hot or cold shower?

maybe it doesnt make a difference, but what do you think would be better for your body and muscles after you work out, a hot or cold shower?
 
thnx

- peace -

I think cold, maybe lowering the body's temperature etc.

Body enzymes etc which basically control EVERYTHING in the body work best at 37.5 degrees celcius exactly, put your shower thermostat (I have no idea how you do this....LOL...but i know its possible to change temperatures in the water through this way) to EXACTLY 37.5 celcius and im sure thatl work best

Hot or cold showers dont really make much of a difference in terms how your body functions after a workout.
 
sure your body has an optimal temperature it works best with but a shower wouldnt change your true core temperature unless were talking extreme hot or extreme cold showers for a significant period of time.
 
Your post-workout shower shouldnt really affect your muscle growth to a great extent. Just shower with whatever you feel comfortable in - for most people thats a luke warm shower for around 10minutes.

I agree its just a shower damn
 

Carlos'The Flexin Mexican'Lopez III

I have the water hot at first...then really cold at the end.
 
But, whatever you do, please shower.

Age: 16
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 165

Bench: 205
Squat: 365
Deadlift: 385
Total: 955

Goal: 1000 by January of 2006

Yea shower doesnt really matter what the water is just shower lol cus if not u can get ringworm and its sucks some of my friends got it and its not pretty.

Carlos'The Flexin Mexican'Lopez III

well it is good that all of you are takeing showers.  when i'm takeing my daily shower i usasualy have it very hot.  as you know when you have a sore muscle heat pads help heal them.  think about it.

heat therapy is usually only for chronic injuries.
 
for acutely 'sore' muscle, cold therapy is recommeded.
 
Cold showers/tubs used in elite athlets after big games to reduce muscle swelling/soreness - but NOT for muscle gain.
 
Neither of those things (hot or cold showers), effect muscle building significantly.
 
Extreme hot showers damage sruface and underlying supporting elements of the skin and are not recommeded so you should probably ease down on the heat...

I likes me a very warm 10-20 minute shower.

lol iron raider...o i see.  well i don't have it so hot to where it burns lol.  

Actually...the russians studied the effect on performance of this hot cold thing.

I wish I had a link to it somewhere, but that was from when I was power lifting in Japan or something, years ago...

The results showed that consistent cold showers after training DID in fact increase performance.  The athlete were from various disciplines including lifting...

The reason given was that after training there is swelling and micro trauma.  Cold reduces swelling.  Reducing the swelling has the effect of INCREASING circulation to the effected area...thus increasing re-nourishment and recuperation.

After reading that I started with cooooold showers after training...and since I was in Japan, on Okinawa, it was cold showers in the AM too.  Had to break the ice first thing!

Call it anecdotal evidence, but my lifting poundages shot up and I gained some serious muscle (done all natural) ...while my roid poppin buddies lagged and injured themselves...

I hope none of them read this board!  (that would be you Sharpsteen and Workman)

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your not just trying to get us to take cold showers huh? lol well i'm sore as hell right now and i guess i'll try out the shower thing all the way cold.  damn i'm crazy.

your not just trying to get us to take cold showers huh

 
Nope.
 
I'm serious.  The first few will just be like..."MAN that was cold."
 
But after the 4th one or so, you start to feel a rush...tell me how it goes for you.

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a rush? lol. I perfer my hot showers lol.

Yah....Im not big on cold showers, I love me a very warm and comforting shower.

Well, if you take a hot shower after you work out, the heat may cause swelling and lower your circulation...Franco Columbu always said to finish your shower with cold then rub down with the towel really well to stimulate the blood flow.
 
But this is obviously just a very fine tweak.  The best bodies have been built with and without.
 
Enjoy that steam men!

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I need a nice hot shower to wake me up in the morning,i normally am in there till all the hot water runs out lol.

Yeha them guys are like hardcore into it....I would do anything to get my muscles big If i was a pro......

the heat may cause swelling and lower your circulation

 
Say what?
 
So ure saying that by applying heat to the muscle, you are decreasing the circulation the muscle gets??
 
Its the other way around. Applying heat increases blood flow to that area.

You are correct Lynx...topical heat causes localized circulation and swelling...
 
...but the resultant pressure from swelling can cause a decrease in overall circulation, though there is a presence of a greater concentration of fluid.
 
It is the swelling or decreasing of swelling that is the focus.
 
You ice a wound and compress it to decrease the swelling and allow more circulation.
 
When using heat therapy on wounds, you alternate and end with ice to decrease the swelling.

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oh yeah.  i took a cold shower after working out  about two weeks ago.  i've done it like twice since then and afterwards my arms don't feel as swelled so i guess it works.  i still take warm showers though lol.

I'm tellin ya!!!! 
It works!
 
Pick a month to bite the bullet and watch how it goes!

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