Use this low-tech trick to boost performance.
THE GIST:
The Embr Wave bracelet, created by engineering students at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, claims to help you feel warmer or cooler with the press of a button—but you can get more performance benefits with a DIY approach.
EXPERT INSIGHT:
Rather than change your actual body temperature, the band is intended to alter your perception of how warm or cold you are, thereby reducing thermal discomfort. Studies show that alleviating it (even if your core temp stays the same) can help you run faster and produce more power while cycling, says Zachary Schlader, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of exercise and nutrition sciences at the University of Buffalo in New York.
But you don’t need tech to get these results, and the wrist isn’t the best body part to target. You’re actually most sensitive to temperature changes on your face or neck, Schlader says.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
To immediately feel cooler in the gym, loop a cold, damp towel around your neck. During outdoor runs or rides, splash icy water on your face (from a bottle or fountain).