Recovery Ice Bath for Judo

cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the method of using periods of cold and heat underwater (usually in a spa, but can also be done in the shower). What usually happens is the athlete jumps in a warm spa at 30-40 degrees for 10 minutes and then comes out and jumps into a small but very deep pool called a plunge pool, this pool is around 10-15 degrees. The athlete must overwhelm his entire body except for the head.

Studies suggest that within 30 minutes of training, perform the following procedure:

– 10 minutes hot

– 1 minute cold

– 1 minute out of cold (but not hot)

Repeat 5 times.

Then, at night, perform the following procedure:

– 10 minutes hot

– 1 minute cold

– 1 hot minute

– 1 minute cold

Repeat this 5 times.

The only bad thing about this method is that you have to finish cold, which is very uncomfortable because it is quite cold. It’s even more important to finish cold if you sustain an injury in addition to bruising. This is due to the fact that when you get hot, the blood vessels and capillaries dilate (open) and when you get cold, the blood vessels and capillaries contract (close), which stops toxins ( blood plasma) to spread. If your blood vessels and capillaries remain open, the toxins will spread and a larger bruise will result.

The theory behind cryotherapy is that it helps remove lactic acid from the muscles due to blood flowing in and out of the muscles, which stimulates deoxygenated blood back to the heart (Venus return), resulting in the muscle recovery.

If you don’t have access to a plunge pool, you can make one at home by taking a bath or by putting ice cream containers (filled with frozen water) in the tub.

After doing a really tough training camp or game where you know you’re going to be really sore the next day, it might be a good idea to find a place with a plunge pool and follow the above procedure. If you’ve never done it before, you’ll be very surprised the next day when you’re not as sore as you thought you would be.

Other forms of recovery are stretching, nutrition, sleep, massage, and cryotherapy.