Leicester City achieved the impossible by winning the Premier League last season. In perhaps the greatest underdog story in sporting history, they beat odds of 5,000-to-1 to become champions.

But everyone knows that already.

What is less known, and perhaps the secret to Leicester’s success, is the use of cryotherapy in their fitness and conditioning regimen.  

Cryotherapy is an innovative treatment where the body is exposed to numbing temperatures. Typically, liquid nitrogen or refrigerated cold air is blasted in a special chamber that gets as cold as -190°C.

The below-freezing air is applied after strenuous workouts to relieve sore and inflamed muscles. This aids in the recovery process, resulting in fewer injuries. It is said to improve recovery times for athletes. Cryotherapy essentially works like an ice bath, though three minutes in a cryogenic chamber is the equivalent of 45 minutes in an ice bath.

Cryotherapy also has a host of beauty and health benefits. Often described as the “fountain of youth,” it is said that cryotherapy has anti-aging qualities. The science behind it is this: When the skin makes contact with extreme cold, blood vessels constrict and blood drains from extremities to maintain body temperature. When you warm up again, blood rushes to the surface of the skin, making you glow.

Cryosauna in Nishi-Azabu (a 30-second walk from the train station) is the go-to place for cryotherapy in Japan. Their cabin can service up to ten people an hour, and blasts 1.5-3.5 liters of frozen air in one session ranging from -110 to -190°C.

Cryosauna’s clientele includes an impressive list of top athletes from baseball, rugby, and mixed martial arts. This is because cryotherapy has become the standard for athletes looking to maximize their performance. Many of Cryosauna’s clients are also regular sports enthusiasts. Cryotherapy has also been linked to weight loss. Tomomi Takano, a Japanese boxer and a client of Cryosauna, lost four kilograms in just five sessions when she was preparing for a fight.  

This is why cryotherapy is favored by top athletes, as well as Hollywood celebrities. The treatment has many beneficial effects for beauty, health, and fitness—boosting metabolism, reducing signs of aging, relieving pain disorders, and more. Try it out for yourself by booking an appointment at Cryosauna today. Sessions start at ¥10,800, and there are discounts for purchasing multiple sessions.

For Leicester City, it appears that the use of cryotherapy paid off; they had the fewest injuries in the Premier League last season.

4F Ramyuuzu Juban Bldg. 1-6-5 Azabu-juban. Nearest station: Azabu-juban. Tel: 03-6804-6828. www.cryosauna.jp. Reservation required.