Unlocking Performance: Exploring Cool Mitts and CNS Efficiency with John Welbourn and Dr. Craig Heller

Listen to John Welbourn and Dr. Craig Heller on Power Athlete Radio we dive into how cool mitts enhance recovery, boost motor unit recruitment, and unlock peak performance. Use this primal response to exertion to elevate your training.

Exploring Cool Mitts and CNS Efficiency with John Welbourn and Dr. Craig Heller / Everyday Warrior Nation

Recently on Power Athlete Radio, we dove deep into an intriguing topic: the science of cooling mitts and their potential to enhance athletic performance. Alongside Dr. Craig Heller, a physiologist from Stanford, we unpacked how cooling can impact central nervous system (CNS) efficiency and recovery, and its fascinating overlap with some intuitive principles from strength training.

One particularly compelling parallel we explored was a concept from the late Louie Simmons, the legendary coach behind Westside Barbell. Known for his groundbreaking methods in strength training and rehabilitation, Simmons often relied on anecdotal insights from decades of coaching elite athletes. He observed that athletes using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), such as testosterone, needed less volume to elicit the same, or even greater, adaptations compared to drug-free athletes.

For drug-free athletes, Simmons argued, it might take 10 reps to stimulate significant adaptations, while athletes on higher levels of testosterone might only need 4 or 5 reps. The logic behind this claim ties directly to CNS efficiency: testosterone appears to enhance the nervous system's ability to recruit motor units, making each contraction more powerful and efficient. This notion of "getting more from less" sparked an interesting discussion. 

The Science of Cool Mitts

Dr. Heller’s research sheds light on how cooling impacts physiological performance. Cool mitts are designed to regulate body temperature by targeting a specific heat exchange system in the palms. The palms, rich in arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs), act as heat-release valves, helping the body rapidly dissipate excess heat. By cooling the core temperature, athletes can sustain higher levels of output for longer durations and recover faster between efforts.

The mechanism is particularly relevant in high-intensity or strength-based sports where heat buildup can impair neuromuscular efficiency. Elevated temperatures can fatigue the CNS, leading to diminished motor unit recruitment and slower recovery times. By cooling the hands, athletes may bypass these thermal limits, restoring the CNS’s ability to fire at optimal levels.

Bridging Anecdotes and Evidence

While Simmons’ testosterone observation remains anecdotal, it offers an intriguing framework for understanding the role of CNS efficiency in performance. Cooling may not directly replicate the effects of testosterone on the nervous system, but the parallels are hard to ignore. Both interventions appear to optimize motor unit recruitment, allowing athletes to do more with less effort, whether through hormonal pathways or temperature regulation.

What’s striking is the broader application of cooling. Unlike PEDs, which are fraught with ethical and health concerns, cooling is a non-invasive, accessible method with potential for widespread use. From elite athletes aiming for marginal gains to everyday gym-goers looking to enhance recovery, cool mitts could represent a breakthrough in training technology.

Challenges and Future Research

Despite promising anecdotal and experimental findings, the field still lacks comprehensive data to confirm many of these claims. Much like Simmons’ intuitive observations, the practical results often outpace the science. This gap highlights the need for robust studies examining how cooling specifically influences CNS efficiency and motor unit recovery.

However, one thing is clear: the potential benefits of cooling extend beyond heat management. If further research validates its role in optimizing the CNS, cool mitts could become a game-changer for athletes in all disciplines.

My conversation with Dr. Heller underscored how seemingly simple interventions, like cooling the hands, can unlock new frontiers in performance and recovery. Whether viewed through the lens of Simmons’ CNS efficiency insights or cutting-edge physiological research, the concept of “cool mitts” invites athletes and coaches to rethink traditional approaches to training.

By harnessing the power of cooling, we may be able to achieve what Simmons described for enhanced CNS performance: doing more with less.