More about Floating and Top Sports
Floating, a globally accepted form of therapy, is a highly effective way to improve performance, to relax and to relieve stress. It is used by famous athletes and sports teams. It optimises the effects of their training routine, helps manage fatigue and speed up recovery from sports injuries.
In the USA, more than 30 top sports clubs currently have their own float tanks, including:
- NBA Basketball team Golden State Warriors with Steph Curry.
- MLB American Baseball team Chicago Cubs.
- AFC American Football team New England Patriots with Tom Brady.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) considers the use of flotation tanks an integral part of their training regimes for athletes. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 200 float tanks were already available for the athletes and their coaches. Floating is also widely used in the following sports: long distance running, CrossFit, Mixed Martial Arts, tennis, yoga, football, and the list goes on and on!
Specifics on the use of float therapy in top-level sports
Floating helps to identify areas of tension in the body. A higher sensation of a certain body part teaches to give that area extra attention in the form of stretching, massage or treatment. Athletes make use of this because it gives them more control over their nervous system. This reduces the risk of injuries during training and competition.
The Epsom salts in the float tank consist of magnesium and sulphate. This is a muscle relaxant and a protein builder for the joints. Magnesium is absorbed through the skin during floating. After a sports performance the body is tired. The high concentration of Epsom salts makes you weightless. The pressure on tense muscles, joints and bones falls away and the body relaxes and recovers much faster.
Floating increases the distribution of red blood cells, helps to expel cortisol, lactate (lactic acid) and adrenaline and reduces delayed onset muscle soreness or muscle spasms (DOMS). Energy (ATP) increases the efficiency of blood circulation throughout the body, improves the immune system and dampens athletes' exposure to fatigue.
NBA Basketball player Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors floats for 60 or 90 minutes every week. He is a five-time NBA All-Star and won gold twice at the World Championships. This trailer sums it all up in a nutshell:
Other famous athletes who practice floating
Sprinter and long-jumper Carl Lewis was the first to discover floating for use in elite sports in the 1970s. He won 10 Olympic medals and 10 medals at the World Athletics Championships. He was voted Sportsman and Olympian of the Century.
English footballer Wayne Rooney from Liverpool was the all-time top scorer in the English International Football Team in 2015 with 53 goals. He floats 10 hours a week.
AFC American Football player Tom Brady of The New England Patriots has a tank of his own. He is one of the best quarterbacks in America.
Photo Credits
Stephen Curry #1: Screenshot YouTube
Stephen Curry #2: Reuters Photo
Carl Lewis: www.carllewis.com
Wayne Rooney: HLN.be
Tom Brady: Boston Herald