College Athletics Find Float Therapy Enhances Performance.

Prominent Division I athletic programs are turning to float therapy to improve both the physical and mental performance of their highest level student-athletes. Through their own research-based findings, they have discovered that floating has positive impacts across all aspects of their athlete’s performance.

Bob Mangine, M. Ed., PT, ATC and Senior Associate Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, has long studied the impact of stress on the Division I college student-athlete and is always on the hunt for more effective techniques to help improve physical recovery and performance gains.

Mangine has seen significant improvements, backed by impressive data-driven results, in athletic performance by adding float therapy to his program. Inspired by Navy Seals training, he has used float therapy with the men’s football, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, men’s basketball, and the track and field programs at highly competitive University of Cincinnati. By closely monitoring omegawave, heart rate and cortisol data during and after training, Mangine reports significant recovery boosts in both the central and sympathetic nervous systems. He has also seen a remarkable reduction in muscle tension by adding float sessions to his sports recovery protocols. This allows his athletes to train harder, recover faster, and play more competitively. In short, he has found float therapy optimizes performance for his athletic programs.

Ohio State University has found similar competitive results with their Division I football program. After winning the national football championship in 2014, Ohio State University’s athletic trainers were looking for something to help maintain their team’s competitive edge.

Coupled with a data gathering sensor system, trainers customize float therapy plans for each athlete to help target their specific training stresses and needs. They have found that recovery times are shortened and strength training is improved. Both Sports Illustrated and ESPN have recognized the Buckeyes’ use of float therapy as an integral part of their athletes’ training plan. The entire Ohio State athletic program now uses float therapy for both preparation and recovery.

College athletics aren’t just using float therapy for physical benefits, but for mental wellness as well. The high levels of cognitive stress associated with college athletes has long been a concern of collegiate programs. According to Mangine at the University of Cincinnati, a full 79% of college athletes surveyed complain of anxiety, with up to 17% suffering from clinical depression. Floating allows these athletes to regain a sense of control and lessen the stress of being a highly competitive student-athlete. Mangine has seen the results to prove it. His athletes that report feelings of anxiety or depression show significant decreases in omegawave data and stress-inducing cortisol production after just one float session, and report an improved overall state of well-being.

Physical training takes its toll both physically and mentally, and reaching your peak performance level regardless of your athletic goals requires recovery. Speed your own recovery and enhance your performance by following the same cutting edge methodologies that top collegiate and professional athletic programs are now adopting. Peak Performance Float can help you reach your peak personal performance.