Superficial Heating

[jjefferies]

Ok, this sounded like flakey science when I first heard it in a conversation with my coach. But he suggested that in the days leading up to major tournaments, i.e. NAC's, that bathing/showering should be limited to lukewarm water. This came from his time as a professional soccer player when his coach would check the players' shower water temperatures and forcibly pull players out of the shower if he deemed the water too hot. I believe this was the UK. And snide comments about Brit bathing preferences aside the argument is that like massage or sun bathing, hot showers tend to relax the muscles from the outside in in such a fashion that they require additional time to recover their tone.

At first it sounded rather hokey to me but after some thought I began to wonder and thought it might be worth asking if anyone else has heard such.

[Guymelef]

I don't see how a naturally limited exposure to warm water would undo muscle building. Muscles are built through the micro tears created by exercise healing tighter and tighter. This sounds like a job for the Mythbusters

[veeco]

This sounds like a job for the Mythbusters

Ah, love that show. Unfortunately, it seems they are more interested in Pirates, these days :-).

[edew]

FSM, anyone?

RAMEN

[veeco]

At first it sounded rather hokey to me but after some thought I began to wonder and thought it might be worth asking if anyone else has heard such.

Never heard it before...

I don't know if showers have any impact, but I know that a lot of athletes are getting massages during their normal training regimen, to drain the muscle of any lactic acid and avoid soreness...

So I can't see why they would be bad.

[HDG]

How long ago did your coach play soccer professionally?

[jjefferies]

I don't see how a naturally limited exposure to warm water would undo muscle building. Muscles are built through the micro tears created by exercise healing tighter and tighter. This sounds like a job for the Mythbusters

Not "Warm", but rather "Hot". Talked with a physical therapist who's helping me with my foot over the lunch hour. He didn't dismiss it out of hand but thought the time frame was probably more on the order of hours or at most a day. Playing the devil's advocate, but for instance you wouldn't want to take a hot shower and get all relaxed right before a match. I know I won't do massage except after I've finished fencing for the day. But I do enjoy a massage afterwards.

[veeco]

But then, I am going to have to refer to showering habits :-).

Don't people usually shower after an exercise?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Muscle tonus is a result of increased constant motor unit recruitment.

For what its worth though, some athletes take contrast baths, alternating between hot and cold. The blood vessels dialate in the heat, and contract in cold, which results in blood being cycled in and out of the muscle. Its great for the treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness.

So for what its worth, lukewarm water would likely have no cardiovascular effect, which would likely result in the legs retaining a "toned" appearance, do to the accumulation of waste products from prior practices.

It doesn't sound especially beneficial...... quite the contrary.

But I'm only speculating. I havent studied recuperative methods much beyond text books.

[Guymelef]

DFP, what can I say, I'm impressed. Perhaps the Romans were on to something with the caldarium and frigidum. I have my strong disagreements about your postings on the ugly USFA thread, but for this I give rep.

Personally, I like a warm bath the night before fencing. Then again that's more of a mental thing.

[Hauptman]

Let me guess... this guy said no fooling around with girls before a competition either, right? That's just wrong!!

[Heavenguard]

Let me guess... this guy said no fooling around with girls before a competition either, right? That's just wrong!!

Coach almost always knows right, but that doesn't mean coach always knows right.

It used to be nearly forbidden to have sex the night before a match in boxing, because it supposedly uses too much of your energy. However, (if you're a guy) and you do have sex the night before a match, your testosterone levels are higher the next day - which you'd want! I felt a little bad for Muammad Ali's wife when I learned he'd abstain from sex something to the tune of months in advance of a match.

I can't see a hot bath doing too much damage in the time span of the bath. Or shower, whichever you prefer. If you soaked in the bath for long enough for there to be any detrimental effects, I think you'd have other things to worry about first.

[edew]

FWIW, for major competitions, I routinely soak myself in a hot bath the day before. That's usually to loosen up all those cricked up muscles from sitting in some awkward position on a plane or in the car for long periods (ok, for sitting at the poker table at the Flamingo for 8 hour straight...)

They seem to help me somewhat. I also do some sort of alternating bathing as well, as I finish off with a cool or even cold shower.

[wahrman]

Considering the source...if he told me to stuff bananas up my nose I'd do it and ask questions later.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Coach almost always knows right, but that doesn't mean coach always knows right.

It used to be nearly forbidden to have sex the night before a match in boxing, because it supposedly uses too much of your energy. However, (if you're a guy) and you do have sex the night before a match, your testosterone levels are higher the next day - which you'd want! I felt a little bad for Muammad Ali's wife when I learned he'd abstain from sex something to the tune of months in advance of a match.

I can't see a hot bath doing too much damage in the time span of the bath. Or shower, whichever you prefer. If you soaked in the bath for long enough for there to be any detrimental effects, I think you'd have other things to worry about first.

I think the lack of sex would just make you angry.

Maybe it works for some people.

[DonnaP]

I don't see how a naturally limited exposure to warm water would undo muscle building. Muscles are built through the micro tears created by exercise healing tighter and tighter.

Not exactly - Muscles get bigger through the process of "hypertrophy". An increase in the work load or demand to a muscle causes the individual muscle cells to produce more actin and myosin (protiens that are responsible for the contractile properties of muscle cells). Therefore when a group of muscle cells are all getting bigger, the entire muscle will get bigger and thus stronger. That is why you need to continue to load the muscles to keep them big. If you stop requiring a muscle to do heavy work loads, the cells don't make the excess protiens and the cells become smaller - making the whole muscle smaller in a process called "atrophy". Micro tears are injuries to the muscle cells and result in the formation of scar tissue - which can begin to make an area feel tighter due to the restrictions of the scar which is not elastic like the surrounding muscle cells. Tears are bad.

I remember learning many years ago that either high or low temps can affect muscle performance, but only while the temperature is sustained. Once the body has returned to normal temperature levels, muscle function also returns to normal levels. So unless your planning to fence in the sauna room or outside in Arizona, the temperature from the shower would not likely affect performance on the strip. While some people may feel too relaxed after a hot shower, I suspect that the warmth and increased blood flow could be beneficial for others who may feel sore or stiff from earlier workouts/activity.

FWIW - I did a quick PubMed search and found several articles now indicating what appears to be a change in opinion and are indicating no sustained or notable strength affects from increased or decreased temperature exposure prior to isometric or isokinetic testing.