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Almost every one of us has seen people who douse ice water from a bucket in the cold, dive into an ice hole without fear in winter and do not get sick. They are usually called “walruses”, these are people who are systematically engaged in hardening. But this term is called not only and not so much procedures in the cold and swimming in ice water.
In general, the term “hardening” means a whole system of effects on the body of natural factors. They stimulate the body’s defenses, forming resistance (resistance) to infections and other diseases, normalize metabolism, help to reduce and maintain a healthy weight and adapt to the external environment.
Hardening refers to one of the areas of improvement, maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Along with proper nutrition and the rejection of bad habits, daily routine, it helps to significantly increase the adaptive capacity of the body in relation to adverse environmental conditions – sharp fluctuations in temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, change in light regime.
What is hardening of the body
A hardened body reacts adequately and quickly to significant temperature fluctuations, for example, when entering and staying in a very chilled room from the heat. If the body is well trained, it can maintain a constant internal body temperature within a strictly defined narrow limit, preventing hypothermia or, conversely, overheating (if it is a high ambient temperature).
During hardening, vessels are trained, they change their tone in accordance with the needs of the body, regulating heat transfer, evaporation of fluid during sweating, blood supply and nutrition of muscles and other tissues.
In addition, with systematic hardening, the work of the central and peripheral nervous systems is normalized, all parts of immunity (humoral and cellular) are stimulated, a person gets sick less often, becomes more resilient. At the same time, hardening does not require any large expenses, it is available to everyone and uses the forces of nature.
What stages of hardening of the body exist
Although hardening can significantly improve the general condition of the body, strengthen the immune system and normalize metabolism, many people have too many questions, the technique seems too complicated, requiring a lot of effort. In reality, everything is not so complicated, but one important condition must be observed – hardening must be carried out systematically, it must become part of the lifestyle. Otherwise, the effect will be unstable and not long-lasting.
Hardening procedures give results in a few weeks, but it is important to comply with certain rules and conditions, a gradual, gradual increase in loads and intensity of exposure. There are three successive stages that help prepare and accustom the body to ever-increasing influences.
The simplest and most affordable method is hardening with water, air exposure is added to it.
First stage – adaptation of the body to external influences. It is carried out with the help of cool rubdowns and taking contrast showers. It is better to carry out wiping procedures in the open air, even on the balcony. You need a towel with a container filled with cool water. It is necessary to wet and wring out a towel, wipe the body, starting with the feet, gradually rising higher, to the hips. After that, the towel is wetted again, the face, neck, and the whole body are wiped down to the hips. The procedure is repeated three times. In order to activate the production of heat and vasodilation, after wiping, light exercises are needed – 10 – 20 squats, 20 – 30 forward bends.
Another way to start hardening is to practice a contrast shower. It helps the body better regulate body temperature. It is carried out after bathing in the morning or evening. Initially, warm water is turned on, which is poured over the whole body, then the water is regulated so that it is at least 10 ° C lower, it is also poured over the whole body. The procedure for changing the temperature is carried out up to 3 – 4 times. Finish the procedure with a cool shower.
This step is held for at least 2 weeks in a row, without gaps. Rubbing can be practiced in the morning and in the evening, a contrast shower is carried out at least once a day. After exposure to water, it is necessary to wipe the body dry, after half an hour, tea with herbs or honey is useful, you can eat food an hour after the procedures.
The second stage – expansion of influences. Rubdowns and contrast showers remain, barefoot walking (if it is a warm season) or swimming in cool water are added to them. The most optimal walking barefoot in the morning, on the lawn grass, while it is still wet from dew. Such effects are the most intense, they affect the reflex zones of the foot associated with the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx. Gradual exposure helps to strengthen protection against colds. The duration of walks begins with a couple of minutes, gradually increasing every day by 15 – 30 seconds. In addition to strengthening the immune system, such walks stimulate the nervous system, help produce the hormone of happiness and pleasure (endorphin).
You can replace this method in cold weather with cool water dousing your feet or foot baths. The exposure time is similar, the water temperature gradually decreases, and the duration of the bath increases.
Swimming is another way to actively influence the body. In the warm season, open water bodies (adapted for swimming) are preferable, in the cold season – a pool. Swimming not only hardens, but also helps to strengthen the health of the heart and blood vessels, the respiratory system, and helps stabilize the spine. Swimming is shown for an hour, after which you need to dry your body, be sure to dry your hair and get dressed. In addition to the daily procedures of the first stage, walking barefoot (or foot baths) is added. They are held daily, swimming at least 3 times a week.
The third stage – fixing the effect, strengthening the impact. In many ways, the procedures repeat the second stage, but the temperature of the water for foot baths is reduced, and wiping should be replaced by dousing with cold water in the fresh air. Water (in two buckets) is initially taken at a temperature of 20 ° C, a small amount of water is used to wipe the body, then half of the liquid is poured into the neck (upper body), the second half into the thighs (lower body). After the first bucket, you need to do some vigorous exercises to increase blood circulation. They are carried out for a minute. Then the pouring from the second bucket is repeated on the upper and lower parts of the body.
Gradually, every 5 – 7 days, the water temperature is reduced by 1 – 2 ° C, and all other procedures are not stopped. Regular implementation of these stages allows you to significantly adapt the body to the temperature difference, stimulates the immune system.
How to start hardening the body
You need to start hardening at a time when you are completely healthy and feel good. The first procedures should be gentle and short in time, gradually increasing in duration and intensity. It is important that the procedures bring pleasure – if every contrast shower is stressful for you, there will be little sense from such hardening. Choose for yourself those procedures and techniques that are most comfortable.
Having started hardening, combine it with moderate physical activity, adjust your diet by removing harmful foods from it, adding more vegetables and fruits. Drink plenty of fluids, this is necessary for a full metabolism.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about hardening with professional coach, master of sports in Greco-Roman wrestling Andranik Mnatsakanyan.
Aerotherapy. This is the influence of air of different temperatures – air baths, walks in any weather (rain, snow, light wind). These are the most low-intensity effects, irritating skin receptors and nerve endings on the nasal mucosa. However, they help vessels and cells adapt to temperature changes. It is important not to wear a lot of clothes for walks so as not to sweat, to leave parts of the body open so that they are affected by air and sunlight.
It is especially useful to stay outdoors in forest park areas, where there is more oxygen and less exhaust from cars, the air humidity is higher.
Heliotherapy. This is the effect on the body of sunlight, containing in its spectrum UV rays, thermal rays, which have a complex effect. In addition to stimulating the synthesis of vitamin D, which is necessary for the body to maintain metabolism, the light of the sun normalizes the excitability of the nervous system, speeds up metabolism, and increases blood circulation in the skin. But it is important to remember the time of exposure and the duration of therapy. Excess sun exposure provokes photoaging, sunburn and may be a risk factor for melanoma. In the warm season, it is necessary to avoid the open sun from 11 am to 17 pm.
Hardening with water. This is the most popular and affordable method that can be practiced year-round at home or outdoors. It is important that the temperature of the water gradually decrease so that the body is stimulated, but not supercooled. There are many techniques in water hardening – wiping, showering, dousing, and for especially hardened ones – swimming in an ice hole (winter swimming). The latter method should not be recommended to everyone, this requires long-term preparation, good health.
● during acute diseases and exacerbation of chronic;
● after a myocardial infarction or stroke, until the patient fully recovers;
● with varicose veins.
Hardening is carried out very carefully for people with kidney diseases, here the methods are selected with the doctor and carried out strictly under his supervision. Similarly, hardening is carried out in children, especially those who are often and for a long time ill.