FOUNDER’S ROUTINE

The Bath House routine is very personal and as a consequence has many variations. Our Founder, Carl Sorenson, shares his here.

I discovered what I call the “Nordic Cycle” at the Russian bath house at 88 Fulton street in lower Manhattan. The Russians pull out the stops when it comes to cautionary restrictions on hot and cold temperatures. The Sauna may be in excess of 250 degrees Fahrenheit and the cold plunge hovers around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. I like and the extreme temperatures but tend to back off the levels the Russians employ. I’m a Dane, after all. I keep the Sauna around 220 degrees Fahrenheit and the cold plunge at 42 degrees Fahrenheit.

I down a tall glass of ice coffee to start the process. The caffeine shifts my mind into high gear and prepares me for what I call the idea machine. I then enter the Sauna and sit on an upper bench. I prefer to partake with a likeminded friend or colleague where we typically exchange business ideas or plans for the future or interesting topics. When alone I often play instrumental music like Hermanos Gutieres for example that’s Spanish guitar music. In about 15 minutes or when the sweat is rolling off my brow I am ready for step two of the routine…The Cold Plunge.

Here I go directly up the stairs dangle my feet over the edge of the deck into the 42 degree water use my hands to lift myself off the deck and into the water. I instantly submerge for a 50 count and come back with my head out only and wedge my feet and back to hold position. I look at the sweep second hand on the clock and pinpoint 30 seconds and acclamate until for the 30 seconds. When I Hit the mark I begin what I Call Long Breathing. I begin with 15 second of exhale and then 15 seconds inhale. This goes on for 12 cycles or in other words three minutes. Once complete I submerge one final time for a 60 count. Each count tends to be a half second and one can count faster or slower depending on how they’re feeling. I then stand up next to the edge of the tub, use both hands to his my ass to the edge of the deck and sit on the edge until I swing my feet out of the water and onto the deck and wait a moment to drain off and then wrap myself in a towel and engage with my fellows in conversation or backgammon. After probably 20 to 30 minutes I’ll engage in another round and one more after that. It’s three saunas and three cold plunges all the same as the first. Socializing between and then at the end an extensive soak in the hot tub. Can’t be beat.

The effects are tremendous. Short term