Saunas may be something you associate with your grandparents at their local health centre but they’re now also a favourite of those who spin, according to the ClassPass research. Saunas have huge health benefits, ranging from cardiovascular improvements to lower blood pressure and supporting athletes recover from training.

“Temperatures can vary between 65-90℃, so it’s very hot,” says Kerry. “This is really about stimulating that healthy blood flow and improving circulation. The nutrient-rich blood will be rushing to all of the body’s key areas to help with recovery.”

A 2015 study from Finland found that both traditional saunas and newer infrared saunas help the neuromuscular system to recover after strength and endurance training. And in a 2018 paper from the Sports Medicine journal, researchers found that heating muscles, including in a sauna, can even lead to an increase in muscle mass by “promoting muscle cell differentiation and altering the expression of various genes, kinases and transcription factors involved in muscle remodeling”.

And it’s not just useful post-workout: in another 2015 study, this time published in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that using a sauna before exercise led to a smaller decline in muscular strength throughout the workout. Essentially, the body was less easily fatigued and participants could do more during their session.

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