Superior Athletic Training Meets Advanced Recovery Methods

 
 
 

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Stepping foot inside the futuristic-looking, new wellness facility in Scottsdale, I had little idea what to expect during my experience testing some of their services. CERULEAN Progressive Athletic Training and Wellness combines several different modalities under one roof that had never before been available from just one facility. The modalities boast a variety of health benefits, like maximized athletic performance, faster recovery, increased strength and decreased pain.

The facility offers Cryotherapy, altitude and zero-gravity training, hypobaric adaptive conditioning, several rejuvenation options, athletic testing, and much more.


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During my preview of CERULEAN, I was able to test several of their modalities, starting with the Whole Body Cryotherapy. This was the aspect that made me the most nervous because it exposes the body to intensely cold temperatures, like an ice bath. However, it is associated with lots of health benefits including recovery from injury or surgery, improving sleep, relieving pain, stimulating the immune system, improving skin appearance and more.

The Arctic Sauna reminded me of a stand-up tanning booth except the top portion was open. Before my session, I had to change into a robe, put on some knee-high socks and rubber shoes and plastic gloves. The plastic gloves were covered with heavy mittens, and then the cabin door was opened with colder-than-ice nitrogen gas spilling out, revealing a platform for me to step on. I stood on the platform, the door was closed and I was raised so that my head was above the chamber. I passed the robe over to one of the technicians so that the nitrogen gas was hitting my skin directly. The air was intense, but bearable, especially because it was only for two minutes, instead of the typical 20 that ice bath sessions usually last.


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After barely warming up from my Cryotherapy session, I went straight into an Arctic Cryo-Facial with lower-body compression therapy. For this service, I slid my legs into a bodysuit that massaged my lower body while receiving the facial. The cold air from the Cryotherapy was condensed into a small stream, producing a cooling feeling on my scalp and face. While the air was cold, the whole experience proved to be rejuvenating and quite relaxing. The lower-body massage encourages natural drainage of the lymph, which has many healing benefits. Meanwhile, the facial stimulates collagen production, reduces pore size, soothes skin irritations, minimizes fine lines and wrinkles and more.


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The next stop on my CERULEAN preview was the Hypobaric Adaptive Conditioning. This egg-shaped chamber simulates patterned low-barometric pressure sequences to condition the body and strengthen it at the cellular level. The whole experience felt like the pressure changes in an airplane, and you have to continue clearing your ears throughout the session. This modality is designed to help athletes condition their bodies and to help manage physical pain whether it’s chronic, transient, or from a physically debilitating disease or condition.

After exiting the chamber, I lounged in a reclining leather chair while experiencing the cellular repair therapy. Basically, all I did was lie back while breathing in the air delivered through a tube. It is intended to deliver free radicals and oxidative stress protection, to enhance one’s cellular health.


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The final modality that I tested at CERULEAN was bicycling in their High Altitude training room. While I may have let myself get out of my regular gym routine with the stress of college finals approaching, I still try to stay in pretty good shape. However, cycling in this room designed to simulate a mile-high altitude, was really difficult. I quickly found myself out of breath even after just a short session. I can imagine that training in this environment regularly would cause some major stamina improvements. Now, I really experienced firsthand why Olympians and professional sports teams usually train at high altitudes.

Although I didn’t notice much change in my quality of sleep that night or have any pains or injuries that I was hoping to improve at CERULEAN, I did leave the facility feeling refreshed and with a burst of energy for the rest of my day. I definitely think that CERULEAN would be beneficial for those who have some kind of pain, are looking for improvements in their overall health, or want to enhance their athletic training. By going to several sessions of the modality that will meet one’s individual needs or desired results, I think CERULEAN is a great option for a lot of people.

Overall, I thought CERULEAN Progressive Athletic Training and Wellness was a really amazing concept for a wellness center, and it definitely has a uniqueness factor being the only facility of its kind in the country. Memberships can be purchased by session for each modality, or in several different types of packages. Single modality pricing starts as low as $30-plus, and packages start around $150-plus. Additionally, all members get a wristband that tracks their progress through the sessions, and access to their cardio gym.

For more information on CERULEAN, visit http://www.livecerulean.com.