Cryotherapy for Recovery as Told by Celeb Trainer, Aaron Ferguson

Celebrity personal trainer and athlete, Aaron Ferguson, who is known for his work with Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, is an avid whole body cryotherapy user. It his opinion that cryotherapy is the most efficient form of workout recovery. When time allows, he prefers to utilize a combination of cryotherapy, powered by Impact, and NormaTec compression therapy to minimize the amount of time his muscles need to recovery as this regimen is similar to the R.I.C.E. method. Cool, right?

To learn more about why Aaron believes in the cryo freeze, check out this video of him chilling out in the Impact Cryotherapy machine at Cryoshift Cryotherapy:

For more information about the benefits of whole body cryotherapy, click here!

Ask Impact: Cryotherapy for Wellness Centers?

At Impact, we want to answer your most important questions — or just give you a little insight into things you’re curious about. To get your question answered, fill out our contact form. To read one of our latest, check out our question below.

Hey Impact, I’ve got wellness center in Atlanta, and we’ve been really successful at implementing the latest wellness trends for our clients: we’ve got a juice bar, started offering hot yoga, and have our own designer workout gear in the works. The one thing we haven’t added (and clients keep asking!) is cryotherapy. We don’t currently have a lot of space, but we want to make the investment if it makes sense because we LOVE our clients! Can you help? —Taylor

Hey Taylor, there’s no doubt that cryotherapy has really shot up in popularity recently. With everyone from Cristiano Ronaldo and Floyd Mayweather to Will Smith and Jennifer Aniston swearing by it, it’s not hard to see why your clients are flocking to you for insight into the latest wellness trend. Props to you for keeping your customers on the up and up!

A lot of the latest wellness trends out there like juice bars and hot yoga require a pretty hefty space AND money investment when you’re just getting started. They’re the kind of decisions you really want to map out over time before you install any humidifiers or blenders. But with cryotherapy, that doesn’t have to be the case.

Cryotherapy is great at two things when it comes to your customers: Getting them feeling better, and getting them feeling better fast. A session in the cryotherapy chamber takes three minutes tops when you use an Impact Cryotherapy machine, which means your customers can benefit up their wellness game in less than five minutes. Considering how much time they spend standing in line for Starbucks, or commuting to work every morning, three minutes is a short time to spend so that they can feel their best. Frequent cryotherapy users have reported less pain, clearer skin, and feelings of euphoria after sessions, which will be great perks to be able to offer your clients.

For wellness center, gym, chiropractic practice, and spa owners, in particular, cryotherapy is also great at two things: Being incredibly space efficient and giving you the opportunity for high turnover with your clients so that you’re using your space to bring in more revenue. With the Impact Cryotherapy machine, you only need a 10×10 space to get started. Don’t believe us? Check out this blog post we did about how to convert a closet into a cryotherapy chamber. It may be hard to believe, but reading is believing! And when you add that to the fact that you can have a client in the machine every five minutes, it’s easy to see how investing in a cryotherapy machine is just good business. When added to the complete customer service package that we provide with each of our machines, we can have you up and ready in less than 30 days. That way, you’re not just following the trend, but you’re getting it set up early enough to help lead it.

If you have any questions about getting started, we’d be happy to help you figure out where in your current space would be the best place for a cryo chamber, and then walk you through next steps. In the meantime, we hope you don’t mind us stopping by for a fresh juice!

4 Things You’ll Learn About Cryotherapy Because Joe Rogan Loves It More Than Anyone

The man, the myth, the legend: Joe Rogan.

If you’ve ever watched his interviews or listened to his podcasts, you know one thing: Joe Rogan loves cryotherapy. And the best part is, he loves it in a way that makes it educational for all of us. Here’s a short list of the four things that you’ll definitely find out if you’re a fan.

#1. Cryotherapy is the go-to prep for UFC all-stars.

“My friend Eddie Bravo, when he was preparing for his match against Royler Gracie, started using it on a daily basis. Alan Jouban — his knee was hurt — he did it twice a day, every day before his last UFC fight and it totally fixed all the inflammation in his knee.”

If you’re touting your friends, you really believe in something. And that’s clear as soon as Rogan gets asked about how he got into cryotherapy, why he loves it, and what’s so great about it. And his friends aren’t just random people, they’re some of the fittest athletes in the world. So, you want to train like a UFC fighter and get real results? Hop into a cryo chamber — for Rogan, it’s as simple as that.

(Watch more of the video here)

#2. Dr. Rhonda Patrick is on board with him about cryotherapy.

Rogan is transparent about his lack of medical knowledge, but just to prove he’s not the kind of person to just follow any trend, he brings in experts like Dr. Rhonda Patrick to tout why cryotherapy is worth the hype. And that’s something we can get behind — great results, and even better data.

“The data is out there. It’s not like there’s no data.” – Dr. Patrick

(Watch more of the video here)

#3. Is cryo a natural mood booster?

“What can’t be denied is the way that [cryotherapy] makes you feel. You do three minutes in one of those cryotherapy places and you come out like ‘WOO.’ I’ll give a lot for that ‘WOO.’”

Rogan knows what you’re thinking. Why is this dip into Antarctica-like temperatures good for me? Instead of going on about the benefits first, he gets straight to the point to get you hooked: It just feels good. And when you’re in pain, that’s a pretty good reason to take the cryotherapy plunge.

(Watch more of the video here)

#4. You’re not shivering in vain.

“There are real benefits. It feels really good when you get out. Your brain produces really strong chemicals when you’re in there, ‘cold shock proteins’ is what they call them, and it also produces norepinephrine, which is like a cousin of adrenaline.”
There’s one thing Rogan is absolutely clear on: It’s going to be really cold. At more than a hundred degrees below freezing, a cryochamber is no walk into a relaxing sauna — and he’s upfront about it. But he’s also quick to share exactly why that cold is 100% worth it.

(Watch more of the video here)

So, does Rogan recommend cryotherapy to his guests?

 

Ready to get on Rogan’s bandwagon and try cryotherapy for yourself? Schedule your session today!

For more information about how to add cryotherapy, powered by Impact, to a new or existing business, click here.

Ice, Ice Baby: The History of Cryotherapy

With all the buzz surrounding cryotherapy in the fitness and wellness world, you’d think that cryotherapy was a modern invention and that humans have only just discovered the benefits of chilly, cold immersion therapy.

But the truth is, the application of cold and ice first came to us thousands of years ago when the Egyptians treated inflammation and injuries with isolated cold application. In fact, papyrus scrolls have been found documenting the application of ice on a number of patients — which inspired us to take a good long look at where the origins of cold as a whole body wellness routine began.

Interested in taking a journey down memory lane with us? Scroll through our infographic below, or jump down to read the timeline with all the historical details.

 

history of cryotherapy2500 B.C.: Egyptians walked like Egyptians — and also used cold temperatures to treat diseases and other ailments.

400 B.C.: Hippocrates, also known as the father of medicine, was an ancient Greek physician documented the benefits of cold exposure when applied to swelling, pain, and bleeding.

Napoleonic era: Ice was widely used as a cooling mechanism for amputation and anesthesia.

1845: Englishman Dr. James Arnott, also known as the father of modern cryosurgery, observed the local cold application on numerous conditions — from headaches to tumors — and reported back the benefits. His solution mixed crushed salt with ice for temperatures of -18° to – 24° C and was used to freeze skin, breast, and cervical cancer tumors.

1851: Arnott launched a cold therapy apparatus at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 with the intent to apply to acne and neuralgia, but the device failed to get cold enough for his purpose.

1899: Campbell White was the first person to use liquid gas in medicine. His air, at a chilling -195° C, was used to treat a diverse number of skin ailments. Using a gas flask as a liquid air sprayer, it was the first handheld cryosurgery device available.

1907: William A. Pusey, a Chicago-based physician, preferred the use of carbon dioxide snow at a temperature of -78.5° C, to treat a number of maladies.

1950: Liquid nitrogen breaks onto the scene at a whopping -196° C and begins being used in clinical practice. Herman V. Allington was at the forefront of this practice, using cotton swabs dipped in liquid nitrogen to treat various skin diseases.

1978: Dr. Yamauchi coins the term “whole body cryotherapy” and freezes his patient’s skin for pain management of rheumatoid arthritis. After experiencing positive results, he and his partner began developing cryotherapy chambers.

1980s: Nordic and Eastern European countries adopt cryotherapy, with Polish scientists adapting Yamaguchi’s approach to decrease recovery time and increase athletic performance. In May 2000, the Olympic rehabilitation center opened in Spala, Poland, featuring cryotherapy machines for training and injury rehabilitation.

2014: Impact Cryotherapy launches their cryotherapy machine — the only one manufactured in the U.S. — and brings innovation to the recovery process.

2018: Impact Cryotherapy forms Cryoshift Cryotherapy to deliver their one-of-a-kind machine, along with other alternative therapies, with an all-new wellness franchise.

Interested in learning even more about Impact Cryotherapy cryosaunas and their fitness and wellness possibilities? Check out our blog or get information on how to get started with your own cryotherapy business today.

Powered By Impact: Will Smith Recharges with Cryo Post-Workout

Pre-Bad Boys III filming, Will Smith + team enjoyed a nice getaway in the Bahamas. While on vacay, Will and his crew still stuck to their rigorous workout routines and may have gone a little too hard. Lucky for them, ALBANY, Bahamas has its very own Impact cryotherapy chamber. Check out Will + team’s very first experience with whole body cryotherapy, powered by Impact, below:

Will isn’t the only celeb who loves cryotherapy #PoweredByImpact! Click here to find out which other celebrities are crazy about cryo.

Want more information about Impact Cryotherapy cryo chambers?

What’s Included with Your Impact Cryotherapy Cryo Chamber

Capitalizing on your cryotherapy business opportunity comes down to knowing what you’re getting and how to optimize it. With Impact, we deliver more than just a machine — we include partnerships, machine operation training and certification, marketing materials, and more so that you are prepared for revenue growth from the very moment you sign the sales agreement.

From equipment to business essentials you need to know about, here’s what’s included with every Impact cryo chamber purchase:

1. Accessory kit

The first step to getting started with cryotherapy is ensuring that you have the right items to begin running cryo sessions upon receipt of your cryo chamber – that’s why we provide these items with every Impact Cryotherapy machine:

  • Oxygen monitor
  • 8 pairs of socks
  • 4 pairs of boots
  • 4 pairs of thermal gloves
  • 4 robes
  • 1 6 foot transfer hose
  • 1 Impact Cryotherapy logo
  • 1 set of keys to the electrical box

2. Partnerships

To match our innovative cryotherapy machines, we work with a number of top-tier capital partners to give our clients options as they look to make their cryotherapy business a reality. Interested in your options? See the financial companies we’re proud to offer our customers.

We also assist with all nitrogen gas related needs –  Impact’s Director of Nitrogen Gas Relations will be the liaison with your local gas company, before, during, and after your cryosauna installation. He’s also on hand to address questions about Compressed Gas Association (CGA) and/or fire code, specialized manufactured gas tanks, micro-bulk systems. Our team is also available to assist with additional gas matters including O2 monitor set-up, room ventilation code requirements, and any additional nitrogen questions you may have.

3. Training + Resource Portal Certification

In-person training is one of the many things that separate the Impact experience from all the other cryotherapy offerings out there. Each Impact cryo chamber purchase includes two days of onsite training with a factory-trained Impact employee.

Once you and your team are trained, we put your knowledge to the test. To create the safest, most reliable cryotherapy experience, we developed the Cryotherapy Operator Annual Certification process to ensure that operators of the Impact Cryosauna not only acquire the knowledge needed for safe operation but that they also retain the information year over year. To become certified to operate an Impact cryochamber, we require a minimum score of 85% on the certification test as well as 40 hours of practical training by our certified staff.

We also offer access to on-going education and training through the Impact Cryotherapy Customer Resource Portal, including our must-have operational guide, “Whole Body Cryotherapy Operator Training: Safety is Essential,” to guarantee that your in-depth training continues after installation.

4. Marketing Assistance

Knocking your cryotherapy business out of the park is more than just setting up a machine and hoping for good things to happen. That’s why we help advise you on your overall marketing strategy and best practices so that you can get started driving revenue as soon as you open.

We’ll also provide updated imagery, video, social media graphics, and access to webinars and podcasts to use for marketing and collateral purposes. That way, you’re not only working with the best materials in-house, but you’re also up to date on what’s going on in the cryotherapy community. 

5. Service + Support

Led by our Director of Cryotherapy Engineering, the Impact team of highly-skilled cryotherapy engineers provides unmatched expertise to ensure our equipment meets the high-performance standards you need and expect.

Should any issues arise, we have the bandwidth and resources to execute a service plan immediately. We have invested in a dedicated factory-trained team that will respond and execute solutions so your unit is up and running as quickly as possible. Want more information about the great services we provide? Get the details here

6. Manufacturer’s Warranty

Each Impact unit includes a 1-year American manufacturer warranty with the option for extended warranty upgrades. In addition to the warranty, each Impact Cryotherapy machine comes with ETL and CE certification to ensure top quality. Want more information about our certifications? Read more here.

Ready to learn more about the next steps you need to take to get started?

The Future Adjustment Podcast: Cryotherapy + Chiropractic

Recently, cryotherapy has been emerging as a popular modality for doctors of chiropractic. In episode 26 of “The Future Adjustment-Chiropractic Economics Podcast”, host Daniel Sosnoski, editor in chief of chiropractic economics, sits down with Impact Cryotherapy’s Chad Finnegan to discuss cryotherapy’s role in the world of chiropractic.

Highlights from this episode:

  • Cryotherapy – what is it? Simply speaking, cryotherapy is cold therapy. Ice packs, cold showers, polar plunges – they’re all forms of cryotherapy, however, the type of cryotherapy being discussed during this episode is a specific kind. This specific type of cryotherapy uses nitrogen vapor to stimulate the body’s natural response to extremely cold temperatures, promoting natural healing + wellness. It’s different than an ice bath in that it reaches much colder temps and provides an even chill.
  • Where did cryotherapy start and where is it going? Originally the concept was created in Japan to help treat arthritis and reduce inflammation. Eventually,  it made its way to Europe where a few unique cryotherapy machines were designed + created. Later, it was brought to the USA. Today, cryotherapy is present in all different verticals –  from health professionals, chiropractors, orthopedic medicine, to professional and collegiate athletic programs and retail wellness facilities. It’s notable that it’s really moving it into the sports therapy world. Doctors of Chiropractic who work with sports teams are using it, sports teams themselves are buying this equipment and using it – in general, professional athletes aren’t going to mess around with things that don’t work. Cryotherapy is proving itself on the field of performance.
  • How – and why – does cryotherapy work? At Impact, we’re leading the development of case studies around cryotherapy and Dr. James Andrews, MD is chair of our board. Additionally, we have several other orthopedic doctors working with us to better understand cryo and generate American data. For the last 20 years, data on cryotherapy has primarily been coming out of Europe because the equipment has been there longer and there are more resources and assets around it. Essentially, science has shown that anytime the body is stimulated with extremely cold temperatures, blood flow is enhanced, the brain is tricked into going into fight or flight mode, and re-oxygenated blood rushes to the core. Cryotherapy is the modernization of the traditional cold therapy experience – it is three minutes and provides a complete, whole body chill.
  • Who is purchasing cryotherapy machines? Probably 95% of the United States market has no idea what cryotherapy is. There’s a great deal of education still happening in this industry, yet, we’ve seen our product be really successful. We built our foundation in the sports world. Athletic training rooms and athletes, they’re very familiar with ice baths. More recently, we’ve moved into the sports chiropractic space where these doctors are working with a lot of athletes and a quick three-minute cold experience that helps reduce inflammation and improves recovery time is a great add-on. At Impact, we’re pushing over 500 units in the US market and producing about 40,000 sessions a week. Our customer base ranges from the health professional side all the way to the entrepreneur that’s opening up a wellness center.
  • How can chiropractic patients benefit from cryotherapy? At Impact, we are the company that really created the business solution for the cryotherapy space. – efficiency, safety standards, protocols, training certification processes, and our compliance status has helped make our product the cryotherapy machine of choice across the globe. The being said, we give you the tool but it’s the Dr. Troy Van Biezen‘s of the world that really take that tool and incorporate it into their client base. Yes, cryotherapy is going to help reduce inflammation and drive blood flow. It may help fire up endorphins. The chiropractors, however, working on their patients and then following up sessions with cryotherapy, they’re the ones producing real results for their customers – these are the people we’re learning from. We’re the team that’s going to make sure this tool is working correctly.
  • What temperatures do cryotherapy machines produce? When Impact entered this space almost all of the equipment in the United States came from European markets and manufacturers.  We wanted to create and build an American product that was something that we want to utilize. This drove us to manufacture a product that produces accurate temperature readings. A lot of other pieces of equipment provides the temperature reading of the nitrogen gas entering the machines but that’s not what’s actually being exposed to the body. We use 191 Celsius or 320 Fahrenheit to enter the sauna. We also measure the temperatures within the sauna. We built our temperature protocols on three levels that are easy to reproduce and create a consistent experience for the client. We have created something that is very reproducible – whether you step into our machine on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, whenever, in L.A., New York, Miami, you’re going to get the exact same cryotherapy experience. We have led the way in actually showing the market how to produce the right temperatures – effectively, safely and consistently.

Want to learn more about how cryotherapy can benefit your chiropractic practice? Send us a note to get started: [email protected]

7 Things You Didn’t Know about Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy: the ultimate chill.

Whether you’ve been reading up about cryotherapy and its benefits in fitness and wellness magazines or you’re just getting acquainted with the latest buzzword in the lifestyle and workout recovery world, we’ve got some fun facts that will pack an icy punch.

From the history of cryotherapy to the people who are absolutely loving it, here are seven things you probably didn’t know about the trend that’s transforming gyms, workouts, and lifestyles across the nation.

A traditional ice bath takes 20 minutes. Cryotherapy takes three.

While aches and pains used to require athletes to sit in ice baths for upwards of 20 minutes, a cryosauna cuts that time exponentially, getting users in and out in under five minutes. On top of that, ice baths are mostly scheduled post-workout, whereas cryotherapy can be utilized both as a pre-workout performance boost or for post-workout recovery.

Users have experienced the “runner’s high.”

Many people have reported numerous benefits of cryotherapy, including the “runner’s high” that comes after a powerful workout. According to Lauryn Evarts, the influencer and creative director behind The Skinny Confidential, experienced “a runner’s high times 10” during her cryotherapy session. Now that’s a lot of benefit for three minutes in a cryochamber!

Professional athletes and celebs swear by it.

What do Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo, Will Smith, Tony Robbins, and Jennifer Aniston all have in common? They love cryotherapy. Touting such benefits as relieving muscle stress and stiff joints, increasing energy, and refreshing skin, athletes and celebrities alike have used cryotherapy to compliment their active, healthy lifestyle regimens.

Cryotherapy is older than you think.

Ready for the shortest history lesson ever? Egyptians were known for applying cold to help heal inflammation and ease pain as early as 2500 B.C., followed by Hippocrates (the father of medicine) in 400 B.C, who used cold therapy on swelling, pain, bleeding, and more. While the cryotherapy trend as we know it today was started by Dr. Yamauchi in the 1970s to help treat rheumatoid arthritis, the history of cryotherapy actually spans back thousands of years.

Impact Cryotherapy cryosaunas are the only U.S. manufactured machines available.

While other cryosaunas are manufactured and transported from Europe to the States, Impact Cryotherapy machines are not only manufactured and shipped in the U.S., but they also come with a service guarantee, technicians who are available for set-up, an education team that arrives on-site for 2-day training, and all the in-person support you need to keep your machine viable for the next decade.

Approximate temps range from -130°F to -184°F.

While water or ice can only get so cold — at 0° Celsius or 32° Fahrenheit, the freezing temp for water — air can be reduced to chilling temps well past 150° F. Inside the cryosauna each user will have a custom temp arranged for them based on their fitness or wellness goals, as well as their comfort level.

Cryotherapy means site-specific — and whole body.

While cryotherapy can be applied topically to specific regions of the body — think cryofacials that target the face and neck areas — Impact Cryotherapy specializes in whole body cryotherapy (WBC) and delivers all of the great benefits of chill to your entire person. Users had reported experiencing reduced inflammation, muscle restoration, and more after a session in the Impact Cryosauna, helping them feel better, brighter, and stronger.

Interested in learning how you can bring these cryotherapy benefits and fun facts to your clients? Chat with one of our Impact Cryotherapy experts to learn how you can get started earning more revenue and providing a better customer experience to your customers today.

Introducing Cryotherapy into your Spa’s Services

Clients frequent spas to help maintain healthy skin but also to practice self-care and achieve relaxation and rejuvenation. With that increasing crossover has come the emergence of cryotherapy in the spa setting.

In its rise in popularity, cryotherapy has been primarily utilized by the athletic community to aid in muscle recovery, however, it can also make for an exciting add-on to heighten and expand your existing menu of spa services.

In this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, Chad Finnegan, Impact Cryotherapy’s VP of Business Development, discusses all things cryotherapy in the spa setting.

He explains how the concept of cryotherapy can fit into your spa, to the actual physical outfit of building out a cryo unit in your space to how you can effectively and efficiently recoup your investment.

Click the “arrow” button to listen in:

 

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • What is cryotherapy and how it’s being used across the health and wellness and athletic industries plus how cryotherapy is merging with the world of spa
  • How cryotherapy works and its benefits the body and the skin
  • Why cryotherapy can be an ideal fit for spas both due to its physical space requirements and how it can fit within your existing menu of services
  • What the investment in cryotherapy looks like and what a spa owner can expect in seeing their return on investment

Interested in adding cryotherapy to your spa? Click here to contact us!

3 Big Reasons Cryotherapy Is Good for You During Winter

Brrr…it’s getting pretty cold out there!

If you’re a cryotherapy user, you probably think that this time of year is a good one to put the brakes on your cryotherapy sessions, but the opposite is actually true: Cryotherapy throughout the winter months can actually be one of the most effective times of the year to make sure you’re keeping up with your sessions — or even get started with cryotherapy for the first time.

From boosting your energy to helping you ward off the seasonal colds that are always prevalent during the winter, here are the top three reasons you should double down on your cryotherapy sessions from October to March.

1. Cryotherapy can be a way to fight seasonal depression.

With the shorter, colder days right about now, it’s easy to fall into the clutches of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  While some people are convinced that there is a connection between the darker days and the disorder, Dr. David Kerr, an associate professor of psychology at Oregan State University, says the research is inconclusive.

Instead, Kerr’s extensive research states that there is a link between our modern lifestyles evolving faster than our genetic makeup and suggests that the reason you feel tired all winter has to do with the fact that your body is genetically wired to save energy during these colder, darker months. For those of you who spend most of your days in the office, this is great news, because you don’t need sunshine to feel better. Instead, you need something that shocks your body into an energy-burning mode.

One of the biggest fixes for shocking your body into Energizer bunny efficiency? Getting your endorphins going with an energy boost — which is one of the top reported reasons users do cryotherapy. Outside of potentially helping with inflammation relief, athletic recovery, and pain relief, a session in a cryosauna could also incredibly beneficial for boosting the generate of endorphins. And with more endorphins, you can kiss those winter blues away!

2. Cold therapy can also help ward off winter colds.

The past few flu seasons have been particularly harsh, and this year is not shaping up to be any different. While it may seem counterintuitive to drop into a tank of freezing temperatures to improve your health — a cryosauna is nothing like rolling around in the snow or walking around outside without the proper clothes.

As a beneficial addition to any healthy lifestyle, cryotherapy may actually help users stay on track with immune-boosting habits during flu season by helping fight chronic aches and lower overall stress. In addition to the reported feelings of energy, cryotherapy has also been reported to provide pain relief, which has a positive effect on the body’s stress levels. And when a body is more at ease, the body’s ability to fight off illness and disease increases. Sounds like a win-win situation, right?

3. Worried about keeping up with your holiday wellness goals? Cryo can be an easy way to stay in control.

It’s hard to stay on track with your health goals in the winter — we get it. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in swift succession one right after the other, it can be difficult to maintain a firm handle on your wellness goals. Add on top of that the endless parties and shopping lists that pile up around this time each year, and you’ve got a perfect storm for not keeping up with your healthy habits.

Requiring less than five minutes per session, cryotherapy is one habit that is easy to keep track of. Just commit to three minutes a few times a week, and you can enjoy a range of benefits that promote natural healing and wellness across the board.

Looking to schedule a cryotherapy session now? Check out the locations where you can get started with an ImpactCryotherapy sauna — the leading cryotherapy machine and only one manufactured in the U.S. — near you.