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I was scared to take the plunge at new Nottinghamshire attraction Saunahood but I've never felt more alive
I was scared to take the plunge at new Nottinghamshire attraction Saunahood but I've never felt more alive

Yahoo

time13-07-2025

  • Yahoo

I was scared to take the plunge at new Nottinghamshire attraction Saunahood but I've never felt more alive

I love a good hot bath. It's my favourite way to unwind at the end of a busy day. Failing that, a steaming hot shower. Cold water? No thank you. Thinking back to Wim 'The Iceman' Hof a few years ago, it gave me palpitations when his programme Freeze the Fear saw a number of celebrities immersing themselves in icy water. So why I agreed to visit a new Nottinghamshire attraction that combines a sauna with a plunge in cold water I do not know. I've no worries over the sauna part. I've sat and sweated my socks off in a wooden cabin many times although I've never understood why the Finnish ruin the ritual of a nice hot sauna by rolling in the snow afterwards. Each to their own. Running through the essentials to take to Saunahood, the website lists a towel, swimming costume, flip flops and water bottle. The latter is to stay hydrated but it did cross my mind to take a hot water bottle to warm up afterwards. READ MORE: Bramley's in Nottingham is not a restaurant I'd think to visit but now it's in my top ten READ MORE: Susanna Reid's 'stunning' red Next dress ideal for UK heatwave priced at £36 I feel as rigid as a block of ice when I pull up at the site at Holme Pierrepont Country Park's campsite, off Adbolton Lane, West Bridgford, for my first session of 'contrast therapy' as it's known. The new venture opened six weeks ago. Tucked away in a leafy green part of the park are two plunge steel baths in front of the sauna. "Don't dip your hand in," says founder Ellen Tobin as I go to test the water. "It'll put you off later." Ellen explains that contrast therapy simply means alternating between hot and cold environments, switching between the sauna that's around 70-80°C and the plunge pools which are set at 10°C. That sets my mind at ease at little - at least it's not sub zero. But why? "When your body is in the hot environment your blood is pumped to the skin away from your core to try and cool you down - this is called vasodilating. In the plunge pool your body vasoconstricts - your blood goes to your vital organs and your core to protect you. "Both of these scenarios put your body under a small amount of stress - you are kicking your heart into action to work harder and giving your vascular system a great work out. The idea is that when you experience stress in life your body will be much more adept to dealing with it, and can keep you stable as it's been exercising the stress response with contrast therapy." Benefits from the heat include loosening the muscles and joints, a detox, improved cardiovascular function, lowering stress hormones and better sleep. The cold element reduces muscle soreness and swelling, boosts mood, builds mental resilience and stress tolerance and activates the parasympathetic nervous system so you experience a post-cold "calm". That's the science but what about the reality? Changing into my swimming costume as slowly as possibly to delay the inevitable, the time has come to step inside the sauna within a beautifully restored horse box. Until now the only revamped horse boxes I'm familiar with are the ones selling pizza or prosecco. It's a roasting hot day but it's even hotter inside with the wood-fired stove pumping out intense heat. I'm joined by Ellen, who hands me a pixie-like cap which protects the ears and head from the heat - particularly useful if you're bald. After five minutes or so, it's time to switch. I ask if it's better to dip your toe in and take it steadily or just go for it. As I fear, it's the latter. The water is every bit as horrendously cold as I imagine... so cold it hurts. The trick is to stay as still as possible because the more you move around the worse it is. As I grimace throughout, Nottinghamshire Live's photographer Joe tells me to imagine it's warm. It doesn't help. I brave it for longer than I was expecting though. Then it's back to the sauna and repeat several times within the 50-minute session, which ends with a final dip in the plunge bath. It's just as cold as the first time but it's more tolerable and I'm actually laughing and enjoying looking up at the blue sky and trees in the scenic setting. The contrast of hot and cold is said to speed up recovery after workouts or endurance events, improve circulation and regulate your body's stress response. It sounds like something serious athletes and high-pressured business executives would book themselves into it but it's attracting all demographics and ages, from a medal-winning para canoeist (who takes a book to read in the plunge bath) to families. Ellen said: "Guests are on day-dates, celebrating birthdays, looking for a way to unwind and reset at the end of the week - or just get time out for themselves. It's been a real joy to welcome people and see everyone embracing the ancient art of sweat bathing - coming together to cleanse the body and reset the mind." A maximum of eight people can book a private session or six for a communal session, costing £15 each for 50 minutes. Ellen said: "Feedback has been amazing. People are leaving glowing and talking about how lovely they feel and also making connections with others. The sound of laughter coming from the sauna and guests saying 'lovely to meet you' as they leave is really heart-warming. "It's about connection with others, time away from technology and all the distractions and stresses of life. Guests are coming back time and again and building contrast therapy into their weekly routine. I can't ask for more than that." The experience is undoubtedly life-affirming. Before I tried it I thought I would hate every second. Afterwards I feel amazing; energised but with an inner calm. I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and, even though I thought it would be torture, it was fun. I might even return in the winter when it snows. Saunahood is open on Friday from 12pm to 6pm and weekends 10am to 4pm. Book online at

Does ‘contrast therapy' work? What to know before taking the plunge
Does ‘contrast therapy' work? What to know before taking the plunge

Times

time16-05-2025

  • Health
  • Times

Does ‘contrast therapy' work? What to know before taking the plunge

We've all heard that cold water swimming is supposed to be good for us and that regular use of traditional saunas can make us happier and healthier, but the latest trend combines the two extremes. Contrast therapy, as it is known, entails switching between hot and cold temperatures, jumping from cold water to sauna and back again, and is said to improve circulation, boost mood and promote muscle recovery. It's not a new concept: the Romans would have a caldarium (hot steam room) and a frigidarium (cold pool) in their bathhouses, while for decades athletes have used contrast therapy to aid recovery. However, the practice has recently caught the imagination of the wellness brigade and word has spread about its healing capabilities. • Read more

StriveWell Opens 2nd Franchise Location, SweatHouz (SWTHZ) Short Hills
StriveWell Opens 2nd Franchise Location, SweatHouz (SWTHZ) Short Hills

Associated Press

time12-05-2025

  • Business
  • Associated Press

StriveWell Opens 2nd Franchise Location, SweatHouz (SWTHZ) Short Hills

We're thrilled to bring SWTHZ's premium contrast therapy experience to Short Hills. This studio embodies our vision for holistic wellness, and it's just the beginning. SWTHZ Tribeca in Q4 2025 and SWTHZ Morristown in Q4 2025 are coming soon. StriveWell is also bringing an innovative Row Former workout, STRONG Pilates, reformer-inspired and cardio-infused. We believe this brand will complete our stake in SWTHZ and create a platform of brands focused on recovery, longevity, and low-impact fitness. StriveWell announces the grand opening of its newest SweatHouz (SWTHZ) wellness studio in Short Hills, New Jersey. The studio, which features innovative contrast therapy and luxury amenities, is part of its rapid expansion. Springfield, NJ - May 12, 2025 - StriveWell, a multi-unit franchise investment group, opens its second location, SWTHZ Short Hills, a new premium wellness studio in Springfield, NJ. They will celebrate their grand opening on Monday, May 12, 2025, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 3 to 5 p.m. This event invited the local community of Short Hills and greater Millburn, New Jersey, to tour the facility at 92 Millburn Avenue – part of The Metropolitan development, A Garden Communities property. Each guest will enjoy a tour of our private luxury suite equipped with a Spectra S10 Pro Redlight Therapy Bed, Infrared Sauna, Cold Plunge, and Vitamin C-infused shower. Premium Contrast Therapy Experience SWTHZ Short Hills offers each member a private, guided contrast therapy experience. In this modern take on an age-old practice, members move between a heated infrared sauna and a chilled cold plunge at 47 degrees, followed by a refreshing vitamin C shower. Studio staff walk members through the session in a suite-style setting, ensuring safety and comfort. 'We want to make the experience as personal and restorative as possible while providing a private luxury setting,' notes StriveWell CEO Rico Macaraeg. This emphasis on service and luxury, in each one-person suite, has become a hallmark of SWTHZ. Science-Backed Wellness Benefits The SWTHZ offering is aligned with growing research on deliberate exposure to hot-and-cold therapy. Medical experts report that regular infrared sauna use can relieve pain, improve circulation, and even boost immune function by increasing white blood cell production. Likewise, full-body cold plunges are credited with constricting blood vessels (aiding circulation), reducing inflammation, and speeding muscle recovery. The Massachusetts General Hospital notes that combining sauna and cold treatments can 'boost cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, and aid muscle recovery.' Peer-reviewed studies also show long-term health advantages: a JAMA Internal Medicine study linked frequent sauna bathing to lower risk of cardiovascular death, and a Neurology study found reduced stroke risk among people who took regular saunas. In short, SWTHZ's contrast therapy is built on a scientifically informed approach to recovery and longevity, rather than fad. StriveWell's Expansion and Future Plans of SWTHZ & STRONG Pilates 'We're thrilled to bring SWTHZ's premium contrast therapy experience to Short Hills,' said Rico Macaraeg, CEO of StriveWell. 'This studio embodies our vision for holistic wellness, and it's just the beginning. Coming soon are SWTHZ Tribeca in Q4 2025 and SWTHZ Morristown in Q4 2025. StriveWell is also bringing an innovative RowFormer workout, STRONG Pilates, reformer inspired, cardio infused. The international pilates brand brings pilates, rowing, cycling and weights in their 60 min classes around the world. 'We believe this brand will complete our stake in SWTHZ and create a platform of brands focused on recovery, longevity and low-impact fitness brands.' Macaraeg's comment underscores both brands' growth: especially with the StriveWell launch of SWTHZ FlagShip in Tribeca, NYC. StriveWell is expanding the STRONG pilates US launch with opening STRONG Garwood in Q2 2025, STRONG Morristown in Q4 2025 STRONG Monmouth in Q2 2026. This wave of openings reflects a broader strategy: StriveWell is rapidly scaling brands that blend boutique fitness with recovery, mirroring global wellness trends. StriveWell attributes its real estate success to real estate partner, Rob Mackowski, of Pierson Commercial for all real estate transactions and Daniel Le Duc & Dylan Hammer of D&D Construction Management for build management which allows for StriveWell to continue to hit development schedules of opening 1 location per quarter. About StriveWell StriveWell is an investor and operator focused on building and growing innovative franchise brands in the health, wellness, and fitness sectors. StriveWell's mission is to deliver fitness and recovery brands that empower individuals to prioritize recovery and longevity. With SweatHouz (SWTHZ) and STRONG Pilates as its cornerstone brands, StriveWell is taking a central role in transforming wellness culture. StriveWell's mission is 'rooted in community, recovery, and longevity,' focusing on 'brands that go beyond fitness. Brands that redefine what it means to care for the body, mind, and spirit.' Media Contact Company Name: StriveWell Contact Person: Zuhura Miriam Email: Send Email Phone: (201) 515-5516 Country: United States Website: Press Release Distributed by To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: StriveWell Opens 2nd Franchise Location, SweatHouz (SWTHZ) Short Hills

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