Floatation for Athletes

Repose, tranquility, stillness, inaction - these are the levels of the universe, the ultimate perfection of the Tao.   ~ Chuang Tzu

Floatation Therapy

A floatation tank – or as we have at Tao Hydrotherapy, a floatation room – is a sensory deprivation cabin. It works by literally turning off your senses and putting you into a state of deep and total relaxation. Along with water, it also contains a super-concentrated, mineral-rich compound that contains, among others, nutrients that are hard to obtain from our food but are readily absorbed through the skin.

The float room itself contains 10 inches of body temperature water that has over half a ton of natural mineral-rich salts in it – it has the same effect as the salts in the dead sea, enabling you to float effortlessly.

Because the water is body temperature, and the air in the room the same, your body can’t feel it, creating a truly unique experience. Whilst floating, the pressure of gravity is taken off of the joints and muscles, reducing physical demands, and the body as a whole is put in to a high state of relaxation, with blood pressure and oxygen intake reduced, but at the same time blood flow and the distribution of red blood cells increase.

The brain also uses a lot of power to deal with the huge strain that gravity places on the body. In a floatation tank, your body is totally supported and you feel weightless. As there is little for your brain to do, every muscle can fully relax, and with no commands needing to be sent out, activity in the logical side of the brain slows down until it synchronises with the creative side.

To expand upon this, the left side of the brain is ‘logical’ and the right, ‘creative’. The left side processes information in a linear manner. It processes from part to whole. It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it draws conclusions. The right side however, processes from whole to parts, holistically. It starts with the answer. It sees the big picture first, not the details. Floatation balances the left and right sides of the brain, and abilities in one or the other do not diminish, rather they get trained to work better together, with greater synchronicity.

The effect of this balancing is that your brain gradually shifts from its usual alpha state, to generating theta waves. This will leave you in a dream-like state, similar to that experienced just before you go to sleep. In this state, the brain releases vast amounts of endorphins, a 'feel good' chemical. While the state of relaxation may be deep and profound, your brain will stay dreamily alert. This is also the state of mind that Buddhist monks try to reach through hours of meditation and years of training. And you can achieve this in just a few minutes using floatation!

The combined effect the unique compound has on your body and brain can improve your performance giving you an effective edge, it can shorten recovery times from training and injury, support and improve the efficacy of treatments such as physiotherapy, and when used regularly it will help you to maintain your general all round fitness levels.

IMPROVES PERFORMANCE

Modern training methods focus on helping the athlete to master the ‘inner game’ to develop the perfect synchronicity between mind, body and emotion which is the hallmark of a champion. In the tank the athlete can attain the level of concentration necessary for visualisation to have a quantifiable impact on his or her performance.

INCREASES STAMINA AND BLOOD FLOW

Stamina will be enhanced by floatation. Circulation and distribution of oxygen and nutrients increases, and a reduction in blood pressure, pulse and heart rates along with decreased oxygen consumption all result in improved staying power and longevity of energy reserves.

FASTER RECOVERY

Floatation has been shown to loosen the muscles and give athletes a greater degree of control over their nervous systems. This reduces the risk of injury during training or competition. Floatation not only accelerates the recovery process, but releases vast quantities of endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller.

SATISFYING

Physical exercise can cause a build of lactic acid, which is often experienced as pain and a cramping of the muscles, and has been linked with the feelings of depression known as ‘post-game letdown’ which can affect even part-time joggers. Floating resets the body’s chemical and metabolic balance, assisting in the flushing of lactate, cortisone and adrenaline that may have built up either through training or performance, thus reducing the risk of over training, and leaving you feeling content and rewarded for your efforts. 

Key benefits of floatation therapy:

Promotes total calm, peaceful relaxation, eliminates fatigue and jet lag; improves sleep, alleviates stress- mental and physical; energises, rejuvenates and revitalises.

Stimulates left/right brain synchronisation; shifts brain waves from Beta to lower frequency Alpha, Theta and even Delta.; creates mental clarity, alertness; increases creativity, problem solving; heightens visualisation; deepens meditation; expands awareness, intensifies acuteness of all the senses, accelerates learning.

Enhances hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis; increases motivation, diminishes depression, anxiety and fear; facilitates freedom from habits, phobias and addictions.

Improves athletic performance and helps prevent sports injuries and speeds the healing process.

Decreases the production of Cortisol, ACTH, Lactic Acid and Adrenaline; Increases production of endorphins; quickens rehabilitation and recovery; relieves pain- arthritis, migraines, injuries etc.; boosts immune function.

Improves circulation and distribution of oxygen and nutrients; reduces blood pressure, pulse, heart rate and oxygen consumption.

Floatation is safe, effective and hydrating

The mineral salts we use are safe enough to be taken orally in the right amounts, but too much will cause dehydration which can be fatal, however, when absorbed through the skin there is no risk of this and it actually has the opposite effect. Your skin is a highly porous membrane and adding the right minerals to the water triggers a process called reverse osmosis, which actually pulls salt out of your body, and harmful toxins along with it. This means that no matter how often you train, the benefits of floating can be used in conjunction with your exercise programme in complete safety.

We’ve already helped top-flight footballers, FA qualified coaches as well as athletes, rugby players and Hollywood actors to enhance their skills, and we look forward to welcoming you to our spa to help you achieve the same.