Recovery Room
Custom Fit is excited to offer both infrared sauna and cold plunge reservations in our Recovery Room to help heal the body and calm the mind.
The Details:
You will get the entire room to yourself with access to both the infrared sauna and cold plunge. Bring a friend or partner for free.
Each reservation starts on the hour and last for 45 minutes.
Reservations are available weekdays 8am - 7pm and weekends 8am - 1pm.
Reserve up to 6 weeks in advance.
24 hour cancellation policy, no refunds.
Towels included.
Access to showers and Aesop products.
Cold Plunge water temp set to 49 degrees.
Same day appointments available by calling (415) 891 - 7120 or emailing hello@customfitsf.com
Pricing:
2x reservations - $99 (new clients)
4x reservations - $260
8x reservations - $440
Monthly unlimited - $299*
*50% discount with open gym membership
Infrared Sauna
Infrared saunas use electromagnetic emissions (energy) from infrared lighting. The body can safely absorb these rays, allowing it to be heated from within, as opposed to using convection to heat the air like traditional saunas. This feature mimics the experience you get from a traditional sauna, just at much more bearable temperatures (120/140F vs. 180/200F). Read more in depth here. Infrared saunas can help:
Assist in Weight Loss Goals: By stimulating various organ systems, the body is put under greater metabolic demand and burns calories while doing so. Calories burned in the sauna are minimal, however, there is a long-term effect on sedentary calories burned. One study showed that regular use of a sauna (about 45 min, 3x a week) resulted in an overall 4% loss of body fat over a 16-week period. In a second phase, 8-week study, participants lost 0.5% of body fat per week by partaking in a total of 5x 30-minute sessions. This is because of the increased growth hormone in the blood, which triggers an increase in serum glucose levels.
Enhance Cardiovascular Function: The big link between heart health and infrared saunas is the effect it has on your circulatory system. The response your body experiences (increased heart rate, vasodilation, decreased blood pressure, and sweating) is due to thermoregulatory homeostasis - your body working to maintain a consistent core temperature. This effect on the body is comparable to a light workout. Watch to see how your cardiovascular health can be improved here.
Improved Muscular Recovery: More and more athletes utilize infrared saunas because of the effect it has on soreness and recovery after training. A study showed that after a maximal endurance training session, participants who spent 30 minutes in an infrared sauna post-training saw improved neuromuscular recovery compared to those who did not use the sauna. By including water or an electrolyte beverage with some post-workout fuel, you can take advantage of the many metabolic changes that occur while sauna bathing. This is a great way to enhance recovery and performance.
Reduced Stress and Inflammation: Another effect seen among infrared sauna users was an improved mood score and an overall decrease in serum cortisol levels. Cortisol, better known as the “stress hormone”, is a naturally occurring hormone that is beneficial in many ways. With regular sauna use, cortisol is lowered as the body adapts to this certain form of stress (heat). This allows your body to better regulate its cortisol responses throughout the day to various stressors.
Detoxification Effect: This one is a little complicated! Read about the truth behind saunas and "detoxing" here. You might be surprised at what you find out.
Cold Plunge
Cold water exposure therapy uses short but powerful sessions of cold (39 - 55°) temperatures to help:
Improve Recovery, Focus, and Performance: Cold water immersion has been associated with improvements in long term recovery and day-to-day performance in athletes. In a group of female swimmers, exposure to cryotherapy and cold-water swimming showed a 2 to 3-fold increase in positive stress hormones over a 12-week period. Researchers suppose that these positive stress hormones act on inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory mechanisms and therefore alleviating pain post workout. The rush of Norepi has a positive effect on post-workout recovery and inflammation. Researchers concluded that continual increases in positive stress hormones can result in positively restricted blood flow, improved focus and alleviated pain.
Increased Metabolism and Weight Loss: Research doesn't go as far as to say that cold water therapy alone will help you lose weight, however, there are a handful of factors that suggest it can help you along the way. In a study utilizing cold air exposure, men exposed to colder temperatures experienced an increased growth in brown adipose tissue. Brown adipose tissue is a special type of fat that insulates babies and young animals. This tissue stays with us for life and acts as a protective measure against diabetes because of its ability to produce heat within the body by burning glucose. A decrease in brown adipose activity has been seen in overweight and obese individuals, while its activity is higher in those of normal weight. Stimulating brown adipose tissue through cold water immersion can be an effective way to burn a few extra calories by activating a rather dormant system in the body. Along with a consistent workout routine and healthy eating habits, thermotherapy can increase metabolism and be a potential aid to your weight loss goals.
Increase Circulation: As the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it quickly sends out a rush of positive stress hormones also known as noradrenaline. The main function of this hormone is to maintain blood pressure in those fight or flight situations. As heart rate increases, this causes blood vessels to vasoconstrict, pulling blood to the core in an effort to maintain body temperature. The body adapts to this response the more it is exposed to cold and blood vessels actually become stronger due to the changes in blood pressure. This is an opposing mechanism to the infrared sauna which causes vasodilation, an opening of blood vessels to cool the body. When used in combination (infrared sauna followed by a cold plunge), you force the body to meet higher demands under controlled circumstances. Think of it like practice - the body gets used to performing these functions (opening and closing vessels) and therefore, has an easier time doing so day-to-day (while lifting, running, working, metabolizing food, and even breathing).
Improve Mood and Decrease Anxiety: Many antidepressants act on the body by altering circulating levels of the “happy chemicals” mentioned previously - serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. Cold water therapy has shown increased levels of noradrenaline and dopamine in the blood by up to 530% and 270%, respectively. This makes researchers hopeful that cold water therapy could improve symptoms to some degree. Along with making the initial plunge, the chemical release is another factor that increases an individual's mental fortitude
Boost your Immune System: Until recently, scientists have assumed there was no voluntary activation of the autonomic nervous and immune system. Research has shown that practicing certain techniques can indeed activate these systems. In a 2014 study, “third-eye meditation”, exposure to cold water and certain breathing techniques each stimulated the autonomic and immune systems to release their respective chemicals and proteins. This can mean an overall stronger immune system and immune response when an illness is detected. For the everyday individual, this leads to less sick days, less time out of the gym and more days feeling on top of your health
Read about the benefits of cold exposure and Cold Plunge and how it relates to exercise and performance here.
For more information, please see FAQs here.