Cold Hands Torture Training

Has anyone ever tried, or even heard of this training method to improve blood circulation? Basically you alternate submerging your hands in very hot water and cold water over and over. The idea is that this process tricks the blood vessels in your hands into dilating in response to the cold. I read about the method here: wildsnow.com/661/cold-hands… It doesn't seem to exist anywhere else. I'm thinking about trying this myself but it would be cool to hear if anyone knows anything about it first.

In the 70's, I remember reading a book on cross country skiing and it talked about this Norwegian champion who would ski holding snowballs. The idea was to build circulation in his hands. Seems like a similar idea to what you describe minus the alternating heat.

I tried it as a kid carrying snowballs everywhere I went and never seemed to get cold hands. Of course, I live in Los Angeles now...

I did find an article discussing your concept, but only in response to using ice on injuries. sportsinjurybulletin.com/ar…

These are often called contrast baths. They are an established way to help recovery, of the hands or anything else, but I'm not sure about building cold resistance. Since contrast baths are generally accepted to be good for your hands, though, it can't hurt to try.

Here is a similar but different method someone pointed me to: nytimes.com/1988/01/19/scie…
This one sounds like it may be pretty legit and was actually properly researched.

EDIT- Here I found an actual step by step method spelled out:
Murray’s Method:
Equipment:
2 – 4 Styrofoam coolers, 2 for hands + 2 for feet.
Warm water.
Warm inside the home & cool, <32°F (0°C) outside.

Fill the Styrofoam coolers with warm water, 105°F – 110°F, one set inside and one set outside.
Start inside, dressed lightly so that you are comfortable, and sit with your hands or feet in the warm water for about 5 minutes; then, get up and go outside. Stay lightly dressed, and put your hands or feet in the warm water outside, for 5 – 10 minutes.

For this to work your body has to be able to cool off while your hands and feet stay warm. This is the re-education process. You have to repeat this process about 50 times. It seems to be most effective when you do this about 5 times a day, every other day.

Dave Macleod used to have an article (maybe he still does) on his blog about cool water therapy and the Lewis Reaction. Personally I've used his technique with huge success on pulley injuries in my fingers, but I wouldn't say it has improved my circulation in the cold.

Apparently Dave was going to write another book that detailed all of this...still waiting on that one.

Mr. Macleod's article on finger injury, as mentioned by Mitch:
Online Climbing Coach Dave Macleod

Quick WIKI on Hunting Reaction a.k.a. Lewis Reaction:
Hunting Reaction (Lewis Reaction)

I carried mail for over 30 years (in Ohio) and almost never wore gloves or boots of any kind. Occasionally if it got below zero I might. Hands (and feet) adapted as fall wore into winter and I was exposed daily for hours at a time. I have no idea how one might duplicate that in "training" though. But I do know adaptation is possible. I have retired and no longer work outside - and my hands and feet do get cold now.

Supposedly Hermann Buhl did this preparing for K2.

Sounds to me like how runners BITD (way BITD) thought eating the meat of the fastest animal would make you run faster. Supposedly folks prepping for the Olympics would arrange to get Cheetah meat leading up to competition.

As in, bad inductive reasoning.

Vaughne wrote:Here is a similar but different method someone pointed me to: nytimes.com/1988/01/19/scie… This one sounds like it may be pretty legit and was actually properly researched. EDIT- Here I found an actual step by step method spelled out: Murray’s Method: Equipment: 2 – 4 Styrofoam coolers, 2 for hands + 2 for feet. Warm water. Warm inside the home & cool, <32°F (0°C) outside. Fill the Styrofoam coolers with warm water, 105°F – 110°F, one set inside and one set outside. Start inside, dressed lightly so that you are comfortable, and sit with your hands or feet in the warm water for about 5 minutes; then, get up and go outside. Stay lightly dressed, and put your hands or feet in the warm water outside, for 5 – 10 minutes. For this to work your body has to be able to cool off while your hands and feet stay warm. This is the re-education process. You have to repeat this process about 50 times. It seems to be most effective when you do this about 5 times a day, every other day.

This article is specific to folks with Reynaud's. It's intriguing, but I wonder how effective it would be for folks without Reynaud's? I'm not a doctor, and don't feel like I understand the differences well enough to say anything more than just point out the specificity of the study in question.