Recover Like an Olympian at Iron Mountain Hot Springs
From cold plunge to heat therapy, Iron Mountain Hot Springs will have you channeling your inner Olympian and primed for your next adventure in no time!
All eyes are on Italy and the Olympics, the globe’s biggest sports stage, this February. The world’s top athletes have trained for the events they’ll compete in for most of their young lives. Used to pushing their bodies to the limit, elite athletes also understand the importance of scheduling an intentional break to recover physically.
Fortunately, at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, you don’t have to be a world-champion sports star to enjoy an Olympic-worthy approach to caring for both body and mind after a day of adventure in Glenwood Springs.
Whether you’re flying through the air and down the mountain like reigning Olympic freestyle skiing gold medalist Alex Hall, or carefully snowplowing down beginner runs, either way, your legs will be screaming and your muscles begging for a break.
Olympic Level Recovery
Training hard takes a toll. Top athletes, from figure skaters to hockey players, know that after a grueling workout, recovery isn’t optional; it’s necessary. Contrast therapy is a go-to remedy for a physical reset. Alternating heat and cold helps the body to heal faster, enabling athletes to level up for their next competition.
The same tactics apply to amateur athletes. Sore muscles deserve time and attention so you can get back out there tomorrow, even if it’s just on the bunny slopes.
Bring on the Heat
You don’t have to be a top-tier athlete to know warmth feels good after a day of adventuring. Heat has a way of relaxing muscles, increasing circulation, easing joint stiffness, and calming the nervous system. It’s just what an Olympic coach would order after a rigorous workout.
At Iron Mountain Hot Springs, there are 30+ pools to choose from. Each one is a different temperature, so you can easily find the heat level that suits you best. What elite athletes might not have, but visitors to Iron Mountain Hot Springs do, is water that is teeming with minerals, which adds to the therapeutic experience.
The pools on the Select Access side feature geothermal water from deep underground springs, while those on the 21+ Premier Access side are inspired by world-famous mineral pools from around the globe, including the Chiancianco Therme in Italy. In addition to heat therapy, the Italian pool mineral profile is touted to detoxify the body and reduce gastrointestinal disorders. Talk about setting a new record for rejuvenation!
Iron Mountain’s new saunas will be opening soon as well, adding even more options for therapeutic heat recovery.
Cold to the Rescue
Cold, on the other hand, may make your teeth chatter, but frigid water has its benefits, as any athlete knows. Cold water immersion reduces inflammation and muscle soreness, speeds recovery, and even offers a mental reset after high-impact or endurance training days. So don’t be shy about taking the plunge!
While the focus at Iron Mountain is on warm-water soaking, both Premier and Select Access offer refreshing dips in cooler temperatures.
Premier’s Cold Plunge is a chilly 55˚F, and bathers are encouraged to stay in just a minute or so. Remarkably, that’s all it takes for the body to benefit from the icy water. Another option is to alternate soaking in the hotter pools with quick dips in the cold plunge.
Select Access features its own cooling options for post-workout recovery. After immersion in the geothermal soaking pools, which range in temperature from 98–108˚F, guests can now incorporate a refreshing cold plunge into their contrast therapy routine. The brisk temperature may feel invigorating at first, but as your body acclimates, you’ll experience the revitalizing benefits of hot-to-cold immersion: boosting circulation, easing muscle soreness, and leaving you feeling both relaxed and re-energized.
In addition to the cold plunge, the freshwater family pool offers another way to cool down at a more gradual pace, allowing guests to tailor their recovery experience to their comfort level.
A Gold Medal Finish
Just as Olympic athletes need intentional rest for high performance, Iron Mountain Hot Springs delivers the perfect gold-medal finish to any day of outdoor recreation in Glenwood Springs.
Learn more and make your reservations to soak at Iron Mountain Hot Springs today!