Ice Bath Recovery for Judo

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the method of using hot and cold spells underwater (usually in a spa, but can also be done in the shower). Cryotherapy is a very popular recovery use for athletes around the world. What usually happens is that the athlete jumps into a 30-40 degree warm spa for 10 minutes and then comes out and jumps into a small but very deep pool called a plunge pool or plunge pool, this pool is around 10-15 degrees. The athlete must submerge the whole body except the head.

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

– 10 minutes hot

– 1 minute cold

– 1 minute cold (but not hot)

Repeat 5 times.

Then, at night, do the following:

– 10 minutes hot

– 1 minute cold

– 1 minute hot

– 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 suffer an injury in addition to bruising. This is due to the fact that when it enters the heat, the blood vessels and capillaries dilate (open) and when they are expected to enter the 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 resulting in a larger bruise.

The theory behind cryotherapy is that it helps to remove lactic acid from the muscles due to blood entering and leaving 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 getting in the shower or placing ice cream containers (filled with frozen water) in the tub.

After doing a really hard training camp or a game where you know you’re going to be really sore the next day, it may be a good idea to find a spot with a plunge pool and follow the procedure above. If you have never done it before, you will be very surprised the next day when you are not as sore as you thought.

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