Okay. The reason I ask is, I joined a commercial gym with such facilities. I am new to these stuffs. They have sauna (dry heat) and eucalyptus-infused steaming rooms. How do you suggest I incorporate into my training? Do I do sauna or steaming? Before or after training? If so, how long each...? Last night I did 10 minutes or so of steaming after training, it was new experience for me. I sweated a lot. I was hoping it helps with recovery.
Both types of sauna have their points, but I have really little experience outside of the dry sauna. Which is moist most of the time, as we pour water on the rocks.
I think going to the sauna after each training session is a good idea. The harder the session, the more advantage I can see from it.
Sweating is pretty much the idea behind the sauna. Get your skin and muscles below it as hot as possible, increasing blood flow, reducing soreness, cleaning up the waste, moving nutrients, etc. I like to then go to take a really cold shower, that gives partly an opposite reaction. Then go back to the sauna, back to the shower, repeat something like two or three times at first. I don't think it's typical to take a really cold shower, it's just something I've always enjoyed personally and I believe it's also healthy and restorative.
I'm not sure if you're allowed to pour water over the rocks or how hot your sauna gets, so it's hard to give a time frame. I'd imagine the hotter the less time you spend there.
Remember to hydrate. You can get dizzy. If it feels too bad, it's likely too bad.
I go to the sauna almost every day, I try to go every day. I almost always go in the evening, but sometimes with family the sleeping times vary and so does the timing of the sauna. I think it's great for recovery and great in general. It has a myriad of health benefits, but it's also relaxing and enjoyable in itself.