My Personal Discovery of the Benefits of Infrared Sauna Workouts

Now that I have officially entered the fifth decade of this thing we call life, I find myself constantly searching for how to keep my body strong, healthy, and resilient. Exercise has become one of those healthy habits that I picked up over the years. It started when my girls were young and I needed some form of escape. And, I wanted to shed some of those excess baby pounds and relieve some stress. Luckily, my girls loved our gym days as well, for the chance to meet new friends and play with cool toys. They also ended up with a happier, healthier mama as a result and I think they sensed that.

I have continued my exercise journey ever since, although some years were harder than others. In my mid-30’s I hit a point in my life where I just couldn’t muster up the energy to exercise. Out of the blue, I started to develop some pretty troubling symptoms including random swelling of joints, inflamed lymph nodes, and extreme, debilitating fatigue and eye pain. After countless doctor visits, I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s Syndrome. Once I finally received the proper diagnosis and medical treatment, I was able to resume my consistent workout routine again which made me really happy. One thing I quickly realized, however, was that I had to be very careful about what types of new exercises I performed because my body would over-react and produce those same, troublesome symptoms I had in the past. For example, I once spontaneously partook in a kickboxing class that my gym was offering and was down and out 2 weeks. Not because of me overdoing it, but the combination of intense jabs and kicks sent my body into a whirlwind. And it was only 15 minutes worth of training, after I already had a warm up.

As a now 51 year-old, I was eager to find a way to elevate my workout routine without having to suffer any ill-consequences. This new quest, along with discovery of the fact that we apparently lose 3-5% of our muscle mass per decade after 30, put me in “go mode” and I knew I wanted to find something sooner than later. At the same time, I had just moved into a new area with a shopping center across the street with a new shiny red sign on it which read, “HOTWORX.”

HOTWORX is a new concept in the exercise arena which uses Infrared (IR) heat combined with exercise in saunas to produce a 3-D workout. What drew me in was that it is supposed to be helpful with muscle recovery and inflammation. Seemed too good to be true but I did my research and felt it was a win-win scenario for me and decided to give it a try.

Here is the low-down:

The Concept and Science: HOTWORX saunas utilize virtual trainers combined with Infrared (IR) heat technology to deliver either a 15 minute HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout or 30 minute Isometric session. While traditional saunas use heat to warm the air inside, IR saunas use light waves to directly heat the body. IR rays have longer wavelengths than visible light allowing deeper penetration into the muscle. The result is that the environment of these saunas is much more tolerable with a recommended temperature range of 120-130 degrees F for IR vs the normal 150-190F range of traditional saunas. What REALLY made the difference for me is that the saunas use a dry form of heat and it is so much easier to breathe through the workouts. Think of it as an Arizona climate versus a Tropical Rain forest.

The benefits of sauna therapies have been around for years and numerous studies have cited the variety of positive health-related outcomes that IR heat provides. This type of penetrating heat has been found to improve the health of persons living with a variety of chronic health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, pain and arthritis. Although more extensive research needs to be conducted to determine the exact mechanisms involved, the results so far look promising.

The HOTWORX 3-D Program:

1.Heat: Heat raises your core body temperature and speeds up metabolism. Another added benefit of adding heat is that less time is required for warm-ups.

2. Infrared Energy: This form of energy helps activate and strengthen regenerative processes in the body making it easier for your body to recover.

3. Exercise: Two different types of workouts are offered which include Isometric (ie. Pilates, Core, Hot Buns, Yoga) and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) (ie. Cycle, Rowing, Modified Elliptical machine). Average calories burned with Isometric and HIIT workouts are 250-450 and 200-300 respectively.

The Proposed Benefits:

·        Improved Muscle Recovery

·        Pain Relief

·        Weight Loss

·        Stress Reduction

·        Increased Calorie Burn

·        Improved Circulation

·        Detoxification

·        Lower Blood Pressure

·        Anti-Aging and Skin Rejuvenation

·        Cellulite Reduction

·        Fighting off illness

The  Space: When you walk into HOTWORX it does not feel like a traditional gym. It feels and resembles more of a spa atmosphere with rows of beautiful wooden saunas and dim LED lighting inside. They do have free-weights and a resistance training  system  to supplement your workouts which are located in the hub of the facility which is not heated. A HUGE plus for me was that the doors of the sauna are made of glass so I can see through them which makes it feel more open and less claustrophobic like the traditional saunas. Another added bonus that I appreciate are the peppermint sprays they offer which provide an aromatherapy boost pre-workout. All rooms have a large TV screen front and center which is where your virtual instructor coaches you though your session. And so far, all the instructors have been great. They’re full of energy and motivation which you will truly appreciate during one of your hot workouts.

As far as sauna space, there is enough room for 3 people for each room/session although, depending on how busy your location is, you may often be alone.  I prefer my “alone” workouts personally but some enjoy having others in the saunas as support. Whatever your preference, the results are the same. And they’re pretty awesome😊.

My Experience: What I can tell you is that I have been doing HOTWORX for 8 months now and reaping the benefits. In that time frame, I have added about 8 different new workout routines and have been going consistently ever since starting. I mix it up with my traditional gym workout along with home workouts. What I discovered very early on was that I did not feel sick or too sore after starting ANY of the workouts! This was a game changer for me. Some of the benefits that I have noted thus far from my personal experience include:  

-The best sleep ever

-Weight-loss

-Improved flexibility, mood, and balance

-Enhanced confidence and ability to adapt to new work-outs

-Less pain and inflammation in my joints post workout

-The ability to burn more calories in a short amount of time

-Decreased stress

-Flexible schedule: It's open 24 hours!

Takeaway Tips:

-What to wear: Normal gym clothes work well. Although I do recommend pants, even in the summer, purely because of the fact that even your legs will sweat and that makes them hard to hold onto with some of the exercise movements. (I obviously didn't know that in this picture! I was so naive!)

-You will sweat! Be prepared to have sweat rolling off your nose. Some people wear sweatbands to help. I tried one time but it felt uncomfortable and made my head feel even more hot so I don’t use them.

-Shower after: This will help wash away all of those toxins you sweat out and, of course, you will need to!

-Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I can’t emphasize this enough. Lots of water before, during, and after.

-As with any new exercise forms, start slow and ease your body into this new space of heat combined with exercise. I recommend starting with only the 15 minute HITT for the first session. After that, you can build your way up incrementally. The staff are a great resource to help you navigate the best workout routines for you. It took me about 3 sessions to feel properly acclimated to handling the intensity.

In the end my friends, if you are in need of a workout switch up, and fortunate enough to have either a HOTWORX or a gym with IR heat therapy, I highly recommend. Now get out there and get your sweat on!!!

The Positive Feedback Frenzy (PFF) Bonus Surprise: What makes this new program extra special is the “after burn” effect of these workouts which can add an additional 350-600 calorie burn! Less time, more calories. A win-win!

For more information visit www.hotworx.net

(Disclaimer/Disclosures: This form of exercise is not for everybody. It is imperative that anyone with a chronic health condition consult with their medical provider before beginning a new exercise regimen or modality. Also, it is recommended that people who are pregnant, trying to conceive, heat intolerant, or are sick, need to consult with their provider before starting.  I have no disclosures to share except that I am a loyal HOTWORX member.)