How to steam in the bath: detailed instructions for visiting the steam room. How to steam in the bath - advice from experienced attendants How to steam in a dry steam room

A miracle cure for many ailments. For many centuries, the Russian bath gives good health, heals the spirit. But even such a simple ritual as a park in the bath requires compliance with the measure and certain rules. Do you want to steam properly? In this article, you will learn how.

What is "entry" into the steam room? Steaming with the mind

Before visiting the bath, you need to remember (remember - for beginners) a few simple rules for taking bath procedures and you can safely go to the steam room:

1. Graduality. Do not immediately rush into all serious and bathe for too long. The load must be increased gradually, evenly. It's not a competition.
2. Reasonable limitation. The bath is designed to improve well-being, increase strength and certainly not its decline. Therefore, if you feel unwell, even a slight one, you should immediately leave the steam room.
3. Rational assessment of the forces of one's own body. Before visiting the bath, you should not drink alcohol, a large amount of food, liquids. After all, the body will need a lot of strength if your goal is to steam “to the bone”.

Advice. Remember, during your stay in the steam room, the heart works "at maximum speed", so never forget the unspoken rule - "do no harm." Health is above all.

Before heading into the steam room, prepare your body for the high temperatures by taking a warm enough shower without soap (because this will wash off the fatty layer and the skin will be too "shocked" by the first contact with the steam room). At the same time, hair should not be wetted, otherwise overheating of the scalp is possible. Don't forget to wear a bath hat with wide brim (wet it with water) or wrap your head in a towel.

There can be several visits - usually 5-6, three is enough for a beginner.

Be sure to protect your head while in the steam room

The first entry is adaptive. They enter the steam room for the first time to let the body gradually get used to the high temperature. A broom is not used, but you can take it with you to smell the leaves and relax. Start "promotion" from the bottom shelf, where the lowest temperature. Duration of stay - no more than 10 minutes (the skin usually turns red at this point and sweat begins to stand out).

Advice. After each entry, it is necessary to wash off sweat from the body so that the skin does not absorb all the toxins that have come out with sweat back.

Second entry. At this stage, full-fledged bath procedures are already beginning. To begin with, you can add some water to the stones to increase the humidity in the steam room. After that, a bath broom comes into play. We start by stroking all parts of the body for several minutes. After the body is used to it, we move on to light whipping. For those who usually experience great physical exertion, it will be useful to make the so-called "compresses". To do this, you need to slightly raise the broom, as if grabbing air and “lower” it on the steamed body, making a couple of whips. When the body has already been steamed and “burns”, we leave.

Advice. After each call, you must definitely rest - not too long, 5-10 minutes is enough.

Third and subsequent visits. Here it all depends on how you feel and your own experience of visiting the bath. Everyone chooses for himself the optimal amount, the main thing is that you do not feel a breakdown. If so, overdid it. Do not forget about the shower - be sure to rub yourself well with a sponge and soap.

We steam a broom for a bath. How to do it right?

If the broom is fresh, then it is not necessary to steam it (it is enough just to wet it slightly), otherwise it will simply become heavy and quickly heat up - the skin simply cannot withstand this. There are several basic ways to steam a broom:

• quick (in case it was not possible to prepare in advance). Dip the broom in hot water for a couple of minutes. Without shaking off the water, go to the steam room. There, hold a broom over hot stones - and you can bathe.
• a few hours before the bath. Dip the broom in warm water (for 10-15 minutes), then, adding hot water, cover the top. Bring to the desired condition, periodically turning over.

Prepare brooms in advance

• for experienced vapers. A couple of hours before the bath procedures, leave the broom in a steamer with barely warm water for half an hour, constantly turning over. Then, without shaking off the water, put in the basin with the leaves up for the same amount of time. Thus, all branches are fully saturated with moisture and become elastic. Wrap in a package. Entering the steam room, hold a little over hot stones.

A common question: is it possible for a nursing mother to bathe in a bath?

Bath procedures are not contraindicated for young mothers, but this issue should be approached very seriously. If a woman did not visit the bath during pregnancy, then she should refrain from it for at least a year after giving birth. If the bath has not been visited for the last six months - abstain for about 6 months after childbirth. When a nursing mother is an experienced bath attendant, you can safely go to the steam room a couple of months after giving birth.

To avoid any problems after visiting the bath, it is enough to learn a few points:

• overheating is contraindicated for nursing (when the body receives a large amount of heat, the breast will become very full of milk, it may even leak). Therefore, the duration of the first visit is about 5 minutes (2-3 visits).
• do not lie on your stomach (there is a high risk of overheating of the chest);
• in no case do not plunge into a font or pool with cold water (such sudden changes in temperature can cause malfunctions in the production of milk). It is enough to wipe the chest with water, the rest of the body - cooler.

Is it possible and how to steam in the bath with osteochondrosis?

With osteochondrosis, it is not only possible, but also necessary (in moderate doses) to visit the bathhouse. A doctor's consultation is not required, but recommended. The process of taking bath procedures by people suffering from osteochondrosis is the same as for everyone. You should not just be zealous with a massage with a broom, so as not to harm your health.

Bath helps to get rid of many diseases

If you suffer from osteochondrosis, the bath will help you:

• improve blood circulation in the affected area of ​​the body;
• reduce pain syndrome;
• improve the nutrition of body cells
• remove waste and toxins.

To enhance the therapeutic effect of the bath will help a very simple remedy - honey. This is an excellent remedy for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck in the bath. Grandma's recipe: before entering the steam room, you need to smear your neck and shoulders with honey, and when you leave it, wrap yourself in a towel and drink herbal tea. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times in one visit to the bath. The night after the bath should be spent under a blanket to prolong the healing effect.

After the steam room

After finishing all the bath procedures, wrap yourself in a towel, drink herbal tea. Lie down, relax, clear your mind of all thoughts. After all, both the body and the soul are cleansed in the bath. In addition, steamed skin is ideal for various cosmetic procedures. Pamper yourself with masks and scrubs made from natural products (ideal for masks - honey, sour cream, clay; for scrubs - grounds from natural coffee or sea salt). Spend these moments with pleasure - and your skin will look like after visiting the Spa - smooth and silky.

Bath is the best place for applying masks and scrubs

So we have finished our journey into the world of baths. Now you know about its beneficial properties and will be able to spend time in the bath with pleasure and health benefits. Enjoy your holiday and have a light steam!

How to steam in the bath: video

How to bathe in the bath: photo

By the term "correctly" I mean such an organization of the process of soaring, which will allow us to cleanse our body both from the outside and from the inside, without harming your body.

In this short article I want to talk about how avid vapers in Belarus take a steam bath.

For rural residents, where the bath is the main means of hygiene, the absence of any reverence or reverence towards the bath is characteristic. Well, a bath and a bath ... We went, took a steam bath, washed ourselves, waved a glass after the bath. Everything as usual.

And no one thinks why they are steamed in this way and not otherwise. It’s just that fathers and grandfathers soared ...

The unique feature of the Russian Bath is that it cleanses not only from the outside, but also from the inside. But in order to cleanse our body as efficiently as possible, and not harm ourselves at the same time, it is necessary to follow some rules.

They are simple and logical.

The first rule when taking bath procedures is the rule of gradualness. The increase in load occurs gradually. The body gets used to, mobilizes and can withstand extreme stress without compromising health and well-being.

The second rule is the rule of reasonable sufficiency. You need to steam only as much as is necessary for cleansing and to maintain good health. If you feel even a slight malaise, the soaring process must be stopped immediately. In the steam room, your cardiovascular system works at its limit. And the malaise is her message that enough is enough, it's time to relax!
Remember, the steam room is not a place for competition!

The third rule is the rational use of the forces of the body. Before the bath and during the process, do not take away strength from your body with plentiful food, alcohol or large amounts of drunk water. If you want to steam well not only the skin, but also the joints and internal tissues, then you will need strength.

I will talk about the dangers of alcohol in the bath at the end of the article.

So, let's begin.

We came to the bath. With us we have clean linen, a towel, a flannel or wool cap, shampoo, soap, and a washcloth. Avid bathers also have mittens. If the bath is public, then rubber slippers and a small rug are also needed, on which you will sit on the shelf and in the rest room.

First entry to the steam room.

We undress and go to the steam room. Some before the steam room moisturize the skin in the shower. Wetting your head is undesirable, since wet hair conducts heat well and contributes to overheating of the brain, which is fraught with consequences. Dizziness and even fainting are its symptoms.

The first entry into the steam room without a broom. We just sit on the shelf and warm ourselves. During the first visit, skin pores open, sweating begins. The body "tunes" to the extreme steam room - blood vessels expand, blood rushes to the skin, and the metabolic rate increases. The first entry is short, no more than 10 minutes.

After washing off the sweat, rest for 5-10 minutes. The load during the first run is negligible, so the rest may not be long.

Second entry to the steam room.

We begin to bathe with a broom. To the fullest. We splash hot water on the stones (we call it “give steam” or “give in to the spirit”). Raise the humidity to the maximum, but so that you can endure.

In the process of soaring, the temperature in the steam room of the Russian bath changes slightly. It is constantly somewhere around 60 degrees. "Hotness" in the steam room of the Russian bath is achieved not by temperature, but by humidity - steam. By splashing water on the stove, we increase the humidity. Moreover, at a temperature of 60 degrees, you can create a regime that even the most avid vapers can hardly withstand.

More than once I saw how lovers of the sauna (dry-air bath), unable to stand it, jumped out of the steam room. And at the same time, they flatly refused to believe that the temperature in the steam room was “only” 60 degrees. According to their experience - the sensations are the same as at 130-150 degrees in the sauna. But 60 degrees for the body is good, and 130 is an absolute harm.

I talk about the effect of temperature on the human body in the subsection Three Whales of the Russian Bath.

So, we went to the steam room for the second time. Since we succumbed to a couple "from the heart", we start soaring from the feet. The legs are less sensitive to the scalding steam and while we are soaking the legs, our body gets used to the heat of the steam room and is much easier to accept the procedure.

The process of soaring with a broom is that the broom falls on each area of ​​the body several times. Having steamed one, we go to the next. Our task is to walk all over the body. The movements are smooth, the broom slightly touches the body. We whip ourselves, but not much. With a broom, as it were, we scoop up hot air and lower it onto the body.

In order to serve yourself, you need to learn how to bathe with a broom "with two hands." The right hand hovers the left side and vice versa. It is not difficult to learn this at all, 3-4 workouts are enough.

After steaming the legs, we move on to the body. If there is a lot of steam and it is hot in the steam room, then we hit each part of the body with a broom once or twice and immediately move on to the next one so as not to burn the skin.

When the whole body is steamed and the skin is “burning”, you can leave the steam room.

Further development of the process is possible in two ways.

First: wash off the sweat and rest in the rest room (dressing room).

The second is for experienced steamers. Immediately after the steam room, we douse ourselves with ice water, or jump into an ice hole, or swing in the snow.

In order not to overcool, the time spent in snow or chopped wood should not exceed 10 seconds. Only the skin is cooled.

Immediately after that - back to the steam room. Since the skin has lost sensitivity for a while, we can give more steam. And again, starting from the legs, we steam each part of our body with a broom. This is where mittens will come in handy, since the sensitivity of the skin on the hands will recover quickly and waving a broom will burn it. We steam until the sensitivity of the skin throughout the body is restored, and it begins to “burn”.

The second way of soaring is called "doublet". Its advantage is that not only the skin, but also the internal tissues are steamed in a short time. There is no need to sit in the steam room for a long time or increase the number of visits (a big load on the heart).

If you steam well after a cold extreme, then no cold will threaten you from this. I am responsible for my words, since my children began to bathe in this way starting from the age of ten (my eldest daughter is already 30). And never after such a procedure did not even have a runny nose.

"Duplet" we bathe once. All other entries are single.

After the second entry, we wash ourselves under a warm shower and rest. You can rest for a long time, 10-20 minutes. You can drink water or tea. If you still go to the steam room, drink a little. Excess fluid you drink is an additional burden on the heart.

Third and subsequent visits.

After the second entry and rest, you can make a few more single entries into the steam room. We usually go once or twice.

Everyone, on their own experience, should find for themselves such a number of visits to the steam room so that after the bath they feel a surge, and not a breakdown.

Washing.

After the end of the soaring procedure, wash yourself. I highly recommend rubbing the whole body with a soapy prickly washcloth. A hard washcloth will remove all dead skin particles and massage it well.
Without massage with a washcloth, the effect of the bath will be incomplete!

Some after washing once again go to the steam room. But this is wrong, as the remnants of soap and shampoo irritate the skin.

OK it's all over Now!

Dry off with a towel and dress warmly. Remember that even a short walk along a cold street undressed after a bath can cause a serious illness!

In the bath, your body has spent a lot of energy, it is in a relaxed state and is easily vulnerable. Therefore, at least an hour after the bath should be spent in a warm room or warmly dressed.
Drafts are especially dangerous!

Separately, I want to dwell on the incompatibility of a full-fledged steam room and alcohol.

Alcohol (including beer) expands the already dilated vessels. The load on the heart increases many times, the body's ability to withstand the extreme steam room is sharply reduced. A person who has consumed alcohol is not able to fully bathe, we say: "cannot keep steam."

The author has repeatedly witnessed and participated in "drunks without pants." After libations, no one really can bathe, everyone just warms up and, for decency, waves brooms. There is little use for such soaring. Much more harm and unnecessary stress on the heart.

Therefore, if you want to get a good steam bath and get the maximum benefit from the bath, give up alcohol (and beer) before the bath and during the visit to the steam room!
In Belarus, our ancestors did not particularly abuse alcohol: after the bath, they took a cup or two and went to rest.

I will say more, if you do not drink alcohol at all, neither before nor after the bath, then you will understand what a buzz bath procedures bring. When there is pleasant fatigue all over your body, when you breathe easily and with full breasts, when your head is freed from all anxieties and worries, when you sleep like a baby, and in the morning you feel perfectly rested, full of strength and energy ...

On this major note, perhaps, I will end ...

Easy couple for you!

Regular trips to the bath - a great way to tone the body, relax the muscles, and become slimmer.

You can talk for hours about the ability of a steam room to cheer up and have a beneficial effect on health in general.

The ancient Romans, history's leading bath lovers, visited steam rooms up to six times a day, and Hippocrates was the first to describe the healing effects of steam and heat.

We understand how it is right for health and how much time, which broom is better to choose, what else to take with you so that the benefits of the procedure are maximum.

How to steam in a bath with a broom together and alone?

There are several tricks to bathe with a broom if you come to the bath with the company:

1. Stroking- one partner lies on his stomach, the second slowly strokes him with a broom from the heels to the neck and in the opposite direction.
2. Compress- after stroking, the partner presses the broom in the lumbar region for a few seconds. This is an excellent remedy for radiculitis and injuries.
3. Stretching- both brooms are lowered to the lower back, after which they are bred in opposite directions to the feet and the back of the head.
4. quilting- quick movements of the end part of the broom along the back, lower back, shoulders, hips, calves and feet.
5. Plowing- lightly waving the broom, you barely touch the body, while feeling the breath of a hot breeze.
6. Trituration- the final part of the soaring. With one hand, the partner holds the broom by the handle, with the palm of the other, lightly presses on the leafy part and rubs the whole body. Trunk - in all directions, limbs - along.

You can use all the techniques in turn, repeating each for 1-2 minutes, or choose those that you like.

After that, be sure to take a break for tea or contrast procedures before the next entry into the steam room.

If you are alone in the bath, randomly whipping yourself over the body and hoping for a strong therapeutic effect is not worth it.

That is why in Russian baths there has always been a bathhouse attendant - a person specially trained in the subtleties of skill.

It is important to remember that you should properly steam in a bath with a broom, starting with a massage directed from the legs to the head.

Lightly stroke the feet with a broom, then the rest of the legs.

Repeat 3-4 times for each side. Then move on to transverse movements along the body from the chest to the legs.

Steam your back and pelvic area lying on your side, the rest of the body - standing or sitting.

After preparation, start more thorough whipping.

Repeat the manipulations described above confidently so that the skin warms up well, then start rubbing it and perform all the same movements with the leafy part of the broom.

A bath is useful for chronic diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, asthma, etc.), the genitourinary system, the musculoskeletal system, allergies and varicose veins.

At the same time, it is better to refrain from going to the steam room for people who are diagnosed with:

1. Hyperthermia
2. Any disease in the acute stage
3. Oncological pathologies
4. Endocrine Disorders
5. Purulent skin diseases
6. Tendency to high blood pressure
7. Epilepsy

These conditions or the presence of other chronic diseases are at least a reason to consult with your doctor. It is also not recommended to visit the bathhouse for children under 4 years old.

How to steam in a bath with a broom - what to take with you?

Of course, first of all you will need a broom from young shoots of different types of plants. Massage with its help is a distinctive feature of the Russian bath.

In addition to the broom, it will come in handy:

1. Bathrobe and terry towel, linen change
2. Sheet for shelves
3. Interchangeable rubber shoes
4. bath cap
5. Shampoo, gel, soap
6. Rigid rubbing mitt
7. Massage cosmetics - creams, scrubs

One of the main conditions for how to properly bathe in a bath with a broom for health is to drink a large amount of liquid during the procedure, since the body actively sweats and dehydrates.

Which broom is right and how should they bathe?

oak and birch- leaders among brooms for a bath.

Young birch shoots have a calming and wound-healing effect; oak - bactericidal and anti-inflammatory, tighten and tone the skin.

Bath gadgets from coniferous representatives of the plant world are also popular.

How to properly and why it is useful to bathe in a bath with a broom from ?

Such a broom is ideal for people suffering from sciatica and problems with the nervous system.

Brooms also have healing properties:

From bird cherry- Strengthen the immune system and fight viral diseases.

walnut- suitable for varicose veins, skin diseases and.

from alder- good for stimulating the excretion of sputum from the lungs when coughing, cleansing the skin, the general body.

from eucalyptus- this rare plant for our area will make healing even the air in the bath; will normalize blood pressure, help you relax and collect your thoughts, reduce the manifestations of pain in the back and joints.

Knit brooms andnettles. They are good for rheumatism, radiculitis, gout, back and joint pain.

The question arises by itself: how to bathe in a bath with a nettle broom, so as not to harm the skin?

To do this, you need to purchase small brooms and before use, alternately lower them into hot and cold water twice - in this simple way you will protect yourself from burns.

At the same time, microburns stimulate the blood circulation process and are useful for rheumatism.

In this case, the broom should be lowered into very hot water for a minute, and then proceed with the procedure.

In order for the branches and dry leaves to acquire the necessary elasticity, before the procedure, dry - moisten with boiling water, fresh - pour warm water over and put on stones for a while.

When is the best time to visit the bathhouse and how long to take a steam bath?

The optimal time spent in the steam room is 2 hours once a week, while there is no need to set survival records.

After seven minutes, it is better to go to the dressing room, then make another call. This is enough to keep the body in good shape.

But the time of the trip is individual for each person - someone prefers morning treatments, someone prefers a relaxing spa in the evening, shortly before bedtime.

One thing is clear - a bathhouse and strong drinks with solid food are incompatible, since such entertainment has every chance of ending in a stroke.

Tip: contrast treatments should be taken between visits to the steam room, but not after.

How to steam in the bath to lose weight?

Steaming in the bath is useful for losing weight - a spa procedure speeds up the process.

Two hours in the bath and two hours in the rocking chair will save you the same number of calories, and the use of brooms, scrubs, honey and other cosmetics will make the manifestations of the ill-fated orange peel in the legs and thighs less pronounced.

To overclock, it is enough to adhere to five rules:

1. Go to the steam room often, but not for long
2. Refuse contrast procedures
3. Drink warm drinks to increase sweating
4. Do not eat before the bath and limit yourself to a light dinner if you go to the steam room in the evening
5. Take treatments in the supine position

Tip: the perfect drink for going to the steam room is tea with honey and currants. It contains tannin, essential oils, vitamins of groups B, C and P. The latter is especially important for strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

How to take a steam bath in a health bath with honey?

for bath procedures- a real find.

It promotes the opening of pores, removes toxins from the body, improves the condition of the skin, relieves inflammation, heals wounds and eczema.

The main way to use a bee product in a steam room is to rub it into the skin.

It is important to wait until the pores open and the first sweat appears, then douse yourself with water and start rubbing honey into the skin with gentle circular movements.

Leave on for 5-7 minutes, then rinse with water.

Face masks work in the same way - it is recommended to prepare them in advance.

You can also take with you:

Lemonand rub it before entering the steam room. With the properties of a catalyst, it will help the pores open quickly and deeply.

Honey-salt mask with scrub effect.Rub the skin before the bath, leave for 10 minutes.

The composition of the mask is extremely simple:

1. 200 g honey
2. 200 g sea salt
3. 50 g ground coffee
4. A couple of drops of your favorite essential oil
5. 5-6 tablespoons of fat sour cream or cream

face maskto give the skin radiance, freshness and youth.

You will need in equal amounts:

1. Heavy cream
2. Yeast
3. Bran ground on a coffee grinder

Apply to the face a couple of minutes before leaving the steam room.

More recipes for bath masks at home can be found in the article.

Tip: It is a must to wear a bath cap in the steam room, as it has a thermal insulation function and protects the head from overheating.

How to take a steam bath in a health bath with a broom in more detail you will learn from this video:

For those who came to the baths for the first time

1. Steam first, then wash.
2. It will be useful to take a warm shower (2-3 minutes) before the steam room.
3. Do not wet your head, but it is advisable to moisten the hat with cold water.
4. Enter the steam room only in a hat, preferably a felt and wide-brimmed one, or make a turban out of a towel.
5. Choose shorter, fluffier and lighter brooms - two are better.
6. Ordinary mittens help a lot to keep palms from being scuffed with brooms.
7. On the first entry into the steam room, first warm up without a broom for 5-7 minutes. Then drink hot tea to improve the warming "from the inside".
8. Serve only with boiling water; try to give in small portions and only in the hottest place of the stove (the water in such a place will seem to "pop" or "explode") from this the steam will be dry, and therefore "light" or "soft".
9. Rest after the steam room without getting cold, avoid drafts.
10. The duration of the bath procedure is determined by your condition, but you should not abuse the steam room.
11. A very good principle for a bath is gradualness and moderation.
12. If you are physically ready and decide to swim in the snow or plunge into the font with ice water. You came to the baths and already went to the steam room a couple of times. Now you can try - first warm up hard in the steam room, then with a bullet in the snow / water and again with a bullet in the steam room, steam well with brooms.

Unwritten laws (rules)
When meeting at the door of the bathhouse (soap, steam room), the advantage is given to the incoming person, regardless of age.
At the request of the elderly, sick, pregnant women, give way and provide the necessary assistance: bring in or take out of the washing room, steam room, bring water, etc.
It is strictly forbidden to bring any glass objects into the washing or steam room. It is forbidden to enter the steam room with soap or wash in it.
It is forbidden to smoke in the sauna building.
Never refuse an elderly person's request to steam them with a broom.
Do not use other people's items: soap, scissors, washcloth, broom, pumice stone, comb, etc.
Do not bring sharp objects into the soap compartment: razor blades, etc.
A person who feels unwell in the steam room or soap department, immediately take him to the dressing room and help him.
Do not enter into conflict conversations, try to prevent quarrels.
You should not be in the bath for more than 2.5 hours.

How to use the bath

Steam - don't get burned
give in - do not fall down,
don't fall off the shelf.

Those who are not initiated into the art of the bath procedure will be skeptical about the question: "Do you know how to use the bath?" Without hesitation, he will answer: "What's so difficult here? At the beginning I'll take a steam bath, and then I'll wash myself in the shower - and I'm ready." True lovers of the bath will not say so.
The art of the bathing procedure consists of many components: the preparation of optimal heat, the creation of the necessary air humidity and pleasant smells in the steam room, the correctly selected and specially prepared broom and the ability to whip it, the timely use of contrasting effects and many other points on which your mood and health will depend .

Broom selection

For more heat and pleasure, steam lovers have long used various devices. So, for example, the Mexican Indians used fragrant high-growing herbs for this purpose, which were injected with hot steam, and then applied to the body, thereby creating a thermal compress. The ancient Slavic tribes used quilting over the body with birch, maple, and oak branches. How widespread and valuable this custom was is evidenced by the fact that one tribe paid tribute to another with birch brooms.
Although the ancient Slavic custom of bathing with birch or oak brooms has its roots in ancient times, it cannot be said that it belongs entirely to that past. On the contrary, now broom lashing is carried out in a scientific way and there is evidence of the benefits of its use. The broom doubles the effect of the bath. Therefore, a broom is an integral part of the bathing procedure. It is no coincidence that the old Russian sayings say: “In the bath, a broom is a master”, “In a bath, a broom is more expensive than money”, “A bathhouse without a broom is like a samovar without a pipe.”
What kind of broom do you prefer? You probably noticed that when buying it, some prefer birch, while others prefer oak. Often there is a dispute about the advantage of one or another type of broom.

Birch broom.
An old riddle says: “There is a tree, the color is green, in this tree there are four lands: the first is for the sick to health, the second is a well for people, the third is light from darkness, and the fourth is swaddling.” What is this tree? Of course, birch. Bathe in a bathhouse with a birch broom, prepare medicines from buds and leaves - “sick for health”; quench thirst with birch sap - “a well for people”; illuminate the dwelling with a torch, bake with hot birch firewood - “light from darkness”; tie broken pots with birch bark, repair baskets, baskets - “decrepit swaddling”. Yes, since time immemorial people have kept love for this wonderful tree, our good white-trunked beauty.
Chemical analysis of birch leaves showed that they contain a lot of essential oil, there are tannins, vitamin C, provitamin A. Buds, sap and birch bark have healing properties. That is why from time immemorial birch has been loved not only in Russia, but also in other countries.
Birch brooms were harvested in central Russia in July. Most sauna lovers believe that the best fan is made from soft, flexible birch branches, which, after steaming, emit a delicate aroma that lasts up to 5-7 hours on the skin.
But not all types of birch are suitable for a broom. Only curly birch and subspecies of silver birch are most suitable for a bath broom, as it is well preserved and has abundant foliage. If these species are not available, white birch can be used. Birch sap is a refreshing, tasty, healthy drink that quenches thirst well. Therefore, after a hot bath, it is useful to drink a glass of cool birch sap.

Oak broom.
Few trees enjoy such love and respect among different peoples as the oak. Slavs, ancient Greeks, Romans at the dawn of their history worshiped this mighty tree, whose age often exceeded 1000-1500 years. They attributed miraculous properties to it, composed myths, legends, songs and epics about it. In Greece, the oak branch was the emblem of strength, power and nobility. Oak brooms were awarded to warriors who performed outstanding feats.
Like the Greeks and Romans, the Slavs also considered the oak to be one of the holy trees.
But not only with its longevity and majestic beauty, the oak won the love and appreciation of millions of people. The benefit brought by this giant to mankind is great.
Oak leaves, for example, contain large amounts of tannins. Oak decoction is used for some skin diseases (weeping eczema), severe sweating of the feet. For many centuries, oak branches have been used in the bath as a broom for the purpose of deep heating and treatment.
A broom made of oak branches is durable: if they were prepared on time and skillfully stored, then it is enough for 2-3 baths. The leaves of even a well-steamed broom are always moderately dry, which facilitates the procedure and does not burn the body too much.
Oak brooms should be harvested in August.
Eucalyptus broom. This broom is most often used in the Caucasus. Its disadvantage is that its branches are too thin, flexible, and the leaves are long. It is very difficult to control such a broom while lashing in the steam room, you have to spend extra energy on waving. And in the bath you need to save your strength. In addition, it is almost impossible to rub over the body with a eucalyptus broom. Real bathers usually prefer a combined broom. For example, 3-4 branches of eucalyptus are added to birch or oak, or oak is combined with birch, or 2-3 branches of wormwood or currant are added to birch, etc.
Eucalyptus leaves contain from one to three percent of the essential oil, with which the main medicinal properties are associated. The best broom for a bath will be the one that was harvested in August-September, and the most healing leaf for infusion is the one collected in late autumn, November-December. Eucalyptus infusion is used in the steam room as an antiseptic, as an inhalation for diseases of the larynx, trachea, bronchi.
Eucalyptus oil contains various chemicals that make it an antiseptic (disinfectant) and pain reliever. This oil in combination with turpentine is recommended to be rubbed after the bath procedure for those suffering from neuralgia, myositis (muscle inflammation), as well as for bruises, sprains and pain in the joints.

Nettle broom.
In recent years, in the cities you will not see people steaming with a nettle broom. A lot of people just don't know how to do it right.
Bath lovers spoke of the fragrant nettle broom with great love. Those who are not experienced in the bathing business will say: “How can you bathe with stinging nettles, sometimes you accidentally touch your hand, and then it burns - you won’t find a place for four hours. And if you whip on the body, then you will get sick ... ”Yes, indeed, you can get sick, because when a person is burned with nettles, blisters appear on the skin of a person. The general body temperature rises and other unpleasant sensations arise.
But if you prepare a nettle broom according to the rules, as experts do, then such a medicinal broom will take first place. He will be especially grateful to those who often have pain in the lower back, “ache” joints, tormented by rheumatism, etc.
Nettle broom is knitted small, before quilting it is placed in hot water for 1-2 minutes, and then in cold water for 3-4 minutes (the procedure is repeated 1-2 times), after which you can whip.
If it is necessary that the nettle “burns”, and such a broom is loved by older people whose skin is less sensitive, it is necessary to warm up such parts of the body as the lower back, shoulder blades, feet, then in this case the nettle broom is dipped in boiling water for 1-3 seconds , after which you can steam. But for this, you must first go to the steam room and stay there for 5-7 minutes, and it is better if you also fasten for 2-4 minutes with a birch or oak broom. By doing this, you will prepare the skin for the stronger effect that the nettle broom has. They need to quilt easily, as if specifically “stinging” the skin, then it gives a greater effect.

Coniferous broom.
Such a broom is brewed for 10-15 minutes in boiling water, and as soon as it becomes soft, you can start steaming. But at the same time, we must not forget that in the first run they do not bathe, you can injure the skin, and then there will be itching. Steaming with a coniferous broom should be when the skin warms up well and becomes elastic. It is not recommended to bathe with pine needles and for those who have very delicate skin.
In areas where birch and oak do not grow, many other broad-leaved species, such as maple, walnut, mountain ash, etc., can be used to make brooms.

Steaming a broom.
If the broom is fresh, they are steamed immediately. A steamed fresh broom becomes “limp”, heavy. In addition, it quickly “heats up”, and the skin does not withstand burning.
A dry broom should be dipped in cold water for 15-20 minutes, and then in hot water for 1-3 minutes. A too dry broom should be steamed in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or it should be moistened with cold water 10-15 hours before the bath and wrapped in a damp rag, or it can be dipped in a bucket of cold water. Such a broom is no longer brewed with boiling water before steaming. A broom prepared according to this method will always be dry, fragrant, soft, leaves will never fall off it and last for 2-3 baths (with proper use in the steam room and storage).
After the broom is steamed, the water (infusion) becomes dark and looks more like green tea. The infusion is diluted with boiling water and poured onto hot stones or poured over the walls, it saturates the steam room with a pleasant aroma. It is useful to wash your hair with the same infusion at the end of the bath procedure, it strengthens the hair roots, and the existing dandruff decreases after 6-9 procedures.
Well, what if there is no time, and the broom is too dry, why not leave the bath because of this without lashing? There is a cooking method for this case. Take a basin of hot water, dip a broom in it and place it on the stones in the oven for 1-3 seconds. At the same time, rotate and shake the broom so that it does not burn, but steams evenly. Repeat 2-3 times. This procedure takes 1-2 minutes.

Procedures before the steam room

Before going to the steam room, you need to take care of a place where you can leave soap, brooms, etc. On the same bench you will have to rest after the steam room, as well as wash and massage. The bench must be chosen in such a place that it is warm, there is a lot of air and there are no drafts. The bench is poured with hot water until it is hot. Then boiling water is poured into one basin and brooms are lowered into it, and covered with another.
It is especially important to prepare your body for a meeting with hot steam for those who do not immediately adapt to high temperatures, as well as for beginners, the elderly, patients with blood pressure disorders (if the steam room is not contraindicated for them) and vegetative-vascular neuroses. For such people, it is helpful to take a hot shower or hot foot bath first. After that, you can go to the steam room. How quickly we develop adaptive mechanisms to the high temperature of the steam room depends not only on the correct use of it, but also on the state of the body.
Academician V.P. Kaznacheev found that in response to various influences (including thermal procedures), people react differently. Some quickly achieve stability, high temperature tolerance, while others get used slowly. Therefore, one should not take an example from others and rush to increase the time spent in the steam room, increase the air temperature in it. This is especially important for beginners.
Before going to the steam room, you need to wash yourself under a warm shower (35-38 degrees) for 2-3 minutes, but do not wet your head: this will make it easier to endure the high temperature in the steam room. Before the steam room, it is not recommended to wash with soap: it removes fat from the body, which protects the skin from burning during a visit to the steam room, especially if you whip with a broom. Wash with soap after you finish steaming. After taking a shower, they put on a hat, preferably with large brim (it kind of creates a microclimate and protects the head from overheating), you can also tie your head with a towel in the form of a turban. The hat can be wetted with cold water, this procedure reduces the heart rate, and improves overall well-being.
When using hats (turbans, etc.), you also need to know a few simple, but very important rules. In no case should the cap squeeze the head, it was light and at the same time quite loose.
A tight cap can cause malaise, headaches, poor steam tolerance, etc.
The steam room should be both moderately dry, and well ventilated, and clean. If, upon entering the steam room, you feel an unpleasant smell of sweat, muddy leaves from brooms, do not start steaming. Such a steam room must at least be ventilated.
The best time to visit the bath is in the morning. Connoisseurs of bathing heat say: you need to go to the “first”. In the bath, where there is a pool, it is useful to swim for 15-20 minutes, but before visiting the steam room. We did not make a reservation: we recommend just swimming, and not swimming. After swimming, you should “feel” your muscles, they will “fill up” and be in good shape. Naturally, the pulse rate should not increase too much.
Swimming is especially useful for people who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, as well as to relax and relieve tension after physical work, running, athletic gymnastics, etc. The water temperature in the pool should be at least 20 degrees. After swimming take a shower (36-38 C) for 1-3 minutes. This will prepare the body and make it easier to bear the heat in the steam room.
After a short rest (and it is determined individually - from 10 to 20 minutes), you can go to steam. Pour boiling water into the basin (with the addition of aromatic infusion to the water) and pour 100-200 ml on hot stones until the desired temperature is reached (if you steam with a broom, then moisten more) and air humidity. Be aware that pouring small portions of boiling water over the stones allows you to “make” the steam less wet. They say about this: “light”, “soft”. The secret here is simple: when water is added in large portions, it does not have time to completely evaporate (besides, the stones cool down) and settles down with heavy water vapor. As a result, the steam burns, additionally loads the cardiovascular system, the person feels tired. They say about such a pair: “raw”, “heavy”. Connoisseurs pour water on the stones in small portions, trying to find the hottest place (when the water seems to explode with a loud bang, falling on the stones) in order to make the steam dry and not flood the stones.
In dry air baths (for example, saunas), where the air temperature is 90-120 degrees, excessive dryness irritates the nasopharyngeal mucosa. For the purpose of moistening, pour hot water over the walls and ceiling. In a dry bath, the leaves of the broom instantly twist, break and crumble. To prevent this from happening, take a basin of hot water into the steam room and periodically dip a broom into it.

How to make steam

From time immemorial in Russia, there were traditions that were borrowed by many peoples, how to cook fragrant steam. When creating it, special recipes were used. This steam also had healing properties. For example, in the book “The True Path to Health and Life Extension - Russian Steam Bath”, published in Moscow in 1904, many herbal infusions, balms and rubbings are recommended for use in the bath. It is not easy to prepare “delicious” steam, it requires a lot of practice or expert advice. And many people keep steam cooking a secret.
Before you start preparing fragrant steam, you need to make sure that at an average height of the steam room the temperature and humidity of the air are quite similar, that is, they do not burn or dry the nasopharynx.
Now take boiling water and add various aromatic or healing substances, infusions, etc. to it. Usually add (based on 3 liters): 50 g of kvass or beer, or half a teaspoon of honey, or one piece of sawn sugar, or half a teaspoon of dry mustard (having previously roasted it well), or 7-10 menthol or mint drops, or half a teaspoon of eucalyptus oil, or two tablespoons of the same infusion, or one teaspoon of instant coffee, or an infusion of spruce needles, or an infusion of lime flowers, or fragrant tea, or mint infusion.
Useful and infusion of chamomile - a wild plant with healing properties.
A good therapeutic effect is obtained by adding coniferous extract to the water - liquid or in the form of briquettes (previously diluted in boiling water). Both are sold in a pharmacy or infused at home. Pouring the solution on the stones fills the steam room with the aroma of pine needles, which well relieves fatigue after tiring physical or mental work.
The smell not only contributes to a certain mood, but also has a healing effect. Let's say you are constantly worried about a dry cough and even endless colds. To harden the respiratory organs, you need to buy the appropriate herbs at the pharmacy, for example, marshmallow, elecampane, etc. The prepared composition of the infusion does not have to be poured onto the stones, you can spray it on the walls, even if they are tiled. Aromatic substances, penetrating through the skin and upper respiratory tract, have a beneficial effect on the central nervous system and other organs.
Coniferous extract is recommended as a sedative for functional disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension (in the initial stages, i.e. when the doctor is not forbidden to visit the bath), as well as overwork.
Useful and steam, prepared with an infusion of thyme. If someone has a disturbed sleep, then try to go to the bath at about 16-18 hours and take a steam bath with an infusion of thyme. And you will see that your sleep has become better. The procedure must be repeated constantly until your condition stabilizes. Here one involuntarily wants to recall the ancients again. So, for example, the Slavs, for a better night's sleep, instead of down pillows, lay down on pillows stuffed with thyme grass. Previously, this could not be explained, but now everything has been solved. It turns out that the plant contains a fragrant essential oil, which has a beneficial effect on the centers responsible for sleep. Such a bath increases the general tone of the body, improves mood and performance.
It is no coincidence that in the old days they said: “Spicy smells and tastes naturally enliven and approve the bodily feelings of healthy and disease-obsessed people.” In the Urals, an infusion of kalufer, sweet clover and other aromatic herbs is added to the water. Often grass for smell is placed on the shelves. A steamed eucalyptus broom gives a particularly good effect. In the steam room, they press it to the face and breathe through the nose for 4-5 minutes.
The smells of some infusions stimulate human activity and create a certain mood. Medical scientists came to such conclusions long ago. Already today, Japanese physiologists have established that, for example, the smell of jasmine noticeably excites the activity of the brain. The smell of lavender also gives a tonic effect.
But in general, the recommendations are as follows: tonic infusions, oils should be used in the morning, when you need to invigorate the body. In the evening, on the contrary, you need to use aromas that soothe and promote sound sleep.

About the benefits of sweating

So, the wig is ready. You can also steam. However, do not rush to go to the topmost shelves, because your body is not yet prepared for high temperatures. First you need to warm up at a low air temperature in order to cause the necessary expansion of skin vessels and the onset of sweating. For this purpose, it is enough to visit the bottom (or on the middle shelf) of the pair department.
We have already mentioned that people differ from each other in individual characteristics: some begin to sweat (ceteris paribus) at the 4th minute, while others at the 10-12th minute. Therefore, without exception, after 5-7 minutes of staying in the steam room, everyone needs to go to the soap compartment and sit. And the expected drops of sweat will appear in 3-5 minutes.
It is recommended for a beginner to enter the steam room once - to lie down below, i.e. in the comfort zone, for no more than 5 minutes. Whipping with a broom is better to postpone until the next time. If after the bath you feel cheerful, then next time you can increase the visit to the steam room by 1 minute and gradually move on to 2-3 visits, bringing the total amount of time in the steam room to 15-35 minutes (depending on age, well-being, temperature conditions in the steam room and other conditions). In general, the entire bathing procedure should not take more than 2-3 hours, and in the steam room you can spend no more than 35 minutes, regardless of the number of visits. And here it must be emphasized that the duration of the bath procedure is determined not by the clock, but by the state of the person, everyone feels when he should leave the steam room. It is advisable for experienced bathers to first lie down on the middle shelf so that the head and legs are at the same level. It is even better that the legs are a little higher (in modern steam rooms there is a special footrest in the form of a rail for this). This position creates a natural outflow of blood and lymph from the underlying areas of the body, and thus facilitates the work of the heart. If it is not possible to lie down, it is necessary to sit down, but so that the legs are at the same height with the body.
In a standing position, you put yourself at risk of heat stroke, because the air temperature at the level of the head is higher (15-20 C) compared to the body.
In order to evenly warm up all areas of the body, change position more often, that is, first lie on your side, then on your back, on the other side and on your stomach.
In the steam room, you should always breathe through your nose: at the same time, hot air is cooled, and too dry air is humidified.
After warming up for 5-7 minutes, do not stand up abruptly: you risk losing your balance for a moment. And although this phenomenon in itself is not dangerous, you can fall and hurt yourself badly. A minute before leaving the steam room, if you were lying down, sit down to prepare the circulatory system for a standing position.
When leaving the steam room (this applies to everyone), you should not immediately go to bed to rest, you need to walk for 2-3 minutes. In this case, it is useful to raise your hands up and take deep breaths, after which it is recommended to rinse under a warm shower. Do the same before entering the steam room again.
Before each subsequent visit to the steam room, you need to have a good rest for 15-20 minutes (5-7 minutes in the soap department, and then in the locker room, well covered with a sheet or wearing a bathrobe). Both in the soap department and in the dressing room there should be no drafts, it is cold.
To keep warm and continue sweating, you can drink hot tea or other fortified drink. Do not drink in one gulp, preferably in small sips.
Depending on the condition and purpose, the steam room can be visited 3-4 times. After each subsequent session, rest in the soapy room or dressing room should be increased.
If you decide to take a steam bath with a broom, then this is done after the first or second entry, when the body is ready for stronger temperature effects. Contrasting procedures are taken between visits to the steam room. But for those who want to lose weight, it is important to remember that any cooling immediately stops sweating reflexively, and this prevents further weight loss.
It is very useful to carry out massage or self-massage in the bath. Do it immediately after leaving the steam room. Before the massage, in no case should you cool down, even go out into a cool room. Do not drink cold drinks either. Hot tea or milk is drunk slowly, in small sips and no more than a glass. The total massage time in the bath after the steam room is 25-35 minutes (up to 15 minutes are allotted for self-massage). Each massage is repeated 3-4 times. The procedure can be interrupted by visiting the steam room (for 3-5 minutes). If you are not tired, then it is useful to whip yourself with a broom all over your body.
After the massage (self-massage) take a warm shower (1-2 minutes) and start washing. Before leaving the soap department, it will be useful to go to the steam room for 1-2 minutes, and then under a warm shower and into the dressing room. Do not put on underwear if you are not cold and continue to sweat.
Before leaving the bath, it is not recommended to swim in a cool pool, douse yourself with cold water, and wipe yourself with snow. These procedures are always interspersed with visits to the steam room. And before going outside, especially in winter, you need to relax a bit in a cool room.
It should be remembered that the bath is a means of strengthening health. Therefore, no "records" are inappropriate here. A record long stay in a steam room and a record high temperature are unjustified risk factors that can make a healthy person sick.
For those who find it difficult to withstand the bath load, you can follow this procedure. First, wash your head, hands, feet. After that, rinse and relax in the soap compartment, if it is not stuffy in it. It is better to go to the locker room and, covered with a sheet, sit for 7-10 minutes. Then wash yourself with hot water and go to steam. In the steam room, choose the temperature that suits you and take a steam bath while sitting. Well, the best option is when you lie down, and you will be steamed. After that, having rested in the soap compartment, you can wash yourself.
in baths with high relative humidity (up to 90-100%), the temperature should not exceed 70 C (for the elderly and weak people - 45-55 C). At a humidity of 30-40%, the temperature can rise to 90 C, and at 5-15% - up to 110 C.
The stated technique of the bathing procedure concerns dry-air and damp baths. In the case when they bathe without a broom, then, lying on a shelf, it is necessary to turn around from time to time. This will help to more evenly steam all parts of the body.
Do not expect a miracle by going to the bathhouse once. If you use it regularly and correctly, then in the near future you will notice that you have become more active at work, you are less tired, nervous, and if you skip the bath procedure, you will immediately feel, as they say, “not at ease” ..

Steam with a broom correctly

A broom in a bath is not used for exotic, with its help a more effective effect on all organs and systems of the human body is carried out.
“Broom massage” enhances blood circulation not only in the skin, but also in deep-lying tissues, which contributes to a better redistribution of blood, lymph and interstitial fluid throughout the body. As a result, sweating increases significantly, products that are unnecessary to the body are removed, and skin respiration increases. All this contributes to a more enhanced metabolism.
Any broom, no matter what you use in the steam room, releases medicinal substances - phytoncides, which have a bactericidal effect. In addition, the essential oils contained in the leaves and branches, getting on the skin, improve its metabolism, increase its tone, prevent premature aging and aging of the skin. The skin after quilting with a broom acquires a healthy color. It is no coincidence that in the old days people said: "Which day you take a steam bath, that day you do not grow old."
It is better to bathe together, taking turns whipping each other with a broom. The most rational position of the body for the one who is hovering is lying on a shelf (bench). Firstly, the temperature thus affects all parts of the body equally. For even in the most well-equipped steam rooms, the difference in air temperature at the level of the legs and head (if you bathe while standing) is up to 20 C. This adversely affects thermoregulation, besides, the head overheats unnecessarily, which is harmful.
Secondly, when lying down, the best conditions are created for a more complete relaxation of all parts of the body. But if it is not possible to lie down, it is better to bathe in a sitting position, and the legs should not hang down, they should be raised to the level of the body (i.e. put on the shelves, bench). Studies have shown that in the supine position, the pulse is on average 8-10 beats / min less often, therefore, the load on the cardiovascular system is reduced. This is especially important for those who bathe for the first time or after an illness (if the doctor has allowed to bathe).
We have already said that the broom should be light, the handles should be thin, neatly wrapped with a bandage or other soft cloth. If you do not follow this rule, then even the strongest and roughest hands become covered with water calluses (which is why mittens are also recommended). In addition, a light broom more carefully “works out” both muscles and joints.
It is necessary to soar each other with a broom “according to science”, because you often have to see how one literally tortures another with a beating.
First, take a fancy to the shelves with the air temperature suitable for you and lie down on your stomach, stretching your arms along the body. Then the partner with two brooms should make a light stroke from the feet to the head. In the opposite direction, one broom slides along one side, and the other along the other, then along the lateral parts of the pelvis, thighs and calf muscles to the feet - so 2-3 times. Next, the brooms need to be lifted up, trying to capture hotter air with them, lower them on the lower back and press them with your hand for 1-3 seconds. The same movements are carried out in the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades, on the knee joints. The whole complex is repeated 3-4 times. At the same time, attention should be paid to the fact that the brooms do not move through the air, but must touch the body. If the air temperature in the steam room is too high and the skin cannot withstand the heat, the brooms should be moved slowly, without lifting them up. The burning of the skin is eliminated with a broom, which is first dipped in cool water.
In baths, where the temperature and humidity are optimal, brooms should not be soaked in water, otherwise they will lose their ability to pump heat. In addition, they stick together and become heavy. A dry light broom well collects evaporated from the surface of the body and evenly distributes the more warmed air of the environment over it.
The air temperature in the steam room is set individually in each case. For example, in a dry-air (Finnish, Russian) bath, the air temperature is in the range of 90-120 C, relative humidity is 10-25%, and in a damp one - 50-70 C and humidity up to 100%. These are the optimal norms for whipping with a broom. But there are fans for whom this is not enough. Increasing the effect of heat on the human body can be achieved by quickly moving brooms from one part of the body to another and periodically, either at the feet or at the head, raise them higher, as if pumping hotter air, which creates the necessary heat.
The next soaring technique is lashing, which is performed with fast lashing movements, the end part of the broom. At first, it is done on the back with light “strokes” in all directions. Then - on the lower back, pelvis, thighs, calf muscles and feet. This process takes up to 1 minute. They finish it with stroking, but the movements are already done much faster than initially. Duration - up to 1 min.
Next, the partner lies on his back. All techniques are performed in the same sequence as lying on the stomach. Then they turn back up again. First, the first two steps are repeated: stroking and quilting, which should not take more than 2 minutes.
Then they proceed to the main method - whipping (it is stronger) in combination with a broom compress. Start from the back. The broom is lifted up (they capture hot steam) and make 2-3 whips on the latissimus dorsi, and then press it with your hand - this will be a compress. The same is done on the lower back, gluteal muscles, outer thighs, lower legs, on the feet (excluding the popliteal fossae, where the skin is very sensitive). When it is necessary to deeply warm the knee joint in order to increase its elasticity or restore impaired functions, a broom is applied to it, and the lower leg is bent with careful springy movements until the heel touches the pelvis.
The compress is especially useful for injuries, muscle pain (after heavy physical exertion), radiculitis, myositis, muscle inflammation, gout and some other ailments.
After that, the brooms are placed on the lower back and at the same time spread them apart: one broom is advanced to the head, and the other to the feet. This technique is called “stretching” and is recommended for various pains in the sacro-lumbar region. Stretching is carried out 4-6 times and ends with a general stroking of the whole body.
If in the second (third) run they intend to bathe with brooms, then the whole procedure is repeated, but for the first two steps (stroking, lashing) and the total time is reduced. at the end of soaring, a rubbing technique is used, which is performed as follows: with one hand (most often with the left), the broom is taken by the handle, and with the palm of the other, slightly pressing on the leafy part, they rub the back, lower back, pelvic area, etc. The trunk can be rubbed in all directions, and the limbs along. Rubbing can be done with strokes or circular motions.
If, after visiting the steam room, you will not conduct a self-massage or massage session, then in this case you should do a broom massage (energetic whipping and rubbing) in the steam room more vigorously, especially in the back, lower back, chest and hips. If you visit the bath together, the three of you, then it is more effective to conduct a mutual massage. Then take a 1-2 minute warm shower and start washing.
You can also steam yourself. If possible, you need to lie on your back and start soaring first one leg, then the other, for which they stroke them in the direction from the foot up to the pelvis. Brooms should slide evenly either along the front of the legs, then along the back, 3-4 times. If the air temperature in the steam room is high, the brooms should be moved slowly and not removed from the body so as not to build up the heat. At normal air temperature in the steam room, you can increase its influence by quickly moving the brooms from one

Over the many centuries of the existence of the Russian bath, the almost magical procedure for cleaning and healing with the help of steam has turned into a whole science, representing a set of rules on how to properly bathe and how to behave while soaring. In fact, hot air has a very powerful effect on the body, non-compliance with the rules can lead to the fact that a wonderful procedure, contrary to expectations, will harm the body.

How to take a steam bath in the bath - a few rules that it is advisable to follow for visitors to the steam room

Among the basic rules experienced bathers call the following:

• if a person feels unwell - it is better not to go to the steam room,
• jewelry, glasses, watches should be left in the dressing room,
• in the bath you should not move much,
• lovers of contrasts can take a shower during their holidays, plunge into icy water or plunge into the snow, of course, the latter is possible only in winter, while remembering that rest, even a short one, is much more important than contrast,
• to feel higher temperatures, you should move to the upper shelf, to cool down - to the lower one,
• rest after soaring should last no less than 20 minutes, taking a shower during it is mandatory,
• dry the skin with a towel after the steam room should not be - it should dry itself, warm air will help to dry quickly.

Some of these rules need more detailed interpretation.

The best time to visit the bath

You should not enter the bathhouse immediately after eating, and even worse - alcoholic beverages, the best time to visit the bathhouse is one and a half to two hours after eating. It is advisable to drink liquid in a reasonable amount, alcohol should be abandoned altogether.

If during the day a person was engaged in hard physical labor, then before visiting the steam room he should have a good rest, if the work was mental, you can go to the bathhouse without a break to rest.

The time for receiving steam procedures should be chosen so that the process takes place without unnecessary fuss, so that it is possible to go into the steam room several times, it is advisable to organize it so that each of the stages goes without fuss.

Adequate rest time should also be provided - a short one after each entry and a longer one at the end of the procedure. Otherwise, it will be difficult to get a quality rest of the nervous system, complete relaxation.

What to take with you to the bath

Particular attention should be paid to the indispensable attributes, without which the Russian bath simply cannot be considered as such. The main one is a broom. Moreover, a folk proverb says that a broom in a bath is the head of everything, depending on which branches were used to make a broom, it can be used to expel various ailments:

• birch - to relieve joint and muscle pain, remove purulent pimples on the skin, treat cough, it also works as an excellent sedative;
• oak will benefit people with oily skin - it will give it elasticity and dullness, lower blood pressure, heal wounds on the skin;
• if a trip to the steam room is organized in the morning, then it is best to use a whisk of tansy grass and rowan branches - this will not help to relax the body, its use, on the contrary, will invigorate and give energy for the whole day;
• linden broom is the best remedy for colds and headaches, it will have a diuretic effect, contribute to increased sweating, expansion of bronchial passages;
• a broom made of coniferous trees will reduce the manifestations of rheumatism, help in the treatment of various kinds of inflammatory processes in the body, it is possible to harvest coniferous brooms throughout the year.

In addition to a broom in the bath, you will need:

• bathrobe or large terry towel, sheet,
• small towel for sitting
• soap, shower gel, shampoo,
• pumice and washcloth,
• comb, massage brush,
• flip flops or flip flops
• a hat or towel for making a turban - it is better not to expose your hair to high temperatures,
• linen change,
• necessarily - a woolen mitten - so that it is convenient to hold a broom.

If you want to get the maximum health benefits before visiting the bath, you can prepare a cleansing mask of salt (200 g) and honey (250 g), if honey causes an allergic reaction, you can prepare a mask of egg yolk, yeast and sunflower oil (1 yolk per 1 tablespoon of yeast and 1 tsp vegetable oil).

How to take a steam bath in the bath - start preparing for the procedure

After serving in the bath, first of all, you should do brooms - they are washed under warm water in the shower, slightly shaken off and packed in a plastic bag, tied so that only the handle looks out, left in a heated steam room for 5 minutes, on the top shelf.

While the broom is warming up, you should take a shower, you should not wet your head. Women should completely remove makeup.

You will also need to prepare dill:

• pour 10 ml of eucalyptus tincture into one bucket with two liters of hot water - to irrigate the walls,
• in another bucket - pour 10 ml of mint tincture - for spraying stones.

In the locker room, you should remove all metal jewelry, watches - heating up to high temperatures, they can cause skin burns.

Be sure to protect your head with a hat or turban. Only after that you can go to the steam room.

If a person does not have experience in soaring, then before entering the steam room, it is best for him to stand for a few minutes under a hot shower or at least take a hot foot bath. The same measures should be taken by elderly people or those suffering from high blood pressure (of course, if they are allowed to visit the bathhouse at all.

Before entering the steam room, you can not wash with gel or soap - they will remove fats from the skin that can protect it from burning, especially if a broom is used. Wash with a gel or shower should be after visiting the steam room - this will help wash off all the salts and toxins that have come out through the pores from the skin surface.

Steam room in a Russian bath - the procedure for taking procedures

Since the shelves may seem too hot, you should lay down on it before spreading a towel. If the temperature in the room is equal to the optimum (+90 C), and the humidity reaches 10%, then the first entry should be limited to 10 minutes. How much is recommended for rest in the dressing room. After two visits, you can take a short cool shower or swim a little in the pool, then lie down in the dressing room.

Only then start steaming. With adjustable heating, you should bring the temperature for the first entrance to the steam room to +60 C, after staying in the steam room for several minutes, you can begin to gradually increase the temperature.

Since the temperature on the shelves of different levels has significant differences, you can start from the bottom shelf, then move to the middle and upper ones, in which case the vessels will have time to expand sufficiently and ensure the normal functioning of the body at maximum temperature loads.

It is best to bathe lying down - in this case, the whole body will warm up in the same temperature regime. Feet are recommended to be kept on a stand. You should also periodically turn from side to side - this will reduce the load on the heart. It is recommended that those who leave the steam room douse themselves with warm water and rest in the dressing room for about 5 minutes.

In the next run, to increase the heat, in a sufficiently heated bath, a simple method is used: 200-300 ml of water is splashed onto the stones, this will not increase the temperature, but the vapor content in the air will increase. At the same time, strong waterlogging of the air should not be allowed - the steam will become heavy, it will also become harder to breathe. In a Russian bath, the temperature should be maintained at about +60 - + 80 C, with a humidity of 20 to 40%.

For those who are steaming for the first time, this will be enough, it is best not to use a broom.

How to use a broom

A pre-prepared wet broom should be held for some time under the ceiling of the steam room. A broom is used for massage that enhances blood circulation and warms up the body. When leaving the steam room to rest, brooms should be taken with you - it can wither from high temperature. A dry broom is dipped into a bucket of water, but then the water is carefully shaken off - the spray will overmoisten the air too much, and the steam in the Russian bath should be dry enough.

Anyone who will use a broom should wear mittens made of natural material - woolen is better, the head should be covered with a woolen cap or other comfortable headgear. You should not use a rubber cap as a headdress - it will compress blood vessels and impede blood circulation, which is extremely harmful to the body.

You should go for a steam bath in a company, or at least together - someone will need to, armed with a broom, pour steam over a person lying on a shelf. Start steaming from the back, i.e. soaring should lie on his stomach.

First, the legs are blown with hot air, then they rise to the upper parts of the body. They act like a fan with a broom, continue to perform pore movements until the skin is covered with drops of sweat. Then the person should roll over on his back, the whole procedure will need to be repeated.

It is possible to whip the entire body of a soaring person only at the second entry, the force of the blow should be commensurate with the temperature in the room - at high temperatures, the blows should be weaker. You should not immediately leave the steam room after soaring - you should sit silently on the lower shelf and gradually cool down. After leaving, you need to stand under a warm shower and cool off in the rest room or dressing room.

The time of soaring with a broom during the second run should be reduced to 5 minutes.

Breathing in the steam room should be done with an open mouth. The time spent in the steam room and the number of visits should be adjusted depending on how you feel, if it is normal, then you can make 2-3 visits for 10 minutes, for rest in this case 10 minutes between each visit will also be enough.

Warning! If suddenly a person begins to feel a rapid heartbeat, his breathing becomes difficult or dizzy, then he should leave the steam room immediately.

Refreshing water treatments after the steam room

If after the steam room it is supposed to swim in a cold pool, an ice hole or dipping into a snowdrift, then the body will need to be warmed up very well - in this case, with a sharp cooling, even at sub-zero temperatures, it is impossible to catch a cold. But you should not get too carried away with cooling procedures - they should be short-term.

After the pool, or cooling in the frosty air, you should take a warm shower, sit in the dressing room. You should not wipe yourself after water procedures - this will increase sweating. You can only wipe your face and hair. Until the complete cessation of sweating, you should not dress. It is best to rest lying in the dressing room, about a quarter of an hour.

How to quench your thirst

Naturally, increased sweating caused by staying in a room with sufficiently high temperatures will cause intense thirst.

For drinking, kvass, lemonade, mineral water, fruits or juices should be prepared in advance. You can also make tea. The use of cold drinks is not recommended: cocktails, milk, beer. It is also forbidden to drink alcohol, both during and after vaping.

Myths about the Russian bath - should they be believed

Slimming. There are some myths about the bath, but experts make quite impressive arguments that make them doubt their veracity. For example, the statement that by visiting a steam room you can lose weight is not entirely fair - the weight will decrease, but due to a sharp loss of moisture. This "weight loss" lasts a maximum of a day, the amount of moisture in the body will be restored during this period, the high temperature does not contribute to the absorption of fat deposits. To get real results, you will need to visit the bath regularly, weekly. At the same time, all organs begin to heal, metabolism is activated. It is this fact that can have an impact on weight loss. Without the help of a competent steamer, such results can hardly be achieved.

Hypertension. There is a widespread opinion that it is categorically contraindicated for hypertensive patients to visit a Russian bath. In fact, a moderate thermal effect on the body contributes to the expansion of blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Therefore, a well-organized process can help a person get rid of the disease. Of course, you should agree on the possibility of taking bath procedures with your doctor. With an increase in pressure to high levels, it is impossible to plan a visit to the bath - it is better to contact a therapist and follow the course of drug treatment prescribed by him.

But in any case, when visiting a steam room, hypertensive patients are not recommended to experience too abrupt changes, for example, jump into a pool of cold water, a sharp temperature drop can cause vasospasm and the pressure will again jump up sharply, it is better to cool down under a shower of moderate temperature.

Is it possible to steam on an empty stomach. Wrong is the opinion that it is more useful to bathe on an empty stomach. The ideal time gap between eating and visiting the steam room is two hours.

It is desirable that the menu includes dishes that help retain moisture, such as:

• fruit salads,
• soups,
• vegetable salads, for example - vinaigrette.

such food will prevent the sudden dehydration of the body, which can occur under the influence of high temperature.