During or between sets of exercise, cool your palms, bottoms of feet, or face with cool (not freezing) water or a cold object for 10-30 seconds, extending to 30 seconds-1 minute if needed, to dump heat and significantly increase work output (sets, reps, endurance). This works because these glabrous skin areas are highly efficient at transferring heat out of the body.
After a workout, cool your palms, bottoms of feet, or face to return your body to its resting temperature range as quickly as possible. This specific cooling method supports faster muscle and tendon recovery without blocking muscle growth, unlike full-body ice baths.
Consistently ensure you get a good night’s sleep, stay properly hydrated, and are well-nourished, as these are foundational elements that allow you to perform at your current ability.
Do not immerse your entire body in an ice bath or cold shower immediately after strength training, as this can block inflammation pathways (like mTOR) essential for muscle hypertrophy and growth.
To cool hands during a workout, use a frozen juice can or a very cold can of soda, passing it back and forth between your two hands. Ensure it’s not so cold that it causes vasoconstriction, which would prevent effective heat transfer.
If you tend to get cold outdoors in winter or fall, warming your face is the most important action you can take to help warm your body, leveraging the glabrous skin on the face.
Think carefully about using non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before training sessions solely for performance enhancement. While they can lower body temperature, they may have adverse effects on the liver and kidneys, and their effects are harder to modulate than external cooling.
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Regulate your sleeping environment temperature to ensure it drops 1-3 degrees to fall and stay deeply asleep, and increases 1-3 degrees to wake up refreshed. Body temperature changes are critical for optimal sleep cycles.
Consider taking AG1 daily, a vitamin, mineral, probiotic drink that also includes prebiotics and adaptogens. It is suggested to improve all aspects of mental health, physical health, and performance.
Explore using a smart mattress cover like Eight Sleep to automatically regulate your bed’s temperature throughout the night according to your unique needs. This can optimize sleep quality by ensuring the correct temperature for falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up.
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