🎬 Episode Moments

Supercharge Exercise Performance & Recovery with Cooling | Huberman Lab Essentials

huberman
March 20, 2025
10 Moments

🎯 All Moments (10)

Click any moment to jump to that point in the video

Dangers of Using NSAIDs to Lower Body Temp

Huberman explains that many athletes use NSAIDs like Tylenol to lower body temperature during workouts. He cautions that this can have negative effects on the liver and kidneys and that cooling glabrous skin is a safer alternative.

Body Temperature Regulation knowledge
1:51
Duration: 0:08

How Vasoconstriction & Vasodilation Regulate Body Temperature

This clip explains vasoconstriction and vasodilation, and how they help the body regulate temperature. It's valuable because understanding these mechanisms is crucial for leveraging temperature to enhance physical performance.

Physiology knowledge
3:00
Duration: 0:00

The Power of Temperature for Exercise & Recovery

This clip explains the science behind how temperature affects physical performance. It details the body's mechanisms for maintaining temperature and how overheating can limit muscle function. This is clippable because it provides a foundational understanding of the link between temperature and physical ability.

Exercise Physiology knowledge
0:00
Duration: 7:00

DIY Palmar Cooling: Boost Workouts with Cool Water

Huberman provides a cost-effective method for leveraging palmar cooling during workouts. He explains how to use cool water to lower body temperature and improve performance, offering specific instructions on water temperature and cooling duration. This clip is valuable because it offers a practical, accessible way to enhance workout results.

Exercise Performance advice
18:36
Duration: 1:08

Case Study: How Cooling Palms Can Double Your Pull-Up Performance

Huberman shares a specific example of a study where cooling the palms significantly improved pull-up performance. He explains how athletes using a cooling device between sets nearly doubled their pull-up count, going from an average of 100 to 180. This illustrates the dramatic impact of temperature regulation on muscular endurance and performance.

Exercise Science story
12:31
Duration: 2:10

Maximize Cooling: Best Practices for Temperature Regulation During Workouts

Huberman shares practical tips for incorporating cooling methods during workouts, including using a frozen juice can or cold soda can. He stresses the importance of alternating between hands to prevent vasoconstriction and highlights the effectiveness of cooling palms, feet, and face over cooling the core. This clip offers useful and easily implementable strategies for enhancing workout performance.

Exercise Performance advice
20:03
Duration: 1:53

The Science of Body Cooling: How to Maximize Physical Performance

Andrew Huberman explains the three main compartments for regulating body temperature and highlights the unique role of glabrous skin (face, palms, and soles of feet) in heat exchange due to specialized AVAs. He details how these areas can be leveraged to improve physical performance by effectively cooling the body, citing a study where palmar cooling significantly increased the number of pull-ups athletes could perform.

Exercise Physiology knowledge
7:19
Duration: 2:18

The Science of Willpower: How Heat Impacts Endurance

Huberman explains the concept of cardiac drift and how elevated body temperature impacts perceived effort and willpower during exercise. He offers practical tips for using palmar cooling to mitigate these effects and improve performance. This clip is valuable because it combines physiological insights with actionable strategies for optimizing workouts.

Exercise Performance knowledge
15:17
Duration: 3:15

Why Overheating Limits Muscle Performance

This clip explains how elevated heat hinders physical performance by affecting muscle contractions. It highlights the importance of maintaining a proper temperature range to maximize work output. This information is valuable for athletes and anyone looking to optimize their physical training.

Exercise Physiology knowledge
5:00
Duration: 0:00

Ice Baths Can Block Muscle Growth

Huberman discusses how using ice baths to recover after training can actually block muscle growth by interfering with pathways like mTor. He explains that cooling glabrous skin (palms, feet, face) is a better approach to recovery.

Exercise Recovery knowledge
1:32
Duration: 0:29