A bunch of pals and I went to a non-public session on the Rivanna River Sauna. We alternated between a sizzling steam sauna and the icy Rivanna River. Here’s the recap!
Smile everybody!
Saunas are having a sizzling second
Saunas are undoubtedly having their yr! 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, Fire & 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 pals have put them of their homes, and naturally you realize I like my sauna blanket.
The Rivanna River Sauna
The Rivanna River Company constructed their sauna in 2022 on a 20-foot tiny home trailer. It is so cute! There is a sizzling sauna room, a small lounge / entryway, two exterior altering rooms, and loads of decking to unfold out by the hearth pit. There are bucket showers (included) and clawfoot tubs (an add-on) for close by plunging. And after all there’s the Rivanna River flowing good and chilly proper past the fence!
Sauna season
Sauna season runs from the autumn by March. I’d completely do that yr spherical so I hope they may contemplate opening up extra occasions and months! The second all of us left the property we had been able to guide it once more, however from what I can inform all personal classes are full.
How to guide it
If you reside in Cville, you need to use the sauna in a couple of other ways: purchase buying slots in neighborhood classes (with individuals you may not know), ladies’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 pals from our health club! Including an added tub of ice and snack boards throughout social time, the price 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 outdoors was actually chilly! I used to be actually doubting I’d get sizzling sufficient to the touch that ice bathtub at first. I do assume this expertise would have been perfect on a hotter day the place we may have used the hearth pit and chairs extra, however for the reason that sauna was so sizzling, it didn’t matter all that a lot.
Ice Bath
How chilly does this look? I used to be planning to simply 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 need to strive it, and I used to be pleasantly shocked with how I did. Our good friend Emily stated we’d actually need to add on an ice bathtub 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 had 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 undoubtedly get your group a bathtub!
The Lounge
The entryway lounge was very cute with room to place your garments and something you wished helpful however didn’t need to take into the sauna – water bottles, telephones, flip flops. They additionally had important oils to placed on the rocks.
Destiny was so sensible and introduced her gown:
The Hot Room
The sauna was about 175 levels and was lots sizzling to begin. The longer the night time went on, the extra we opened and closed the door and let warmth out. Next time we can be smarter in regards to the door. But it was nonetheless very popular within the sauna, and our aim of an important sweat was achieved. They advocate staying in about quarter-hour per spherical, however I may have used extra to get actually tremendous sizzling. It takes longer for me to sweat than most individuals.
Most of us had coronary heart charge monitor watches on. I famous my coronary heart charge would get between 120 and 140 once 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 sizzling (since warmth rises!) so we had some tunes and a “hot and cold” playlist. The high shelf was the very best spot, so we rotated up and down as wanted. Bring loads of towels to sit down 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 bathtub being 32 (I’d assume). 47 appeared simpler to get in! By the time 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 received in though- entire 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 saved my ft out by doing a “boat pose” from yoga. I set a 1 minute timer and did it!
Back 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 loads of chatting and laughing.
The Ice Tub
Emily and Matt win for many enthusiastic in regards to the ice tub. They went for it straight away! Emily stayed in fairly some time till she began growling (haha!) It’s so loopy that the air was 32 levels and so they had been in ICE! Matt seems to be thrilled right here:
Aaron wins for many formidable ice person. He took his plunges very critically! (He loves ice and hates warmth.) He even dunked his head below!
And he was calm sufficient to take this pic, ft in and all:
Julie gained for longest plunge! While her arms and ft had been out, she was in there fairly some time….
Long sufficient that different individuals needed to be part of her to get in!
My Turn
I lastly received courageous sufficient to strive the ice tub on my final spherical. You can see how sizzling I received 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 girl giving start to an enormous – LOL! I feel the ache degree was on half with halfway by labor contractions. It is similar to attempt to breath by the ache discomfort. Haha.
How was it?
It was chilly, however it wasn’t as unhealthy as I assumed it might be! Partly as a result of among the ice had overflowed and I’m positive the water was somewhat hotter and decrease then when the night time began. And partly as a result of my ft and shoulders had been out (though I type 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?
When I received out, my entire core was undoubtedly attempting 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 type of enjoyable although! I’d undoubtedly do it once more.
Sidenote: as somebody who’s all the time chilly this time of yr, I can’t fathom chilly plunging with out a sauna to heat up in earlier than and after. The individuals I see who chilly plunge with out heating up first are exhausting core!
Times Up!
Our session was 90 minutes lengthy, and truthfully we may have stayed one other hour! I did three rounds of sizzling + chilly (break up about 20 minutes of sizzling and 10 of chilly and transition) and would have finished yet one more for positive. They gave us a 15 minute warning and nobody wished to finish with out a closing heat up. It was bizarre to go from soaked in sweat to dry garments with out a cleaning bathe. Bring a 3rd dry towel for this objective! It was SO chilly out we didn’t even need the hearth pit – we wished to go inside!
Changing
Since we had 10 individuals, everybody scattered to vary. The lounge would have made an important place for both all the boys or girls as a result of it was considerably heated, however we didn’t use it. Instead 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. Changing was the worst a part of the night time!
The Cantina: Social Time + Cheese Boards
Back within the Cantina by the wooden range, we had been ravenous! I drank a full 32 ounce water bottle in the course of 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. They additionally had ginger tea with lemon and honey. It was nice to have the ability to loosen up and debrief what we beloved and what we’d do in a different way subsequent time (preserve the door closed!)
Pounding the scrumptious cheese!
We all 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 true subsequent door, so we headed there after for some beers and burgers.
Cheers!
Are you a sauna individual? Have you ever chilly plunged?