Any athlete or trainer worth their salt will preach the importance of rest and recovery. The temptation to go hell-for-leather seven days a week only leads to physical burn out, which is why seasoned sports enthusiasts will make sure they’ve scheduled some kind of recovery practice into their regime. This doesn’t work against progress, but rather complements it, ensuring longevity and improved performance in the long term.
Today’s sports recovery treatments come in many forms, from the latest biohacking trends of infrared saunas and cold plunges, to more traditional practices, like cupping and needling. Here are the most current treatments, and where to go in Jakarta for your body’s ultimate tune-up.
Contrast Therapy
Simply put, contrast therapy is a recovery ritual that swings you between the heat of a sauna and the bite of a cold plunge. Alternating between the intense heat of sauna and icy cold plunge is believed to help flush out waste products, improve circulation, and reduce muscle soreness. The heat from saunas can penetrate deep into muscle tissues and soothe tired limbs. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the cold plunge, an icy immersion when you plunge yourself into water at 10°C or below for 10–15 minutes, that can help reduce inflammation, relieve muscle soreness, and speed up recovery after heavy workouts like HIIT, long runs, or cycling. The sudden chill helps restrict blood flow and limit swelling, making it a favourite among high-intensity trainers.
Why should you alternate between the two? The dramatic shift in temperature helps stimulate circulation, boost energy, and enhance immune function, while also aiding in faster muscle repair and reducing inflammation after intense workouts. Regular sessions are linked to improved skin tone, better stress management, and even brown fat activation, which may support weight loss. Which is why this practice is popular amongst athletes and wellness devotees.
Where you can experience it:
@anda.reserva | @rawjakarta
Assisted Stretching
Known as ‘partner’ or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, this passive technique sees a trained therapist gently coaxing your limbs beyond their usual range. Imagine doing yoga but someone else is doing the hard part. By using a contract-relax method that activates your fascia (a sheath of stringy connective tissue that surrounds every part of your body, providing support to your muscles, tendons, joints, and more), this stretching style taps deep into the body that solo efforts simply can’t match.
Assisted stretching is ideal after workouts that create muscle tightness and limited mobility, for example, those who do heavy weightlifting, sprinting, or intensive interval training might enjoy the best benefits from this treatment, especially since it helps to improve range of motion and enhance joint mobility, and relieve muscle tensions. Do this during the cool-down phase or on recovery days, typically 1-2 times per week to gradually improve flexibility without tiring your muscles further. Keep in mind while assisted stretching is generally low-risk when handled by certified professionals, overzealous tugging can lead to muscle strain or post-session soreness.
Where you can experience it:
@senopatitherapycenter
Epsom Salt Baths
This is for those who might not have time to go somewhere to recover after an intense workout and want to do it at home. Soaking in a tub, or even just a bucket of warm water full of Epsom salts for your feet can do a lot to help with sore muscles to itchy skin. A warm tub laced with these mineral-rich salts is often touted as a go-to remedy to reduce tensions in your joints, and help with your fatigue.
Named after the town of Epsom in England, where they were first discovered in natural springs, these salts are made of magnesium and sulphate (not the seasoning kind). Soaking it in a tub full of warm water, the combination of it all, plus the stillness and time, creates a relaxing atmosphere after a rigorous session of exercise. It’s said to help with everything from fibromyalgia and arthritis to skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Some even believe it can reduce swelling in tired feet or aid sleep by calming the nervous system. All you need is to go to the nearest drugstore, prepare a tub or a bucket of warm water, and you’ll have an inexpensive, low-risk way to slow down and ease discomfort.
Light Therapy
Adding red and blue light therapy is also another post-workout recovery routine that you can do at home. The red and near-infrared light, which is known technically as photobiomodulation, has been shown to stimulate mitochondria, boosting ATP production (your muscles’ energy currency) and helping reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and muscle soreness. Some studies reported that it may enhance muscle recovery, decrease markers like creatine kinase, and improve muscle endurance when used before or after exercise. Blue light therapy, on the other hand, is useful for improving alertness and regulating mood and circadian rhythms, which makes an unexpected bonus for post-training mental reset.
When doing this at home, you can start by investing in a reliable light therapy device, either a handheld unit or a light panel, with a combination of red and near-infrared LEDs (around 660nm and 850nm works best). When you’re done exercising, you can sit or stand around 15-30cm away from the light, exposing the targeted muscle groups for 10-20 minutes. Be sure that you do this consistently after each session or at least three times a week for visible results. The blue light therapy can be used in the morning or during lower-intensity workouts like stretching or cycling indoors. This is especially helpful if you’re feeling sluggish or aiming to reinforce a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Of course, the precursor to all of these recovery rituals is the actual full-on exercise that you have to do first! Don’t miss out on this vital step!
