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Recover Faster from working out (or a long day at the table) with Hyperice

We are getting older. We've mentioned this before.

Things hurt that never used to hurt. It is a constant reminder that we are no longer 23 years old, and that our body cannot take the things it used to take. And when we stand up after sitting at the poker table for 10 hours straight, our joints creak. Our knees hurt. Our back spasms. And recovery after difficult workouts takes about four times as long as it used to, which is depressing.

Which is why we're thankful that we discovered Hyperice.

First, a note about icing your sore muscies: It's a good thing. It's a good thing because, when your muscles heat up, they are more likely to stay sore longer. Essentially, as you work out, your body heats up and creates tiredness, and it does so to prevent you from working out too much. Ever wonder why your gym is 55 degrees indoors? This is why. The cold air helps keep you cool, which in turn helps prevent injury and promotes recovery.

That's why you see athletes sitting in giant tubs of ice water. And look: sitting in giant tubs of ice water? That's dumb. But icing specific body parts is not dumb, and Hyperice is here to help.

Hyperice make ice packs, but these aren't your standard store-variety blue ice packs. These are compression ice packs, which means they help promote circulation, which in turn helps with recovery.

Hyperice makes compression packs for the knee, back, and shoulder. There are two shoulder varieties. They also make a utility pack that can be used on the elbow or any other small body part. Each compression pack includes two parts: the actual ice pack (called an Ice Cell by Hyperice) and the compression brace. You fill the Ice Cell with ice from your freezer, or you can use the synthetic ice sold separately by Hyperice ($30). Once you fill the Ice Cell, you hook it into the brace, and then secure the brace to your body.

Hyperice products do exactly what they claim. They fit snugly to your body, and the air release valve on the Ice Cell ensures the fit remains tight as the ice melts. After a particularly lower body lifting session, we strapped Hyperice packs onto our sore knees and back, and we left them on for the maximum suggested time of 20 minutes. They were much colder (and tighter) than regular ice packs.

At the end of the 20 minutes, we took the Hyperice packs off. Our knees and back instantly felt better. They were no longer sore in the slightest, which was a revelation. In previous months, our back would remain sore for hours post-workout. After 20 minutes with the Hyperice, the soreness was totally gone.

We imagine the Hyperice packs being absolutely awesome for those who spend long hours at the poker table, especially the knee and back varieties. They are far more expensive than regular ice packs; the knee packs run $100 each, and the back and shoulder packs are $120. But if you're looking for the best recovery possible, the Hyperice products are the way to go.

If you are in Las Vegas, you can pick up all Hyperice products at theLas Vegas Fight Shop at the Planet Hollywood Miracle Mile shops. Alternatively, you can order them online directly from Hyperice.

What do you think?