks of strength and speed as a result.

Research 

In a study called, “Can cold water immersion enhance recovery in elite Olympic weightlifters?,” the researchers once again investigated whether cold water immersion after a very hard training session could enhance recovery in elite Olympic weightlifters. However, rather than studying the entire group of weightlifters as a group, they took into account each athlete’s individual response to cold water immersion. In the end, some athletes did indeed experience significant improvements in performance and testosterone to cortisol ratios when using cold water immersion after their workouts during this three-day period. 

One final caveat is that cold exposure should happen long before or well after any type of workout. Sure, it feels good to dunk yourself in an icy river after a long run or to hop into a refreshing cold shower after a hard CrossFit WOD but research is against it. A study called Does Regular Post-exercise Cold Application Attenuate Trained Muscle Adaptation? found that blunting post-exercise inflammation may reduce your body’s adaptive response to workouts. Like we said at the beginning of this icy journey, your muscles becoming swollen during exercise and that is a part of how we become stronger.

Brad Kearns, former world-ranked professional triathlete turned Guinness World Record holding speed golfer, thinks that the best time for cold exposure is likely first thing in the morning (for a cellular and central nervous system energizer), and also closer to bedtime, in order to help lower body temperature, which can help you get a good night’s sleep.

Simple Answer

Both are good choices, but it depends on what you want.

Benefits of doing °CRYO Before a Workout

• If you feel lethargic and need motivation
• Obtain great muscle and joint recovery due to the anti-inflammatory benefits of cryotherapy
• Maximize your workout
• Reduces existing inflammation
• Boosts energy levels

Benefits of doing °CRYO After a Workout

• Higher pain tolerance
• Soothe sore muscles and joints
• More range of motion
• Great flexibility
• Higher abilities in general

 

 

Who should use cryotherapy?

Weekend Warriors use cryotherapy to:

• manage pain and inflammation
• increase in energy
• Manage stress

Those who use it say they can train harder as a result.

Elite athletes & pro-team use cryotherapy for:

• Reduce muscle recovery time
• boost their overall performance.

 

Check out our locations page and book your FREE consultation with our °CRYO Specialist!