Highlands Coming early 2026
Guided Sauna and Cold Plunge
A coach-led sauna & cold plunge experience built around recovery and performance
Thermotherapy at Traverse
Each Thermotherapy class is coach-led and intentionally designed around heat, cold, breath, and meditation. Sessions move through purposeful phases that combine light movement, recovery practices, and moments of effort and ease.
These carefully crafted experiences help regulate the nervous system, support physical recovery, and create a shared sense of focus and connection throughout the room.
Why guidance matters
The sauna and cold plunge are powerful tools, and when used with intention and guidance, they become something more.
At Traverse, Thermotherapy is guided by trained coaches who help you navigate breath, timing, and transitions safely and effectively. This guidance is the center of the Thermotherapy experience and helps you get more out of every session.
Rather than guessing or pushing too far, you are supported through an experience designed to meet you where you’re at.
Thermotherapy Class Types
Our Coach-led Thermotherapy classes are offered in two distinct formats. Both are recovery-based and guided, with different intentions.
Perform
Perform is the Thermotherapy offering to dig deep and find internal growth.
Classes are designed to expose the body to controlled stress through heat, cold, and breathwork, using intentional up-regulation to build resilience and support athletic performance and everyday life. Sessions may include breath holds, nervous system challenges, and purposeful mental activation.
Even in Perform classes, down-regulation and recovery are built in so the body leaves balanced and settled.
Restore
Restore is our down-regulating Thermotherapy offering.
Classes focus on calming the nervous system through longer exhales, gentle breathwork, light mobility, and intentional hot/cold exposure. Restore is designed to support recovery, stress management, and overall balance.
This format is especially approachable for first-time participants or anyone seeking a slower, grounding experience.
Who is Thermotherapy for
Thermotherapy at Traverse is designed to be inclusive and approachable.
It is for people training hard, those managing stress or fatigue, someone looking for meaningful connection and anyone curious about breathwork and recovery. No prior experience is required.
Our coaches guide you through the entire session, offering options and support along the way.
Locations & availability
Thermotherapy classes are available at both Traverse locations:
Highlands
Explore Thermotherapy classes at Traverse Highlands
Coming Soon
Thermotherapy Gallery
Self-Directed Contrast Therapy
1. Warm Up // Sauna
15 to 20 minutes
We recommend an initial hot phase to lower blood pressure and enhance blood flow to the skin and muscles. This warm-up phase should typically last 10-15 minutes.Â
2. Cool down // Cold Plunge
20 seconds to 3 minutes
The cold phase prompts the production of white blood cells, your body’s natural healing agents. Toxins are flushed out, your muscles relax, leaving you feeling rejuvenated.
3. Relax
Rest time may vary
We encourage those participating in the Sauna + Cold Plunge to give themselves time to rest, relax, and listen to your body in between each cycle.
4. Repeat
2 to 3 cycles
Many of the Thermotherapy benefits can be obtained through one sauna session followed by one cold plunge however two or more complete cycles can be beneficial depending on user and experience level.
Thermotherapy Treatment FAQs
Using a cold plunge immediately after a tough workout can reduce inflammation and soreness by constricting blood vessels. However, this might limit muscle growth if building mass is your ultimate goal. Saunas increase blood flow while helping to boost recovery and promoting muscle relaxation, but it is recommended to wait at least 15-20 minutes before introducing heat. We would recommend waiting a few minutes after class before using a contrast thermotherapy approach by starting in the cold plunge and then shifting to our sauna.
It is generally recommended to limit cold plunge sessions to 2-5 minutes and it is important to listen to your body to know when it’s time to warm up. On the other hand, hot therapy works best with longer sessions where you should target 15-20 minutes in saunas as the gradual warming helps increase blood flow without overwhelming your system. For better overall wellness, consistency matters more than duration. Regular, appropriately timed sessions will benefit you more than occasional marathon heat or cold sessions.
Thermotherapy can help revitalize your mind and body, but only if utilized safely. For cold plunges, you should limit sessions to a maximum of 10 minutes as your body needs to maintain its core temperature. Individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, Raynaud’s disease, or circulation issues should consult a doctor before any treatments. With saunas, proper hydration is critical. Drinking fluids before, during, and after will maximize the benefits. You should exit immediately if you feel dizzy or nauseous and start with shorter sessions before working your way up.
The ideal cold plunge temperature typically falls between 50-59°F. This range is cold enough to trigger the beneficial physiological responses without being too overwhelming. While you should start on the higher end of that range, you can work your way down to 50°F or slightly below for enhanced benefits. Experienced cold plungers can sometimes venture into the 40-50°F range, but temperatures below 40°F require extreme caution. Ultimately, remember that individual tolerance varies widely and your perfect temperature is one that challenges you, but still feels manageable.
A 15-20 minute sauna session can burn approximately 100-150 calories. After a few minutes, your heart rate can build as your body works to cool itself down and your metabolism responds to the heat stress. A short 5-minute cold plunge can burn 40-50 calories maintaining core temperatures and a thermogenic effect can continue for hours afterward. While the calorie burn is a nice bonus, the primary benefits of thermotherapy are faster recovery, inflammation reduction, and stress relief.
One Membership
Unlimited ThermoTherapy Classes.
All-Studio Access.
As part of the Expedition Membership, you have unlimited access to all of the classes, studios, and amenities that Traverse has to offer.
View More Amenities at Traverse
Build muscle and find your strength in a world-class performance training facility.
Odin Cold Plunges
With the ability to reach 37°F, invigorating cold water treatment is available to jumpstart your recovery.
Harvia Heaters
With a Harvia Heater, our custom cedar sauna can comfortably accommodate up to 18 people for Thermotherapy classes or open sauna use.
Mental Benefits
Go beyond physical training
The mental benefits to both hot and cold exposure therapy are scientifically backed.
3-5 days of hot/cold exposure therapy per week has shown to boost norepinephrine and endorphin production, improving mood, focus, and attention.
Physical Benefits
Find Peak Performance
Physical benefits to hot and cold exposure therapy has been long studied. With proper usage, the benefits include more efficient muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, increased blood flow, and a bolstered immune system.