What Is Contrast Therapy?

TL;DR: Contrast Therapy at TAVÚ alternates sauna heat with a 5–8°C ice bath over a 60-minute session. It's available as a private Individual session or shared as a Couple, Trio or Group of up to six, from AED 275. Book through the website or the Mindbody app.

What Is Contrast Therapy?

Contrast Therapy at TAVÚ is a 60-minute recovery session that moves you back and forth between sauna heat and a 5–8°C ice bath, using the studio's Himalayan Salt Sauna, Infrared Sauna and Ice Bath facilities.

The idea behind "contrast" is in the name: the session alternates between heat and cold, and moving between the two is the whole point. At TAVÚ it's offered as a stand-alone recovery ritual and as the foundation of both recovery memberships.

The Heat and the Cold

TAVÚ's sauna facilities give you two ways to warm up before the ice bath: a Himalayan Salt Sauna and an Infrared Sauna. From there, the Ice Bath sits at a steady 5–8°C.

Who It's For

Contrast Therapy suits anyone who trains regularly and wants a structured recovery habit, as well as anyone simply looking to add a reset to their week. It's booked as a private Individual session for those who prefer to move at their own pace, or as a shared Couple, Trio or Group experience for training partners, friends or family who want to go through the same hot-cold rounds together.

What a Session Includes

Every Contrast Therapy session runs for 60 minutes and moves between the saunas and the ice bath at your own pace. Sessions are available as:

• Individual — a private session for one
• Couple — for two, with a choice of a private or shared suite
• Trio — for three, private or shared
• Group — for up to six guests, private or shared

What It Costs

All prices exclude VAT:

• Individual Drop-In — AED 275 (private session for one)
• Couple — two guests, private or shared (current price on the pricing page)
• Trio — AED 600 (three guests, private or shared)
• Group — AED 1,050 (up to six guests, private or shared)

A Compression Flush (20 minutes) can be added to any session for AED 50 — see NormaTec Compression Therapy for what that involves. Full pricing, including the Reset and Ritual Unlimited recovery memberships, is on the pricing page.

Memberships Built Around Contrast Therapy

If you'd rather make Contrast Therapy a regular habit than book it session by session, TAVÚ offers two memberships:

• Reset Membership — AED 820, valid 30 days: 4 Contrast Therapy sessions, 1 × 30-minute Compression Therapy session, a complimentary 15-minute Head, Neck & Shoulder chair massage (subject to therapist availability), 10% off one massage service, and the option to bring a friend for AED 95 once during the membership.
• Ritual Unlimited Membership — AED 1,390, valid 45 days: Contrast Therapy with 2 × 30-minute Compression Therapy sessions (choice of Main or Private Contrast), 10% off massage services, 2 complimentary 30-minute chair massages, and the same AED 95 bring-a-friend option.

Why Hot-Cold Contrast, in Brief

Hot-cold contrast is a long-used recovery practice, and the research on its cold-water half is modest but real. A Cochrane systematic review of cold-water immersion after exercise found some evidence that it can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness compared with passive rest, though the authors rate the study quality as low and say the best method and its safety are not yet clear. The same review found no difference in pain between contrast immersion (alternating hot and cold) and cold water alone (see Sources below).

Contrast Therapy at TAVÚ is a wellness and recovery practice, not a medical treatment. If you have a heart condition, are pregnant, or have any medical concern, check with your doctor before booking a session.

How to Book

Contrast Therapy is booked as an appointment rather than a class — on the Appointments page or in the Mindbody app. Cancellation and rescheduling terms are listed on the Appointments page. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your session.

Full session details live on the Contrast Therapy page; for every price on one page, see pricing. Ready to book? Head to Appointments.