Taking Care of the Machine
I remember the days of coming home from a game, way back in the 90s, and icing my knees. Most times, it wasn’t ice, it was frozen veggies. I always preferred peas or corn, and thankfully, that was always well-stocked in our freezer. I don’t know that I believed in the power of icing or stretching, definitely not as much as I appreciate it now.
I do, however, take pride in understanding it more now, and being relentless (and overzealous) about sharing my knowledge and passion on this topic with my student-athlete.
He has access to so much to help him take care of his machine. Gel ice packs to help meld to the exact areas he needs relief. Creams, most of which are all-natural and don’t smell nearly as bad as the creams and balms I used. Bands for stretching any possible muscle, no matter how hidden or obscure. A Theragun for massage. Ok, I bought the more economically-priced, off-brand version. It works the same, and that money saved went to a tournament fee or new bat.
The two tools he has access to that I never dreamed of, but are vital to our family’s recovery process - a hot tub and a cold plunge, both by Hot Spring Spas. I had no idea how much my body would crave that hot water after a tense game. The jets truly do help massage muscles and start the blood circulation. I don’t know if it’s attributed to the physical exertion or the hot water, but I never sleep better, even after a loss, than I do on a night I hot tub before bed.
Our newest obsession is the Vigor™ cold plunge by Hot Spring Spas. We didn’t get our cold plunge until about halfway through baseball season, but the kid relies on it after each game. The cold water revives his whole body in just 3 minutes. Instead of 20 minutes of ice, rotating body parts on the timer, he can get into the cold plunge for (1) 3-minute session in 50 degree water and hit the entire body efficiently. There’s time to listen to music and decompress from the game. As the Mom of a moody teenager, I also LOVE that when he gets done with his plunge, he’s full of positive energy. It’s like my sullen teenager emerges from the cold plunge as a carefree kid, ready to talk to me about everything that happened in the day.
I’m so grateful for the relief, energy boost, and clarity we all feel after our daily cold plunge. But more than anything, I adore the effect it has on my son - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
