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Is this new wellness trend really what it seems? Discover the benefits of infrared fitness and how infrared workouts are trending in the fitness world. Learn how infrared light therapy boosts performance, speeds recovery, and enhances your fitness routine. Explore infrared today!
Introduction
The world of fitness is constantly evolving, and one of the most exciting trends to emerge in recent years is infrared fitness. Combining the benefits of infrared light therapy with exercise, infrared workouts are designed to enhance performance, improve recovery, and make you SWEAT! We did a deep dive into the trend to find out if there was any evidence backing it, or if it is just a way newcomers to the industry are differentiating their offerings.
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The Infrared Fitness Concept
At the heart of infrared fitness centers is the use of infrared light, a type of light that is invisible to the human eye. It is much weaker than the dangerous UV light, but can still penetrate the skin and heat the body from within. Unlike traditional heat sources, which warm the air, infrared light directly heats the body, stimulating blood flow and increasing circulation. This process can enhance the body’s natural ability to detoxify, perform, and recover after intense exercise.
Infrared fitness combines this technology with a variety of workout regimens—such as cardio, strength training, pilates, and yoga—that are designed to take full advantage of the heat and therapeutic effects of infrared light. Many fitness centers now offer infrared saunas or infrared-heated workout rooms where participants can experience the benefits of the infrared light waves while exercising.
How Infrared Light Works in Fitness
The infrared light makes the body heat up faster. It will feel like you are working out in a sauna, but the air around you will still be cool. You can expect to sweat a lot and should make sure you stay hydrated throughout the workout.
This internal heat can help improve flexibility, increase blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote faster recovery—all of which make it an attractive addition to any fitness program. Most critically, the increased blood flow to your muscles makes oxygen more readily available to be converted into energy.
Infrared light has not been shown to have any directly harmful effects. In fact, they are currently used in saunas to promote muscle recovery and mimic the other positive effects of traditional saunas.
Infrared Saunas
An infrared sauna uses infrared light to directly heat your body, unlike traditional saunas that heat the surrounding air. This gentle heat penetrates deep into muscles and tissues, offering a more comfortable sauna experience. Regular use of an infrared sauna can improve circulation, boost oxygen levels in the body, and promote relaxation. The deep sweat induced by infrared heat also helps detoxify the body, supporting overall health.
Infrared Therapy
Infrared therapy provides a range of health benefits, including pain relief from conditions like arthritis and muscle soreness, and stress reduction. The infrared heat helps reduce inflammation and accelerates muscle recovery, making it ideal for athletes or those dealing with chronic pain. Additionally, infrared therapy can enhance skin health by improving circulation and promoting collagen production, contributing to a clearer, more youthful complexion. Infrared therapy works in a very similar manner as red light therapy.
Infrared Fitness Centers
Several companies and fitness centers have recently embraced the infrared fitness trend, incorporating infrared technology into their offerings. While most are just adding infrared saunas, some brands are incorporating infrared light into the actual workout. For example, making regular yoga into hot yoga or a regular weight room into an infrared sweat room.
Hotworx
Known for their infrared fitness studios, Hotworx offers a combination of infrared saunas and workout classes. With options ranging from yoga and Pilates to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), Hotworx provides a range of workout class in a heated infrared environment.
Red Effect
Red effect is an infrared fitness studio that allows 24/7 access to their offerings. The weight room allows for traditional strength training and there are several small studios for yoga, pilates, barre, and cycling. The smaller studios have screens where participants can follow along to recorded workouts.
Boutique Fitness Centers
All around the country you can find small boutique gyms that are incorporating infrared studios to their list of offerings. A quick google search will help you to learn if there are any near you! If there is a gym in your area, but you do not want to get a membership, programs like class pass may give you the opportunity to go to the infrared studio as a guest.
Other Options
If there are no options nearby, but you still want to get the benefits of the infrared light trend, see if there are any gyms or spas with an infrared sauna. If there are any, you could bring a yoga mat and (with permission) do a class in the room on your own.
Benefits of Infrared Workouts
What exactly makes infrared workouts stand out from traditional fitness routines? The benefits of working out in an infrared environment are similar to those of a traditional sauna or 'hot' class variation. Here are some of the top reported benefits:
Enhanced Detoxification
The deep heat from infrared light helps to stimulate sweat production, promoting the release of toxins and improving the body’s natural detoxification processes. This also means it is extra important to remain hydrated during these types of workouts.
Improved Circulation
Infrared heat helps to increase blood flow and oxygen levels in muscles, which can lead to better performance, faster muscle recovery, and enhanced endurance during workouts.
Reduced Inflammation and Soreness
Infrared light has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce muscle soreness, joint pain, and chronic inflammation, making it an ideal treatment for post-workout recovery. However, this benefit extends to during the workout, extending your endurance before reaching burnout.
Boosted Calorie Burn
The infrared light will increase the body’s core temperature, which results in a higher heart rate and an accelerated metabolism. Additionally, increased blood flow makes oxygen more readily available for cellular respiration, the process that converts oxygen and food into energy. This can help promote fat loss and improve calorie burn during workouts, leading to more effective weight management.
Infrared Workout Experience
I went to a local gym that offered infrared workout classes to try it for myself. It was clean, well equipped and had 10 private infrared saunas for various types of calisthenic and cardio workouts. Here's what I noticed:
Sweat
You will sweat. This is pretty obvious, but cannot be understated. Even without working out, the infrared energy will heat your body and provide a solid sauna experience. The studio provided a hemp fiber mat and a towel to lay on top to prevent slipping. The heat adds a small layer of difficulty to the workout and helped loosen any tightness in the muscles.
Workouts
The workout classes are played on a screen in the sauna, and were all bodyweight based: yoga, pilates, isometric strength, barre, core, or stretch. Because the sauna is made of wood, you cannot bring in heavy weights. That being said, the class was still challenging with long holds and an emphasis on balance, isolation, and intentional contractions. The infrared made warming up easy and was extremely beneficial during the stretching and mobility portion at the end.
Pricing
Infrared fitness is expensive, especially if you are used to commercial gyms. That being said, there was an additional element of privacy present. In fact, you can almost always book a sauna for yourself. Infrared light has its own health benefits and can make your workout more comprehensive. Having a trainer, (even virtually) can often be helpful in creating extrinsic motivation. I would recommend finding a gym that allows you to try a workout for free and see if you like it!
Conclusion
The infrared trend is may be just a passing phase in the fitness world, but it has positive theorized health benefits. If you’re looking to add a new dimension to your fitness routine, infrared fitness offers several benefits that can elevate your gym experience. Just be ready to sweat!
To learn more about infrared saunas, read our full article here.
To read about other trends in health and fitness, check our recents page here.
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