A bunch of mates 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. Right here’s the recap! 

Smile everybody!

Saunas are having a sizzling second

Saunas are positively having their 12 months! I’m seeing increasingly more sauna homes pop up, and we now have three sauna spots you may go to in Charlottesville – the Rivanna River Sauna, Fireplace & Ice on the IX park, and Reset in Crozet (Thomas has been). Plus the saunas on the gyms and spas. A number of 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 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 naturally there may be the Rivanna River flowing good and chilly proper past the fence! 

Sauna season

Sauna season runs from the autumn by means of March. I’d completely do that 12 months spherical so I hope they’ll contemplate opening up extra occasions and months! The second all of us left the property we had been able to e book it once more, however from what I can inform all non-public periods are full. 

The way to e book it

For those who reside in Cville, you should utilize the sauna in just a few alternative ways: purchase buying slots in neighborhood periods (with folks you won’t know), girls’s solely periods, or reserving a non-public session for as much as 10 folks. We beloved making this a social occasion with a bunch of mates from our gymnasium! Together with 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 most effective 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 very best on a hotter day the place we might 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 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 need to attempt it, and I used to be pleasantly stunned with how I did. Our buddy Emily stated we might 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 truly 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 an alternative 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 need to take into the sauna – water bottles, telephones, flip flops. Additionally they had important oils to placed on the rocks.

Future was so sensible and introduced her gown:

The Sizzling Room

The sauna was about 175 levels and was loads sizzling 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 in regards to the door. Nevertheless it was nonetheless very popular within the sauna, and our purpose of an incredible sweat was achieved. They suggest staying in about quarter-hour per spherical, however I might 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 cellphone close to the ground that wasn’t too sizzling (since warmth rises!) so we had some tunes and a “cold and warm” playlist. The highest shelf was the most effective spot, so we rotated up and down as wanted. Deliver 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 point I had make the trek to the river, I used to be loads 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 obtained in though- complete physique down. By the tip 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 might 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 lots 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 appears to be like thrilled right here: 

Aaron wins for many bold ice consumer. 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 received for longest plunge! Whereas her arms and ft had been out, she was in there fairly some time….

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

My Flip

I lastly obtained courageous sufficient to attempt the ice tub on my final spherical. You may see how sizzling I obtained first by how purple my face was! Emily got here with me for ethical help. With each of our ft out, we seemed like a lady giving start to an enormous – LOL! I feel the ache degree was on half with halfway by means of labor contractions. It is extremely much like attempt to breath by means of 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 certain the water was a little bit hotter and decrease then when the night time began. And partly as a result of my ft and shoulders had been out (though I form of wished I might have had my legs in additional). I stayed in a full two minutes, and I most likely might have carried out a little bit longer! 

How did I really feel?

Once I obtained out, my complete core was positively making an attempt to shiver. I felt a little bit 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 positively do it once more.

Sidenote: as somebody who’s at all times chilly this time of 12 months, I can not fathom chilly plunging and not using a sauna to heat up in earlier than and after. The folks I see who chilly plunge with out heating up first are laborious core! 

Occasions Up!

Our session was 90 minutes lengthy, and truthfully we might have stayed one other hour! I did three rounds of sizzling + chilly (cut up about 20 minutes of sizzling and 10 of chilly and transition) and would have carried out yet one more for certain. They gave us a 15 minute warning and nobody wished to finish and not using a remaining heat up. It was bizarre to go from soaked in sweat to dry garments and not using a cleaning bathe. Deliver 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! 

Altering

Since we had 10 folks, everybody scattered to alter. The lounge would have made an incredible place for both all the boys or girls 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 had 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 loosen up and debrief what we beloved and what we might do otherwise subsequent time (hold 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 true subsequent door, so we headed there after for some beers and burgers. 

Cheers!

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