The cold plunge, with the hot plunge right beside it
Three minutes cold, three minutes hot, for two rounds. Then you finish on a cold dunk. We'll count the cold with you on your first visit.Cold, hot, cold, hot, finish cold. We count the first Protocol with you.
What a plunge here looks like
Cold plunge
Three minutes in water between 46 and 52 degrees. Your blood vessels tighten and blood moves to your core, and that first round's the one we stay beside you for.
Hot plunge
Straight across into the hot plunge at 101 to 104 degrees for three minutes. Everything's open again, and the two tubs sit side by side so there's no hallway between them.
Finish cold
Cold again, hot again, then a final cold dunk of up to three minutes, and that back and forth is the whole point of keeping the two tubs side by side.
A cold plunge is a few minutes in water that's cold enough to make your body answer it. Ours sits beside a hot plunge, so the visit runs cold, hot, cold, hot, and a final cold dunk, and going from one tub to the other is the part people come back for.
What the cold does
Cold tightens your blood vessels and heat opens them, and going between the two leaves most people calmer than they walked in. Dr. Jess, asked on KXAN whether cold is risky for women: "It has amazing benefits for reducing inflammation, improving mental health, improving immune system, cardiovascular health, and actually be beneficial for our hormonal health."
The research is strongest on soreness. In a review of 20 studies, people who got into cold water after hard exercise felt less sore and less worn out straight afterwards, and the evidence page carries the rest of what we read.
If you lift
Lifting to build muscle? Wait two to six hours after your session, or come in on a rest day. Lifting for strength, sore after a hard week, or not training at all? Then you're free to plunge whenever you like.
Your first plunge
Bring a swimsuit and get out whenever you want to. Nobody's keeping score here, and the hot plunge is right there when you do.
Cold plunge questions
How cold is it?
The cold plunge runs between 46 and 52 degrees and the hot plunge between 101 and 104, and you don't need to chase a number on your first visit.
How long do I stay in?
Three minutes cold, three hot, twice through, then a final cold dunk of up to three minutes. Shorter than most people expect.
Does it help with inflammation?
Yes, in the KXAN segment quoted above. If you lift for size, time it, and wait two to six hours after your session before you get in.
Who should skip it?
Pregnant, or managing a heart or blood-pressure condition? Check with your doctor first, then tell whoever meets you at the desk.