Sauna + Resisted Breath Training + Yoga and Body Weight Exercises
I've lately been using a hot, insulated, infrared sauna for heat acclimation training and detox, an N=1 experiment you can read about in more detail here. But rather than simply sitting cross-legged in the sauna and staring at the wall, I've been working on mobility, isometric strength, and inspiratory and expiratory muscle capacity by including yoga and resisted breathing during my 30 minute forays into my very sweaty "pain cave."
First, I pre-heat the sauna while I warm up my body with a 20 to 30 minute run, bike ride or weight training routine. Then I go into the sauna, put on a resisted breath-training mask and perform a routine like the one outlined below:
-5 repetitions of yoga "chatarunga" motion
-1 round of yoga sun salutations
-Repeat chatarunga to sun salutations three times
-10 body weight squats
-1 repetition of chatarunga
-60 second isometric lunge hold on right leg
-1 repetition of chatarunga
-60 second isometric lunge hold on right leg
-Repeat squats, chatarunga, and lunge holds three times
-Finish with 5 minutes of box breathing while still wearing mask
Foam Rolling + Resisted Breath Training + Calisthenics
Like many people, I'm a big fan of the frequent use of a foam roller to keep injuries at bay and to keep the body mobile. Problem is, the 20 to 45 minutes it takes to perform a full body foam rolling routine are 20 to 45 minutes you aren't spending "getting fit." So when I do my foam rolling routine, (which I do two times per week), I put on a podcast or an audiobook, put on a resisted breath training mask, and inject calisthenic exercises into my rolling so that I am able to achieve injury prevention, breath training and cardiovascular exercise all at once.
Here's how to do this workout:
For every area that you foam roll, do 20 to 30 passes with the foam roller on the muscle group (one pass means you roll up the muscle group and back down the muscle group). Do each station below one time, progressing from one station to the next with minimal rest.
Station 1: 10 burpees. Foam roll Achilles and calf R side.
Station 2: 10 burpees. Foam roll Achilles and calf L side.
Station 3: Foam roll hamstring R side. 20 high leg swings R leg forward to backwards.
Station 4: Foam roll hamstring L side. 20 high leg swings L leg forward to backwards.
Station 5: 10 burpees. Foam roll R outside of hip.
Station 6: 10 burpees. Foam roll L outside of hip.
Station 7: Foam roll IT band R side. 20 side-to-side leg swings R leg.
Station 8: Foam roll IT band L side. 20 side-to-side leg swings L leg.
Station 9: 10 burpees. Foam roll R adductors/inside of thighs.
Station 10: 10 burpees. Foam roll L adductors/inside of thighs.
Station 11: 50 jumping jacks. Foam roll back bottom-to-top.
Station 12: 50 jumping jacks. Foam roll entire right shoulder complex.
Station 13: 50 jumping jacks. Foam roll entire left shoulder complex.
Station 14: 10 burpees. Foam roll neck (back, L side, R side)
Station 15: 10 burpees. Foam roll entire front of quads.
Videos or demonstrations of any foam roller exercises above can be found here. And yes, you get extra fitness bonus points if you do this routine in a dry or infrared sauna.
Finally, you should not consider this to be medical advice, and you should follow a physician's recommendation for movement involving an injured joint. However, if your doctor tells you to simply rest for two to four weeks, you need to specifically ask them about alternatives to that all-too-common prescription. There's no reason that you can't stay in lean and fit shape while rehabilitating!
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