Ice vs. Heat

The rest of the week is going to be devoted to talking about recovery (note: these videos are from competitor.com's race recovery series).

One of the first things to consider is when to apply ice vs. heat. Sage Rountree stresses that people react differently to each, so what works for your teammate may not work for you. That being said, ice should be used to reduce inflammation caused by repetitive training or acute trauma. Heat, on the other hand, should be used to increase circulation and loosen stiff muscles. Both should be applied post-workout (not right before). And, neither should be applied for more than 20min as there is no additional benefit and you might actually be doing damage (like freezer burning your skin).