I hate the cold and I’m always cold. I’m also the one that doesn’t wear shorts until it’s 85 degrees outside. I had seven ClassPass credits left for the month and I see this Cryotherapy pop up as a new option. If you want to help a girl out, feel free to use my ClassPass referral link where you get $40 credit and I get the same. I’ve been using ClassPass for years and love it.
I know my BFF Julie has tried it and had a great experience. So with only 30 minutes until the appointment time, I book on ClassPass and head over to Restore Cryotherapy on Montford in Charlotte.
(4 minutes – check in) Giovanni, takes me through an intake process on an iPad where I have to read about all kinds of scary things that might happen to me in Cryotherapy. Then I have to agree that I don’t have a bunch of unusual medical conditions I’ve never heard of.
(4 minutes – dressing room orientation and getting changed) I’m led to the Cryo Zone which looks like several dressing rooms that all open into the Cryotherapy area. I undress and get a choice of two robes – standard tie around waist and the one pictured below. You can’t wear a bra with underwire and men must wear underwear but interestingly, women do not. No jewelry is allowed either. I have to put on tall socks and slippers that are provided. Once I enter the cryo zone, I’m given thick mittens. He measures my body temperature behind my knees – 86 I think. He didn’t seem too concerned.
(5 minutes – cryo experience explanation and actual cryo time) The whole time, Giovanni is there telling me exactly what will happen to my body like blood rushing to my organs and away from my arms and legs leaving them tingling. I’ll get a blast of cold for 60 seconds which will be the worst of it. There’s a timer running next to the temperature (pictured below) of -186 degrees. He tells me to move around so the cold will get to all of my body but when I turn to the timer, he says I don’t have to look at it. Evidently most people don’t like seeing it. Whoops.
The first 60 seconds are definitely the toughest especially since I’ve never done this before. Then the blast slows down. Giovanni is talking to me the whole time reassuring me that I’m doing great and much better than other first timers. I’m not so sure about that but I was quite focused on getting some photos taken 🤤
First timers can only stay in two and half minutes. Giovanni tells me that another quick 30 second blast is coming and then it will almost be done. It’s cold. I turn around a bit but my legs and body feel stiff and frozen. It’s almost over. I glance at the timer and just five seconds left. Next thing I know, he’s opening the chamber and I’m done. I get out and he measures my temperature at 54 which he says is normal. He said that seasoned folks can stay three minutes but I’m good with my time.
(2 minutes) By the time I get dressed, I’m already feeling the effects of thawing out. The blood is rushing back to my extremities. I’m told that this burns 500-800 calories. I had no idea! Giovanni warns me that I may be hungry and that my metabolism is going to be boosted. Who knew all this was happening? He said he does it daily but he does work there after all.
In the end, I’m so glad that I tried something new and it was a really cool (pun intended) experience. I don’t see myself going back daily but with my monthly ClassPass credits, I could see using it every few months. I needed 12 credits and I already had seven so I had to buy 5 credits for $12 – not too bad. Plus the whole thing took about 15 minutes. Now that I’ve done my intake and not needing all the orientation and pep talk, I can see how this appointment can be done in about 5 minutes.
They sell memberships and by the looks of the “regulars” breezing in and out and being called by their first names by the staff, folks are buying. I haven’t even scratched the surface of restoration therapy for athletes but I know my Cryotherapy is definitely a popular thing to do.
Give it a try! If you want to be kind and share the $40 referral credit, you can try it through my ClassPass referral link (shameless self promotion here). Enjoy!
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