The "Glove"
In a previous article I discussed the effect of cold water immersion on PNS reinvigoration helping kick start your recovery from training. In the conclusion of that article I made reference to some new technology called “The Glove” (officially called the Rapid Thermal Exchanger glove) that rapidly cools your core temperature through your palm, aiding performance. Well this is all relevant to this update because researchers from the University of New Mexico wanted to investigate whether “local palm cooling during rest intervals between progressive weight training sets will increase total repetitions and exercise volume in resistance trained subjects exercising in a thermoneutral environment”. In other words, is the glove any good for weight lifters?
The researchers got a hold of sixteen experienced weight lifters and had them perform four sets of the bench press at 85% of their one rep max until failure, giving them three minutes rest between sets. With three days rest, they then re-performed these sets using either palm-heating to 45 degrees, palm-cooling to 10 degrees, or what the researchers called thermoneutral, which acted as a control group and involved neither heating nor cooling. When receiving the palm-cooling treatment the lifters ability was greatly improved in what the researchers referred to as (paraphrased) “an overriding of fatigue mechanisms”. Why this happens though, the researchers did not state and could not explain. I don’t have any solid theories myself either, but I wonder if an increase in core temperature effects central nervous system transmission in some way, which the cooling effect reverses somewhat. But this is purely speculation on my part.
Would have been even cooler with the "Glove"
I’m pleased that they did this study looking into resistance training. It helps answer my earlier question, and does look like it may hold promise for weight lifters. Carrying it around the gym may not be lots of fun, but I’ve seen people carrying around worse things. And if it makes you feel any better, apparently the San Francisco 49ers are using it so if anyone asks just tell them you’re a baller!
As for pricing, I have no idea what these things cost nor where you can get one as my “Googling” skills seem to have left me right now.
Source: Kwon YS, Robergs RA, Kravitz LR, Gurney BA, Mermier CM, Schneider SM. Palm Cooling Delays Fatigue during High Intensity Bench Press Exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Feb 4.
Matt Cahill has worked extensively in the nutritional supplement field, and is the former CEO of Designer Supplements. During his time in the field has researched and developed prohormones, testosterone boosters, and other related compounds, both for his own company and others. 