A bunch of mates and I went to a non-public session on the Rivanna River Sauna. We alternated between a scorching steam sauna and the icy Rivanna River. Right here’s the recap! 

Smile everybody!

Saunas are having a scorching second

Saunas are positively having their 12 months! I’m seeing increasingly sauna homes pop up, and we now have three sauna spots you may go to in Charlottesville – the Rivanna River Sauna, Hearth & Ice on the IX park, and Reset in Crozet (Thomas has been). Plus the saunas on the gyms and spas. Just a few of my mates have put them of their homes, and naturally I really like my sauna blanket. 

The Rivanna River Sauna

The Rivanna River Firm constructed their sauna in 2022 on a 20-foot tiny home trailer. It’s so cute! There’s a scorching sauna room, a small lounge / entryway, two exterior altering rooms, and loads of decking to unfold out by the fireplace pit. There are bucket showers (included) and clawfoot tubs (an add-on) for close by plunging. And naturally there may be the Rivanna River flowing good and chilly proper past the fence! 

Sauna season

Sauna season runs from the autumn by way of March. I might completely do that 12 months spherical so I hope they are going to take into account opening up extra occasions and months! The second all of us left the property we have been able to guide it once more, however from what I can inform all personal classes are full. 

guide it

In case you dwell in Cville, you should use the sauna in a couple of other ways: purchase buying slots in neighborhood classes (with individuals you may not know), girls’s solely classes, or reserving a non-public session for as much as 10 individuals. We beloved making this a social occasion with a bunch of mates from our health club! Together with an added tub of ice and snack boards throughout social time, the fee was just below $40 an individual for the ten of us. 

Arrival

Our session began at 6pm, and we met within the Cantina the place the earlier group was ending up. There was a candy pet there to greet us!

Orientation

We got a brief orientation to go over the very best methods to make use of the options. We had a REALLY chilly day – it was within the 30s – so sadly being exterior was actually chilly! I used to be actually doubting I’d get scorching sufficient to the touch that ice tub in the beginning. I do suppose this expertise would have been ultimate on a hotter day the place we may have used the fireplace pit and chairs extra, however for the reason that sauna was so scorching, it didn’t matter all that a lot. 

Ice Bathtub

How chilly does this look? I used to be planning to only use the chilly air for my “plunge.” Getting in a river scared me, and I simply didn’t know if I’d be capable to deal with ice! I did wish to strive it, and I used to be pleasantly shocked with how I did. Our buddy Emily mentioned we’d actually wish to add on an ice tub for the comfort of not having to go to the river (which was perhaps 30 yards away?) She was proper, and we really wished we had paid for 2 on the finish of the night time. The tubs have been $40 so as to add on. It was actually nice to have the ability to go 10 ft as a substitute of the lengthy stroll to the river as a result of that stroll was fairly chilly! So positively get your group a bathtub!

The Lounge

The entryway lounge was very cute with room to place your garments and something you wished useful however didn’t wish to take into the sauna – water bottles, telephones, flip flops. Additionally they had important oils to placed on the rocks.

Future was so good and introduced her gown:

The Sizzling Room

The sauna was about 175 levels and was lots scorching to start out. The longer the night time went on, the extra we opened and closed the door and let warmth out. Subsequent time we shall be smarter concerning the door. Nevertheless it was nonetheless highly regarded within the sauna, and our purpose of an incredible sweat was achieved. They advocate staying in about quarter-hour per spherical, however I may have used extra to get actually tremendous scorching. It takes longer for me to sweat than most individuals. 

Most of us had coronary heart fee monitor watches on. I famous my coronary heart fee would get between 120 and 140 after I was able to get out. We beloved placing eucalyptus on the rocks. And we additionally had a telephone close to the ground that wasn’t too scorching (since warmth rises!) so we had some tunes and a “cold and warm” playlist. The highest shelf was the very best spot, so we rotated up and down as wanted. Deliver loads of towels to take a seat on and extra to wipe your face! 

The River

For our first plunge, we went to the river as a result of the river temperature was reported to be 47 levels vs. the ice tub being 32 (I’d assume). 47 appeared simpler to get in! By the point I had make the trek to the river, I used to be lots cooled off, so I put my ft in and that’s it. I knew I needed to get even hotter within the sauna first if I used to be going to get IN the river! 

Thomas bought in though- complete physique down. By the top of the night time he had dunked underwater!

The second time I went to the river, I ended up sitting down within the shallow finish. Apparently one secret to chilly plunging is leaving your palms and ft out, so I sat down and tried to submerge as a lot of my core as I may by stored my ft out by doing a “boat pose” from yoga. I set a 1 minute timer and did it! 

Again within the Sauna

After every plunge we went again within the sauna to hang around till one-by-one we left to chill off. We did numerous chatting and laughing. 

The Ice Tub

Emily and Matt win for many enthusiastic concerning the ice tub. They went for it immediately! Emily stayed in fairly some time till she began growling (haha!) It’s so loopy that the air was 32 levels and so they have been in ICE! Matt seems thrilled right here: 

Aaron wins for many bold ice person. He took his plunges very severely! (He loves ice and hates warmth.) He even dunked his head underneath! 

And he was calm sufficient to take this pic, ft in and all: 

Julie gained for longest plunge! Whereas her arms and ft have been out, she was in there fairly some time….

Lengthy sufficient that different individuals needed to be a part of her to get in! 

My Flip

I lastly bought courageous sufficient to strive the ice tub on my final spherical. You’ll be able to see how scorching I bought first by how purple my face was! Emily got here with me for ethical help. With each of our ft out, we appeared like a lady giving delivery to a large – LOL! I feel the ache degree was on half with halfway by way of labor contractions. It is extremely much like attempt to breath by way of the ache discomfort. Haha.

How was it?

It was chilly, however it wasn’t as dangerous as I assumed it could be! Partly as a result of a number of the ice had overflowed and I’m certain the water was somewhat hotter and decrease then when the night time began. And partly as a result of my ft and shoulders have been out (though I kind of wished I may have had my legs in additional). I stayed in a full two minutes, and I most likely may have finished somewhat longer! 

How did I really feel?

Once I bought out, my complete core was positively making an attempt to shiver. I felt somewhat woozy, like I used to be drunk or floating for a couple of minutes. It took about 5 minutes again within the sauna to really feel regular once more. It was sort of enjoyable although! I might positively do it once more.

Sidenote: as somebody who’s all the time chilly this time of 12 months, I can not fathom chilly plunging with no sauna to heat up in earlier than and after. The individuals I see who chilly plunge with out heating up first are arduous core! 

Instances Up!

Our session was 90 minutes lengthy, and truthfully we may have stayed one other hour! I did three rounds of scorching + chilly (break up about 20 minutes of scorching and 10 of chilly and transition) and would have finished yet one more for certain. They gave us a 15 minute warning and nobody wished to finish with no last heat up. It was bizarre to go from soaked in sweat to dry garments with no cleaning bathe. Deliver a 3rd dry towel for this function! It was SO chilly out we didn’t even need the fireplace pit – we wished to go inside! 

Altering

Since we had 10 individuals, everybody scattered to vary. The lounge would have made an incredible place for both all the lads or women as a result of it was considerably heated, however we didn’t use it. As a substitute we took turns freezing our ft off in moist bathing fits within the altering rooms on the again of the constructing one to 2 at a time. Altering was the worst a part of the night time! 

The Cantina: Social Time + Cheese Boards

Again within the Cantina by the wooden range, we have been ravenous! I drank a full 32 ounce water bottle throughout the 90 minute session and two cups of tea after. 

We had pre-ordered boards of cheese, crackers, and apples plus smoked salmon and sausage for our social time. Additionally they had ginger tea with lemon and honey. It was nice to have the ability to chill out and debrief what we beloved and what we’d do otherwise subsequent time (preserve the door closed!) 

Pounding the scrumptious cheese! 

All of us agreed how a lot enjoyable it was and the way we’d like to do it once more quickly. RRC, please open extra months up! 

Hogwaller Brewing

Hogwaller Brewing is correct subsequent door, so we headed there after for some beers and burgers. 

Cheers!

Are you a sauna individual? Have you ever ever chilly plunged?