Whole-body cryotherapy
Two to three minutes standing in a chamber cooled by liquid nitrogen vapor
Nitrogen-cooled air at somewhere between minus 100 and minus 150 degrees Celsius, for two to three minutes, standing in a chamber with your head out or fully enclosed. Gloves, socks, a hat and often a mask stay on, because exposed skin is the limiting factor. Athletes and actors book it after training for the reasons people use ice baths: it feels good afterwards, soreness eases, sleep comes more easily. Controlled evidence for muscle recovery is mixed and the effect is short-lived, so it sits alongside a training program rather than replacing anything in it. Studios in most cities sell sessions, at a price well above a cold plunge at home.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Mark WahlbergDoes it
Actor and producer · The 2:30 a.m. daily routine
Told Ellen DeGeneres in 2018 that he uses a cryo chamber that drops to 150 degrees below zero after workouts, three minutes at a time in a mask, gloves, socks and a hat. He said it takes the inflammation out and helps him sleep.
Source: Entertainment Tonight: Mark Wahlberg Reveals His Fitness Routine Includes a 150 Degrees Below Zero Cryo Chamber“I'm telling you, it is great for recovery, and it just takes all the inflammation out of your body, it helps you sleep good”
Entertainment Tonight: Mark Wahlberg Reveals His Fitness Routine Includes a 150 Degrees Below Zero Cryo Chamber (opens in a new tab) · 5 Sept 2018
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or sleep.
- Gear$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.Backed by 3 of 44 stacks: 2 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
- App$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.Backed by 1 of 44 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
Backed by 37 of 44 stacks: 32 do it, 3 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Consistent sleep and wake times
Same bedtime and wake time every day, weekends included
Backed by 19 of 44 stacks: 11 do it, 5 recommend it, 3 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
Backed by 19 of 44 stacks: 15 do it, 3 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Sauna
Regular heat exposure, often 4 sessions a week at 20 minutes
Backed by 16 of 44 stacks: 10 do it, 3 recommend it, 3 have discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.