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Every night, before dinner, the same scene is repeated. Sheltered to the eyebrows, Chema Martínez walks decisively towards the swimming pool of her community and, without hesitation for a moment, sheds her bathrobe to dive into the water for a few minutes. In summer, the act does not have too much epic but, as of September, Chemita's night dip acquires heroic (or dramatic, as you look at) dyes. Your neighbors do not even look to see the deed. "They are more than used to seeing me. I think I have turned something extraordinary into a daily act, " he laughs.

The Madrid athlete does not forgive this icy ritual that he incorporated into his daily routines decades ago. "I run, like, I hydrate, rest and dip my legs in icy water. I guess some will think I'm buzzed but I've been dealing with it since I started doing it, back in 1993. At that time, almost nobody considered resorting to this recovery system, but I discovered that it was phenomenal, "he recalls.

Long before such media stars as Ronaldo, Beckham or the NBA players proclaimed on the social networks the benefits of cold therapy, Martinez was there, immersed in an ice bathtub, enduring with stoicism a trickle of epithets and prophecies which, by the way, was never fulfilled. "They told me I was crazy and they predicted that I would be sterile. I have three children so it is quite clear that they were wrong," he says.

In addition to promoting muscle recovery after workouts, Martínez guarantees that these immeasurable dives have made him iron. "Although it may seem crazy, they strengthen my immune system and I don't usually catch a cold in winter."

INVISIBLE TRAINING

Following in the wake of Chema Martínez or those seasoned veterans who do not forgive their daily dip in the iciest waters of the Spanish coast (see La Concha donostiarra), to name a few examples, there are more and more brave people who point to cryotherapy as a method of recovery after sports.

Called ' invisible training ', it is more than proven that it produces "an optimization of the athlete's recovery after exercise and, consequently, an improvement in performance," explains Elena Isla Paredes, doctor of the Sports Medicine Unit of the University Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja (Madrid).

Of course, its use is not indicated "in patients with cold sensitivity, certain dermatological disorders, hypertension and heart or lung failure, among other pathologies."

What is it for? "When there is a decrease in body temperature, the reduction of possible edema and inflammation is encouraged. Its vasoconstrictor effect also favors venous return and, in turn, acts as an analgesic."

Local application with ice packs, cryo compression, cryotherapy chambers ... There are many methods to apply this therapy but the most popular is, perhaps, the one practiced by Martínez, immersion in water. "It must be carried out slowly and progressively , starting with a few seconds until it can last between 15 and 20 minutes, in the case that it is used for the treatment of pain, edema or muscle spasms," advises this specialist.

Although there is no current scientific evidence on what the ideal minimum temperature should be, "it is most recommended that it approach 12 degrees Celsius , in the case of dives."

CONTRASTS

Physiotherapist and manager of Atrium 3, Daniel Porro, adds some more to the list of benefits glossed by Dr. Isla Paredes. "In addition to helping in the regeneration of fibrillar microrotures, it speeds up the metabolism, especially if you have the courage to put it into practice early in the morning and strengthens the immune system ."

His prescription? "This type of therapy is beneficial both for athletes and for people who have circulation problems or spend a lot of standing throughout the day. I would not recommend that it be done in isolation with cold water. I am more in favor of contrasts: start with hot - at about 25 degrees Celsius - and end with cold - not less than five - to take full advantage of the vasoconstrictor and vasodilator effects. "

Look where you look, it is clear that the icy daily feat of Chema Martínez has a prize (muscular, immune, etc). Now, well, it takes a lot, but that much value ...

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