Essentials: Supercharge Exercise Performance & Recovery with Cooling

Huberman Lab

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I discuss the critical role of temperature regulation in optimizing athletic and physical performance.

I explain why overheating can hinder performance and endurance and how techniques like palmar cooling can help extend physical effort by aiding temperature regulation. I also highlight how specific body areas, such as the palms and face, are key targets for regulating temperature, allowing heat to dissipate efficiently. Lastly, I discuss how temperature can support training recovery while cautioning that extreme cold, such as ice baths immediately after training, can block adaptations.

Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes—approximately 30 minutes—focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past Huberman Lab episodes. Essentials will be released every Thursday, and our full-length episodes will still be released every Monday.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Huberman Lab Essentials; Physical Performance & Skills, Temperature

00:03:03 Sponsor: AG1

00:04:07 Temperature Homeostasis, Vasoconstriction & Vasodilation

00:06:42 Elevated Heat & Performance Barrier

00:08:26 Regulating Temperature, Glabrous Skin, “AVAs”

00:12:20 Sponsor: Eight Sleep

00:13:49 Strength Training & Heat Effects, Tool: Palmar Cooling

00:17:21 Endurance, Temperature & Willpower

00:20:54 Tool: Resistance Training, Running, Palmar Cooling & Water Temperature

00:24:23 Sponsor: Function

00:26:09 Ice Bath & Blocking Training Adaptations; Tool: Glabrous Skin & Recovery

00:29:31 NSAIDs (Tylenol) & Training

00:31:56 Recap & Key Takeaways

Disclaimer & Disclosures