Contrast therapy: what the research says

• A review of 18 trials found contrast water therapy reduced soreness and strength loss more than resting for up to four days after exercise, but no more than cold water, warm water, compression, active recovery or stretching. All the trials were at high risk of bias.
• A review of team-sport studies found it reduced how tired players felt, but not soreness or muscle recovery.
• These studies used hot and cold water. We found no controlled trials of a sauna followed by a cold plunge, the way most people do it at a club.

• Sauna, then a short cold plunge, then rest, two or three times.
• Keep the cold rounds short, especially at first.
• Finish on whichever feels right to you; studies vary.

• Talk to your doctor first if you're pregnant, have a heart condition or high or low blood pressure, have Raynaud's, or take medication that affects your heart, blood pressure or sweating.
• Skip it after drinking alcohol. In Finland, half of sauna deaths involved alcohol.
• Drink water before and after, cool down gradually, and get out if you feel dizzy or unwell.
• Never cold plunge alone. The first breath in cold water is a gasp, and fitness doesn't protect you from it.
• Going from cold straight into a hot sauna can make some people faint, says Health Canada. Move slowly between them.

Volta's wellness hub is planned with a sauna, a cold plunge and a jacuzzi beside the 24/7 gym, included on every membership. Read more on sauna benefits and cold plunge benefits.