The power of hot and cold therapy for strength & recovery

Laura & Jodie visit Sanoa

Earlier this month, the two of us (Laura & Jodie) visited Sanoa, who we’re partnering with for our January studio challenge, Reset & Rise. It felt important to share why this partnership exists, and why recovery, particularly Infrared Sauna, plays such a central role in how we both move, train, and look after ourselves.

Running Cove alongside full-time work means our bodies and nervous systems are often constantly switched on. Reformer Pilates is where we build strength, but recovery is what allows us to keep showing up, mentally and physically, without burning out.

Hot and cold therapy recovery has become one of the most effective ways we support that balance.

Why recovery deserves more attention

Strength doesn’t just come from what you do in class. It comes from how your body responds afterwards. Reformer Pilates creates intentional stress, muscles work, joints stabilise, and the nervous system is challenged in a controlled way. Recovery is what allows that work to settle, adapt, and translate into strength you can actually sustain.

Without enough recovery, it’s easy to feel:

• Constantly sore or tight

• Fatigued, even when training feels “manageable”

• Mentally drained rather than energised

  
  

Recovery isn’t a sign of doing less, it’s part of training well.

Why Infrared Sauna works so well alongside Reformer

The Infrared Sauna has been part of both of our routines for years, long before this partnership. What sets it apart is how it supports the body beyond the surface.

Unlike traditional saunas, Infrared heat works deeper into the body. When paired with strength-based movement like Reformer Pilates, it can:

• Support muscle recovery and reduce post-class soreness

• Improve circulation and joint mobility

• Help regulate the nervous system and lower stress

• Encourage better sleep and overall wellbeing

  
  

It’s not something that feels dramatic in the moment, but you notice the difference the next day, and the day after that.

The role of contrast: heat, cold, and balance

While heat plays a key role in relaxation and muscle release, cold exposure adds a different layer to recovery. Sanoa offers Cyrotherapy as well.

Cold therapy can help:

• Reduce inflammation after training

• Support circulation through contrast

• Build mental resilience and awareness

  
  

Together, hot and cold therapy recovery supports the body’s natural processes, helping it move between effort and rest more smoothly. It’s not about extremes, but about balance.

Why movement and recovery shouldn’t live separately

That’s exactly why Reset & Rise includes the Infrared Sauna as part of the challenge:

• 8 Reformer classes

• 4 Infrared Sauna sessions

• Over 4 weeks

  
  

Not as a luxury, but as a necessary part of training well. We chose to work with Sanoa because their approach mirrors ours at Cove, thoughtful, calm, and rooted in real life. It’s a space to slow down after moving your body with intention, and to give recovery the same respect as the workout itself.

Recovery looks different for everyone

Recovery doesn’t have to mean doing the same thing as someone else. For some, it’s Infrared Sauna or Contrast Therapy. For others, it might be rest days, breath work, walking, or simply not rushing straight on after class. What matters is creating space for recovery, regularly, intentionally, and without guilt.

Reformer Pilates already supports recovery through controlled, low-impact strength work and breath-led movement. When paired with practices that help the nervous system reset, it becomes part of a sustainable approach to strength.

Final thoughts

Strength is what you build in class. Recovery is what allows you to keep it.

Our visit to Sanoa reminded us that recovery doesn’t need to be dramatic or extreme, it just needs to be consistent, considered, and valued.

If this encourages you to think differently about how you recover after class, then it’s done exactly what it’s meant to do.

Book your Infrared Sauna or Cyro at Sanoa here