Phase 5 uses two forms of cupping in its practice – static cupping and myofascial decompression (MFD)**

Static cupping is the traditional form of cupping that leaves the cup in place for five minutes before moving it to a new treatment area. Benefits include the rapid facilitation of rigid soft tissue release and a loosening and lifting of connective tissue. It also focuses on breaking up and draining stagnation while increasing blood lymph flow to skin and muscles in ways not possible by compression. In addition, the pulling sensation of the cup engages the parasympathetic nervous system allowing for deep relaxation to the soft tissues of the body.

Myofascial decompression (MFD) is a novel approach to manual therapy and exercise that combines negative pressure technology (cupping) with evidence-based movement science principles in orthopedics and sports medicine. Its focus targets the efficiency of motion with fascial mobility and neuromuscular re-education. MFD is based on assessing and correcting movement inefficiencies, whereas static cupping does not involve movement. The main benefits of MFD are to increase the mobility of the soft tissues treated and to decrease adhesions and scar tissue that inhibit proper motion.

Like most medical interventions, there are risks and rewards involved in cupping and MFD.

Please consult with the professionals at Phase 5 to see if cupping or MFD is right for you.

Learn more about static cupping

Learn more about MFD

Also known as “scraping,” IASTM is a form of soft tissue mobilization incorporating a tool. The instruments preferred by Phase 5 are HawkGrips. When soft tissue such as muscle is injured, cross-linkages develop in the tissue, thus decreasing strength, reactivity, and limiting the range of motion. In addition, the use of the tool and technique detects and relieves symptoms of scar tissue, adhesions, and fascial restrictions within the soft tissue.

Learn more about IASTM

Fascial manipulation is one of the newest and most exciting manual therapy techniques offered. It is changing the way providers look at and treat injuries and dysfunction. The gold standard in fascial manipulation comes from the Stecco family, sometimes called the “First Family of Fascia.” The Stecco Fascial Manipulation method was researched and invented by Drs. Luigi Stecco, Carla Stecco, and Antonio Stecco (medical doctors in Italy). The technique has continued to evolve over the last 35 years through intense research and clinical observations. It is just now being popularized and implemented in the United States. The method involves dividing the treatment areas by body planes of movement while focusing on complex motion patterns centered around joint and muscular dysfunction.

This is our definition of what body tempering is:

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Body Tempering is a tool used to accelerate sport activity performance and recovery by combating soft tissue restrictions.

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Body Tempering is utilizing weight to assist in joint and soft tissue mobilization. That weight can be light (3-5 lbs) up to Heavy (165 - 300 lbs). It is a tool to improve range of motion, increase flexibility, reduce soreness, mobilize the myofascial layers, address trigger points (or tender points), strengthen tendons, and alter sympathetic nervous system excitation

Body Tempering is meant to help augment any training or rehab protocols to help remove any doubt that you did everything you could to train to meet your individual goals. It is not meant to stand alone as a technique. It is also not meant to be a crutch for dealing with more serious medical issues in the absence of professional medical care. We often wait until something is broken to fix it and ignore the importance of routine maintenance. Tempering meant to help prevent injury or in a medical capacity to help reduce soreness, reduce tightness, and improve range of motion, not act as an isolated treatment. Body tempering without optimal movement or training is going to be inefficient. 

A cold plunge is the practice of submerging one’s whole body in cold water. It is also known as cold water immersion or ice water immersion.

Cold plunge benefits extend beyond the mental and chemical aspects of your body too. Sports medicine has utilized cold water therapy for years, to help with the active recovery of your muscles.

1. Soothe Sore Muscles

Just like throwing an ice pack on a sprained wrist, cold plunges can help to reduce soreness in your muscles and sometimes decrease swelling and inflammation. Professional athletes and fitness buffs have been on this trend for a while, but don’t be intimidated — cold-water therapy is truly for everyone.

When you submerge in cold water, your blood vessels will naturally constrict. Doing this diminishes your blood flow, which in turn reduces inflammation in muscles. While this can be great for dealing with injuries and minor tweaks, you don’t need to be hurt to benefit.

There is evidence to suggest that cold plunges can improve circulation, thanks to the same idea of constricting your blood vessels. When you first hit the cold water, the circulation on the surface of your body (your skin) constricts. To try and maintain your body temperature, the blood in your deeper tissues will circulate at a higher rate, improving general blood flow. 

2. Support Your Immune System

Your immune system is one of the most critical aspects of your body’s health, and cold water immersion may help improve it. So while it’s probably not a great idea to hop in a cold tub the next time you get the sniffles, a regular routine of cold plunging may be able to help you fight off future illnesses.

Studies have shown that exposure to cold water and cold temperatures can have an “immunostimulating” effect, which is a fancy way of saying that cold therapy can help your immune response.

Exposure to cold water can trigger your lymphatic system, eliminating waste and toxins within the body. Lymphatic vessels, which carry infection-fighting white blood cells, will constrict when in contact with cold water, forcing the lymphatic system to pump. This, in turn, triggers your immune system, boosting your white blood cell count and improving your immune response!

3. Builds Resilience

Voluntarily dipping your body into freezing water challenges you both physically and mentally, pushing your body past its comfort zone. It takes fortitude to withstand cold temperatures, even for a short time, which is why ice baths build up your resiliency. Building up a routine of cold plunging can even help you develop better self-control and gain more energy.

While hot tubs are known for their relaxation, cold tubs are notoriously difficult to get used to. Nothing can prepare you for the first shock of taking a cold plunge, and unless you’ve actively practiced the Wim Hof Cold Therapy Method, it might be challenging to get your routine started.

Sitting in chilled water acts as a physiological stressor and temporarily puts your body in survival mode. However, brief and repeated exposure to this physical stress may improve your overall stress response in a process called cross-adaptation. Your body adapts to repeated exposure to ice baths by building your defenses to have them in place in case the ice bath happens again.

Even if you’ve started a routine, it won’t feel much easier to get in the tub every day— but pushing through that initial discomfort can help you leap out of your comfort zone. Of course, it’ll take some work to convince yourself, but by sticking to your guns and pushing through your discomfort, you might find it more accessible and easier to master self-control.

4. Boosts Energy Levels

You know that feeling of what it's like to be alive? Like, really alive in an energetic way? That's what plunging gives us. Our co-founder, Michael, is more of a hypo-aroused person by nature and says, "The energy I get from plunging is so important for me. I wake up feeling lethargic most mornings, but after I plunge, I have a significant boost in energy."

Sticking to a cold plunge routine can also boost your energy levels, thanks to a hormone and neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. Norepinephrine in the brain helps to regulate focus, attention, and mood, and when we come into contact with cold water, there is a significant release of norepinephrine into our bodies. 

This sudden increase stimulates our sympathetic nervous system, better known as our “fight-or-flight” response. Once this is triggered, we get a flood of energy as our body works through the physical stress of cold temperatures. 

5. Boost Your Metabolism

The metabolic rate is the rate at which your body uses energy to burn calories. According to studies, cold exposure kicks this rate into high gear — anywhere from 8% to 80% higher — as your body works to keep itself warm.

Though it may not feel like it, shivering generates heat. That heat production requires energy, which results in a boost to your metabolism. An increase in metabolism from soaking in an ice bath may then lead to the next surprising benefit.

6. Support Weight Loss

Your body gets the energy it needs to keep you warm in the cold from brown adipose tissue, or brown fat. Think of a wood-burning stove that’s used to warm up a room. The wood is the “brown fat,” and the fire is the “metabolism.”

As your body shivers and burns brown fat, your body burns calories faster. This suggests that ice baths may help you shed pounds or help you maintain a healthy weight in addition to your regular health and wellness routines.

7. Improve Your Mood and Support Mental Health

If your mood needs a pick-me-up, an ice bath may do the trick. After that initial gasp from the shock of cold water, many people begin to feel invigorated and clear-headed. You can thank the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones, for that.

When your body senses cold, your sympathetic nervous system gets to work. That’s the part of your nervous system that regulates the “fight-or-flight” response, which involves the release of hormones, such as adrenaline and endorphins, to help you get away from a threat (or fight it). Your body perceives cold as a “threat” or stressor, which is why it works so hard to keep you warm and releases hormones that improve your mood and boost focus.

8. Strengthen Your Hair And Skin

Cold water therapy doesn’t only do you good on the inside, it does you good on the outside, too. More specifically, it can help strengthen your hair and skin.

Your hair may benefit from ice baths because chilly water can flatten ruffled cuticles, leaving it shiny and help it retain moisture to prevent breakage.

And because cold constricts blood vessels, ice baths may temporarily reduce redness and puffiness in your face and tighten pores. In addition, it may soothe itchy, irritated skin on the face and the rest of the body.

For optimal results, always start and end with cold water in your normal shower routine. Starting with hot water first will strip away your skin’s natural oils, leaving your skin feeling dry and tight.

9. Support Better Quality Sleep

There are several reasons why cold water immersion supports better sleep. As we mentioned above, ice bathing relieves stress and improves your mood, making your sleep more peaceful.

Additionally, ice baths in the morning have been suggested as a potential way to positively influence the circadian rhythm, which is the body's internal clock. Taking an ice bath upon waking signals to your body that it's the start of a new day. This 'clear' start helps your body prepare for the day ahead and may contribute to a smoother transition into the evening, promoting a more effective winding down for better sleep.

Medical Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. While cold water therapy has many benefits, individual responses can vary, and the therapy may not be suitable for everyone. 

The BIOMAX series contains a proprietary array of beneficial wavelengths ideal for muscle recovery. This includes two red light wavelengths, three near-infrared light wavelengths, and traces of blue light. 

The combination of red and near-infrared light therapy gives you the most comprehensive treatment options for overall health. It is also the best option for affordable, effective, and convenient treatment.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of visible red and invisible near-infrared light delivered by powerful LED devices to stimulate healing at the cellular level. It may use red light and near-infrared wavelengths alone or in combination.

Red light therapy is best known as an anti-aging tool, but it is also incredibly versatile as a training tool for athletes of all levels. This includes anyone who likes to go to the gym. 

Shorter wavelength red light absorbs into all of the skin's layers. For muscle recovery, you'll need longer near-infrared light wavelengths.

Near-infrared light absorbs deep into muscle tissue along with nerves, joints, bones, blood vessels, and other tissues deeper in the body.

Older studies often used lasers to deliver the light, hence the term low level laser therapy (LLLT). Low-level laser therapy is administered in a clinical setting.

Today, many studies are using light-emitting diode therapy (LEDs). Clinical results can be replicated at home using a high-powered medical-grade device such as the BIOMAX series.

How Red Light Therapy Works to Promote Muscle Recovery

There are several ways that red light therapy works to support muscle recovery and overall muscle health.

Increased Cellular Energy Production

When R+ and NIR+ light absorb into the body, they come into contact with light-sensitive chromophores within the cells. This excites the mitochondria within each cell to produce more energy, stimulating cell regeneration, cellular repair, and resulting in better cellular performance.

When muscle tissue is treated with light, this can translate into to faster recovery from a hard workout, as well as faster recovery from muscle injuries, greater muscle growth, and greater strength and endurance.

Ultimately this can also lead to better muscular performance and improved athletic results, as well as faster recovery time.  

Improved Circulation

Red light treatments increase blood flow by stimulating the production of nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator that temporarily dilates blood vessels. Increasing blood flow enhances the amount of oxygen and nutrients going to the muscles.

Red light therapy also stimulates angiogenesis, which is the production of new capillaries. This enhances blood flow to the muscles.

Reduced Chronic Inflammation

Acute (short-term) inflammation, which often manifests as muscle soreness, is a good thing. It means your body is working hard to repair itself after a tough workout. 

However, if your muscles are chronically inflamed due to overtraining or an injury, then post-workout muscle pain will linger and performance will decrease. 

Red light therapy can reduce inflammation in the muscles and can reduce oxidative stress. This can increase muscle performance during exercise, reduce post-workout pain, and speed up recovery.

Increased Collagen Synthesis

Skin relies on collagen for its structure; and so does muscle tissue. Collagen is a protein that plays a key role in tissue repair and regeneration, and it is essential for muscle growth.

Red light therapy increases collagen production to help muscles rebuild stronger than before. In the muscles, its main function is to provide structural support for healthy muscle tissue. 

Pain Relief

Red light is a natural analgesic (pain killer), partly by stimulating the release of endorphins. Tis is the body’s natural opioid-like substance. In a study on chronic low back pain, test subjects’ pain scores fell from 6.9/10 to 3/10 after treatment with red light therapy.

Increased Lymphatic Drainage

Stimulating lymph drainage using red light therapy can help remove lactic acid and toxins from muscles to relieve delayed onset muscle soreness, and speed up recovery. 

Muscle contractions are the “pump” that pushes lymph through the body, but red light therapy’s effect on increasing nitric oxide helps lymph flow more freely to remove toxins from muscles.

Red Light Therapy Translates to Faster Return-to-Play!

On a microscopic level, red light therapy supports the healing of torn muscle fibers to rebuild them stronger.

Red light treatment can also result in faster return-to-play. This was found in a large study of university athletes suffering from sports injuries who used red light therapy to return to their sport after an average of 9.6 days as opposed to the anticipated 19.23 days.

Normatec is the ultimate recovery device. The technology can increase circulation, improve mobility for those who work out regularly, train for competitions or races, experience swollen legs from traveling frequently, stand for long hours on the job, or suffer from inflammation, sore muscles, and other circulatory issues.

The Normatec PULSE Series is a pneumatic compression device that utilizes patented technology to increase circulation to the limbs. Using Normatec’s leg, arm, or hip attachments boosts blood flow and reduces pain and soreness. In addition to these benefits, studies show that Normatec decreases inflammation, clears metabolites, and increases range of motion.

Why choose Normatec?

Faster recovery

Increased circulation

Reduced pain and inflammation

Patented technology for proven results (relied on by 97% of pro teams)