So after a couple of health-related issues recently I decided that rather than go whinging to a GP about them I'd bloody well hit them head-on with a well orchestrated gym-related exercise plan. After all, being as though I've been a member of this particular gym for more than 12 years it's about time I applied all the experience and knowledge I've gained from going there for so long.
After three successive nights of going (what I called the initial 'shock and awe' sessions to wake up my body, which I won't do again and will pad out the visits as the weeks go by) on the third night I decided to make use of the gym's superb water facilities, which I haven't used for a long, long time.
So I finish my routine in the gym area (all cardio, the core stuff comes later), change and head down to the hydropool area and the Sauna as I thought I deserved it.
Now, at my gym, after a Sauna there's three things you can do:
- Wimp out and hit the showers
- Go to the open shower area and get doused from a bucket of cold water by tugging on a rope (I am not joking, my gym really has that option!); or
- Head outside and jump into the Plunge Pool
I opted for 3… it's the only logical choice in my opinion
Now, jumping into a Plunge Pool in December in the UK is not something to be sniffed at, you come out of the Sauna sweating like a pig and whilst that is a tad uncomfortable it's not absolutely necessary to plunge headlong into near freezing water for relief. Perhaps there's scientific benefits written somewhere, I don't know… but certainly it's not for your mental health.
When you approach it (after manning-up and not flinching when the cold air hits you as you step outside) simply take a couple of steps and jump, don't think and definitely don't use the ladder. Once you jump, there's a delicious moment of finality, completeness and a perfect sense of "WTFBBQ" as you hover for a microsecond before gravity pulls your sweat-stained body down into those freezing depths, there's nothing, absolutely nothing you can do at this stage and never is there a more perfect moment for you to wish you were Superman!
As you go under, your whole life flashes before you, your balls go up into your throat and every nerve and fibre BOSDs and collectively screams "BLOODY HELL!" As you surface you get a double whammy from the cold air hitting your head. You then come to your senses and suddenly realise that you're standing in 6ft of near freezing water when what you SHOULD be doing is downing mulled wine in a nice warm pub. From the moment you jump to this point the whole experience lasts roughly 3 seconds… it feels like a lifetime.
But the shower back up in the changing rooms afterwards is sooo damned good ;P
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| The Plunge Pool I use is nowhere near as inviting as this one! |
