Sauna and sport are a good complement for our health
Sauna increases athletic endurance. If you want to increase your endurance, you don’t have to rely solely on your strenuous training. It is also easier and more pleasant – namely in the sauna. This has even been scientifically proven. Researchers from the University of Melbourne wanted to find out whether there is a connection between sport, sauna, and endurance increase – more precisely, whether regular contact with heat benefits the body.
To do this, they sought a number of male competitive athletes. They divided them into two groups. One simply went about their normal daily lives. The athletes in the other group were allowed to go to the sauna three times a week. To compare the results, each athlete’s fitness was tested on a treadmill.
Improved performance thanks to sauna
At the end of the study period, the researchers put the athletes back on the treadmill. When they saw the results, they were amazed. The sauna-goers were able to increase their performance by up to 23 percent. And that was despite the fact that they had followed the same training plan. The result was so surprising that the scientists wanted to know exactly. They took blood from the sauna athletes and analyzed it. The result of the analysis then provided the reason for the increase in performance. The sauna athletes had considerably more blood plasma than the others – and their blood volume had increased.
Blood plasma and blood cells
But why does this affect athletic performance? Well, blood plasma is a very valuable substance for the body. It contains many essential nutrients. In addition, it consists of electrolytes and hormones. Plasma also serves to transport blood cells. If the plasma content in the blood increases, it can also flow faster – and transport even more nutrients.
This means that the heart no longer has to work so hard to keep the blood circulating in our bodies. Put simply, it has more capacity. And that is precisely the effect that athletes want. Because it allows them to perform better.
In addition, the body also stores water in the blood plasma – and can regulate its temperature better. All things that have a positive effect on performance.
Effective training for muscle building
But the sauna users didn’t just have more blood plasma. Their blood volume had also increased. Blood also always contains oxygen. The simple formula at this point is: the more blood there is in the body, the better the oxygen supply. Something that also helps us athletically. Because this way, you can train longer in the aerobic zone.
You may know this word from your pulse watch. As long as you train aerobically, you don’t overexert yourself. So you can exercise much longer. And your training will be very effective. Especially if you want to burn fat. But muscle building also works best in the aerobic zone.
Sauna visits increase your performance
So does this mean that all you have to do is sweat properly, and you’ll get fit all by yourself? A little bit. Even if you don’t exercise, going to the sauna will increase your performance. But you won’t be able to run a marathon without any effort. The pleasant warmth will be of great benefit to you, especially if you combine it with endurance training. In this way, you increase your performance twice over – and much more sustainably.
How to combine sauna, sports, and performance
Controlled heat improves endurance, muscle development and mental receptivity. When the Finns built their countless saunas, they obviously had the right idea. Sauna visits, in addition to sports, promote endurance, muscle development, performance, and even mental receptivity.
