I got to test out a cool, new device that elite athletes are trying to keep a secret… Pro cycling teams, top football players, basketball stars, college teams, and Olympians training for Paris are all using it. But I was curious to see how it might work for an every day athlete…
It’s called Cool Mitt- a thermoregulation device created with technology developed at Stanford University. By leveraging the body’s natural cooling mechanism, Cool Mitt has been shown to increase endurance, delay fatigue, and improve performance, so I was excited to give it a try!
How does Cool Mitt work?
Heat is a primary limiting factor in performance. Think about doing intervals on the bike, running on the track, or lifting at the gym. During the first set or two, you feel great. But, as you keep going, your core body temperature starts to rise. At a certain point, performance will decline because the muscles overheat. But what if there was a way to cool the body from the inside out…
The palms of the hands radiate heat over 5 times more effectively than other parts of the body. Cool Mitt works by rapidly drawing heat away and sending cooled blood back to the heart. This type of vasocooling during short breaks in exercise has shown to increase endurance, delay fatigue, and improve performance.
Scroll to the bottom of the post to watch Andrew Huberman’s YouTube video about the science behind the device.
How do you use Cool Mitt?
The device is very easy to use with only one button.
- Step 1: Put ice and water in the bottom chamber.
- Step 2: Add water to the reservoir in the top chamber.
- Step 3: Turn on the device.
- Step 4: Put your hand in Cool Mitt during breaks in training or competition.
Cool Mitt chills water to the ideal temperature (55°F) and circulates it to the mitt. Benefits can be seen by wearing the mitt for as little as 30-60 seconds.
Revolutionary cooling device that accelerates muscle and core cooling leading to improved performance and endurance. Used by elite athletes from over 60 pro teams, 30 colleges, and Olympians. Developed with technology from Stanford University.
- Easy to use, portable, and rechargeable
- 6 hours of cooling on a single charge
- 1-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee
How is this any different than wearing an ice vest or holding ice in your hand? Temperatures that are too cold cause vasoconstriction, where blood vessels narrow and blood flow decreases. You want to dump heat as quickly as possible. That’s why the water flowing through Cool Mitt has to stay at the perfect temperature of 55°F.
My experience with Cool Mitt
I’ve been using Cool Mitt for the past three weeks during my cycling workouts, and it’s mind-blowing! Check out this workout: 1 hour with 3 x 5 min., 2 x 4 min., and 3 x 3 min. sprint efforts going over FTP into VO2 max. Rest periods in between intervals ranged from 1 min. to 1:30, which is typically not long enough for my heart rate to go down much.
I wore the Cool Mitt on the rest intervals, and I was shocked to see how much my heart rate went down in just 1:00-1:30.
Here’s what my watts looked like for each interval, the highest my heart rate got by the end of the interval, and the lowest it got during the rest period.
- Interval 1: 156 w, 161-145 bpm
- Interval 2: 163 w, 170-145 bpm
- Interval 3: 170 w, 171-147 bpm
- Interval 4: 176 w, 172-143 bpm
- Interval 5: 182 w, 174-150 bpm
- Interval 6: 187 w, 176-150 bpm
- Interval 7: 190 w, 174- 152 bpm
I didn’t feel the effect of the previous interval as much as I normally would. My legs felt fresher, and I had more energy at the start of each interval. Typically, with this type of a workout, I’d be spent by the end; but, I felt like I could do more, which is kind of unbelievable.
Check out the power and heart rate graph from my workout. You can see the watts in purple and my heart rate in red.
The theory is that with a lower core body temperature, you have the capacity to do more work, so you can train harder, longer, and build strength gains, which leads to an increase in performance, even when you’re not using the Cool Mitt. It’s the only device out there I know of that doesn’t just impact recovery; it improves performance.
There are some crazy studies that have been done with NFL players that show the type of performance gains seen with Cool Mitt. A NFL tight end went from doing 180 pull ups to 616 pull ups! Another tight end for the San Fransisco 49ers went from doing 103 tricep dips to 310 in just 4 weeks.
Different ways to use Cool Mitt
1- During breaks in training- while riding on the bike trainer, running on a treadmill or track, or working out at the gym.
2- Post workout recovery- After a hot workout, your body holds onto excess heat. Getting rid of that heat as quickly as possible leads to improved recovery time.
3- Before sleep- Cool down before bed to get deeper sleep and enhanced recovery.
Pros and Cons
Cool Mitt is very easy to use. All you have to do is put ice and water inside, and flip a switch. Also, it’s portable and rechargeable, which is a big plus. With the gains I’ve seen in just a short period of time, I will definitely be using it during my indoor rides, and I’m excited to use it for run workouts.
Honestly, I don’t have many cons, other than it’s pricy. But the company has generously given me a $200 off code to share with you! Use BRITTANY200 at check out, or click here to redeem.
More about the science
Are you a fan of the Andrew Huberman? In May 2021, I listened to this podcast episode on the drive to 70.3 Chattanooga where he talked about supercharging performance and recovery with cooling. He hinted about a thermoregulation device that was in the works being tested with elite athletes.
Shortly after, I remember seeing Cool Mitt on theFeed.com, but they only had 30 units for sale, because there was a waiting list to get one. This is what the company’s owner said, “Mark my words, this product will be used by every pro cyclist and on the sidelines of every professional sports team in the next 12 months. Most teams and riders won’t go on the record that they are using it, but I’ve received permission to share that the EF team is.” Since then, Cool Mitt has been seen at the Tour de France, on the sidelines of NBA games, and in MLB dugouts. Word is that track athletes have been using it ahead of the Paris Olympics this summer.
Check out this YouTube video where Huberman explains more about how Cool Mitt works.
