Fitness trends are always evolving, but one trend that’s heating up (pun intended) and definitely not cooling down this year is the combination of hot and cold workouts. This might sound like a passing fad, but there’s some serious science behind it. Thanks to pioneers like Wim Hof, we’re learning that incorporating extreme temperatures into our fitness routines can offer impressive benefits. Whether you’re sweating it out in a high-intensity workout or cooling down with an ice bath, these hot and cold fitness trends are worth exploring. Let’s look at the most popular trends this year and see how they can transform your workout routine.
Hot Fitness Trends
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT has been around for many years and continues to dominate the fitness scene. For good reason! HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest periods, making it an efficient workout that can often be completed in 30 minutes or less. It’s incredibly effective for burning calories and improving cardiovascular health.
Studies have shown that HIIT can burn 25-30% more calories than other forms of exercise like weight training, running, and biking. If you’re looking for more bang for your buck, this type of training is for you. You’ll find that each workout pushes you a little further, and this is something that will absolutely exhaust and exhilarate you at the very same time. In a good way!
Hot Yoga
Hot yoga, particularly Bikram yoga, is another trend that’s here to stay. Imagine practicing yoga in a room heated to around 105°F (40°C) with 40% humidity. Sounds intense, right? That’s because it is! The heat in hot yoga allows your muscles to loosen up and stretch more deeply, enhancing flexibility and strength.
Hot yoga isn’t just a physical challenge; it’s also a mental one. The heat forces you to focus and remain present, which can be a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Research suggests that regular practice of hot yoga can lead to better health, mental clarity and emotional resilience. Plus, the sweating it out part? That’s your body’s way of detoxifying and purging toxins - so if you’ve had a night out on the town, this is what you need to be doing the morning after to feel like a human again!
Infrared Sauna Workouts
Infrared sauna workouts are becoming increasingly popular for their blend of heat therapy and exercise. Unlike traditional saunas that heat the air around you, infrared saunas use infrared light to directly heat your body. This type of sauna offers a more intense heat at lower temperatures, which can help your body sweat more efficiently and penetrate deeper into your muscles. This helps with detoxification, increased calorie burn, and better muscle recovery.
Infrared sauna workouts often involve spending time in the sauna either before or after a workout, or even combining it with light exercise like stretching or yoga. The heat can help warm up your muscles and enhance flexibility which makes your workouts more effective and your recovery faster.
Cold Fitness Trends
Ice Baths and Cold Plunges
If you follow athletes or fitness enthusiasts online, you’ve likely seen them jumping into ice baths for even just 60 seconds - and yes, if you’ve never done it before it still looks terrifying! But by immersing their body in cold water, they’re reducing muscle inflammation and speeding up recovery. It's been proven again and again to naturally improve mental health and performance. One study demonstrated that dopamine levels increased 250% after cold plunging in water at 57.2 degrees Fahrenheit! And it’s not just for athletes, everyone is getting on board now.
If this is something you want to try, start off slow. You don’t need to sit in a tub of ice for five minutes. Seriously - DO NOT DO THIS! Try having a cold shower to start your day and go from there. You won’t believe the difference that even 60 seconds under a freezing cold shower head will have on your mood and energy levels in the morning! As time goes on, your body will acclimate as you can go further into your cold water immersion journey and discover even more benefits.
Contrast Therapy
Another growing trend is contrast therapy, which involves alternating between hot and cold treatments.This is something that’s been common practice in many European countries for decades. If you go for a stroll in Sweden, for example, you’ll see sauna huts all lined up by the sea for people to use before they take a cold plunge.
To try this at home, you could start with a hot shower or bath to relax your muscles and then switch to a cold plunge to reduce inflammation. It’s truly so invigorating that once you get used to it, you might not want to go back to your normal routine!
Putting It All Together
Incorporating these hot and cold fitness trends into your routine can add variety and enhance the effectiveness of your workouts and we definitely advise you to give it a try. Here’s a simple approach to get started:
- Warm Up with Hot Trends: Begin your workout with high-intensity exercises like HIIT or a hot yoga session. Alternatively, use an infrared sauna to warm up your muscles and increase flexibility before you start your main workout.
- Cool Down with Cold Trends: After your workout, cool down with a cold shower or ice bath to reduce muscle inflammation and speed up recovery. For a more dynamic approach, try contrast therapy by alternating between hot and cold treatments.
- Experiment and Adjust: Everyone is different, so experiment with these methods to find what works best for you. Start slow, listen to your body, and adjust based on your personal preferences and goals. If you need to start with 10 seconds of cold water in your cool down, that’s all you need to do. If 5 minutes is enough sauna time for you, that’s fine too!
Embracing these hot and cold fitness trends isn’t just about following the latest craze; it’s about leveraging proven methods to enhance your fitness routine. And overall, to help you to feel both healthier and happier.
Whether sweating it out in the sauna or enjoying the refreshing chill of a cold plunge, these techniques offer real benefits that go beyond just feeling good. So why not give them a try? You have everything to gain and nothing to lose!
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