5 Recovery Methods Used By Strongman

One of the most important aspects of strongman is recovery. With the amount of stress that is put on the body, most strongman put great focus on their recovery methods. Strongman are known for their sheer size and require different methods that can accompany it.

Here are some recovery methods that strongman use.

Cold Water Therapy

A common and uprising trend among athletes of all sports is cold water therapy. One of the most notable cases is Hafthor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson using the freezing sea temperatures in Iceland to help with his recovery. There are multiple videos of other strongman such as the Stoltman brothers and Martins Licis.

Cold water therapy has been getting more recognition, with other strongman trying out the process. Research has shown that practicing cold water immersion (CWI) or cryotherapy for sessions of between 5 – 15 minutes then switching to a warm jacuzzi in intervals, has the following benefits:

  • Relief from muscle fatigue and ache post workout
  • Reduces inflammation in the body including joints and muscles
  • Trains the vagus nerve for physical shock and stress
  • Releases endorphins which can have a profound boost to mental health

Red Light Therapy

Red light spectrum or near infrared light therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation especially joints. This can be in the form of either red light isolation devices or whole body panel lamps. As well as pain post work out which in turn will shorten recovery time between training sessions.

There are many benefits to red light therapy:

  • immune support
  • mood elevation
  • skin cosmetic issues

Red light therapy is more commonly used with recovery with athletes let alone strongman. It is a FDA approved drug free painless procedure with no known side effects.

Sauna / Steam Room

Saunas are common in the European scene and are known for its health benefits. It can be useful in strength sports for removing toxins from the body and improving your cardiovascular health as well as also reducing inflammation and pain. Most strongman who live in cold areas prefer to use saunas as it can accompany their size.

There are different types of saunas including dry, steam and infrared saunas. Interestingly, Eddie Hall has a sauna installed in his own home to help him aid with his recovery. It has been proven to also release “feel good” endorphins which contribute well to stress reduction and relaxation.

Other benefits of saunas include:

  • Reduction of blood pressure
  • Accelerates metabolic rate
  • Supercharges the immune system

Deep Tissue Massage

A very specific and intensive form of massage therapy used by all strongmen, considered almost as critical as training itself, deep tissue massage. It focuses on deep layered muscle fibers in a state of hypertrophy (the body’s method of “tear and repair” for building muscles).

Back pain specifically in the sport of strongman will limit and define your competitive ability unless managed. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is an inevitable part of training however a correctly executed deep tissue massage will speed recovery of this issue freeing up mobility and loosening the body, this in turn improves blood flow to the muscles.

It is also common to use a form of massage or massage “gun” to loosen muscles during warm up on event days or heavy training. For strongman like Eddie Hall, they use a car buffer device as an alternative to a massage gun but with the same effect. With the power it generations and the amount of area covered, it is a great tool to use.

Massage therapy can be therapeutic, mentally helping with sleep which is as essential as diet and training.

Hyperbaric Chamber

A less common method used famously by Eddie Hall in his preparation for worlds strongest man 2017, the hyperbaric chamber. This method of recovery aims to supplement extra oxygen to the body for restoration in a setting with higher atmospheric pressure than the outside environment.

Benefits of this rather extreme procedure include:

  • Stimulation of blood vessel growth to areas of reduced circulation greatly
  • Enhances white blood cell count helping to avoid illness
  • Bone and cartilage regeneration
  • Some studies have shown an increase of stem cell activation
  • Increase mental focus
  • Injury recovery time greatly reduced

This is a very expensive device to have in a residential setting and if used incorrectly a dangerous procedure if not supervised by a health care professional.

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