Is a Hot Tub beneficial?

I have had quite a few good experiences in hot tubs, if you know what I mean ;)

EXACTLY. It all depends on who's in it with you.

wink-wink

nudge-nudge

saynomore-saynomore

you generally dont want to get into a hot tub within the few hours after you run. It's like putting a hot pack on a stubbed finger after you've just jammed it, but with your muscles. Consider getting an ice bath instead....

you cant have sex in an ice bath.

You just have to find the right position.

I take hot baths a couple hours after my runs during hard training and have found it to help alot with preventing pulled muscles and other injuries. I ice any sore spots after the hot bath to prevent inflamation.

I've heard arguments in both directions so I guess it's more personal preference- and personally i dont want to sit in an ice bath.

I take hot baths every day right after hard training, or moderate or easy training. I've been doing this for years and years and I've never had any type of injury. I realize that some people are more susceptible to injury than others, and it could be that I just am not that susceptible, so I'm not trying to say that it stopped me from getting injured. I just know it hasn't been detrimental.

I find there's nothing better than an ice bath after a hard track session on a hot day.

I don't know if its beneficial but I don't see anything wrong with it

I love my hot tub for before I run. It loosens up my muscles. 20 minutes or so is about right. It's not really the bubbles so much as the hot water.

before a run? wow, my legs feel heavy after i get out, no way i could go running

I run my best workouts when I've just sat in an ice bath for 20 minutes or more. You have to be at least quad deep though, otherwise it doesn't work as well. Hot baths are for immediately after your run so you can release sweat quicker and recover with less impact on your body. It's similar to using a sauna, if you've ever watched the movie "Without Limits".

But yeah, ice baths all the way. When we're at home meets for track I am able to squeeze in a 10-15 minute ice bath after my warmup, right before my event.

Public hots tubs are a petri dish of microbes waiting to infect. No thanks I don't need to share bodily fluids with a group of strangers in hot tubs that might be inspected innsistantly.

Private hot tubs are a waste of money and energy. If you need hot tubs in order to party or have sex you must be in your late 50's trying to return to the 70's.

As far as running a whirlpool massage has some benefit but hot water usually does more damage.

I can verify this. Hot tubs take constant up-keep. The best hot tub is the oversize one you can get for your bathroomn that you drain each time you use it. I got rid of my outdoor one and opted for the one in my bathroom now.

It was a constant struggle buying the chemicals, balancing the pH, keeping it clean, paying the $1 a day it takes to keep it heated--what is rather minimal upkeep will become a horrible chore down the road. It's about 10 minutes a day (or less).

I took to just draining my outdoor one every week or so (it was built into my deck and was easy to drain). Then I would refill it with a hose. I thought this was easier than constantly managing the pH. Little did I know that I was wrecking my pipes doing this and something inside wore out 5-times faster than it was supposed to (don't remember the part now), but I paid $150 for the repair, then I sold my tub and had an inside one put in (it has jets and fits two people--no complaints here).

Icing is probably better for you. But I still swear by my warm water baths for about 20 minutes before I run everyday (I'm in my mid-40's). They make me feel looser and not as stiff. All the runners I know think I'm crazy though.