Essentials: Increase Strength & Endurance with Cooling Protocols | Dr. Craig Heller

Andrew Huberman

Aug 7, 2025

Episode description

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Craig Heller, PhD, a professor of biology at Stanford University and a world expert on the science of temperature regulation.

We discuss how the body and brain regulate temperature in different conditions and why conventional cooling methods, such as placing ice packs on the neck, do not effectively reduce core body temperature. Dr. Heller explains why cooling glabrous skin areas—the palms, soles and upper face—efficiently releases body heat and can significantly enhance physical performance and endurance. We discuss how targeted palmar cooling improves both short-term performance and long-term training adaptation in aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/aERGXSD

Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: https://youtu.be/77CdVSpnUX4

Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S

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*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Craig Heller
00:00:26 Deliberate Cold Exposure, Cold Showers, Ice Baths; Vasoconstriction
00:02:26 Cold Shower vs Cold Immersion, Boundary Layer, Tool: Improve Aerobic Exercise Performance
00:04:54 Anerobic Exercise & Overheating, Muscle Failure, Muscle Fatigue
00:07:19 Anerobic Exercise, Heat, Cool Down with Ice Water or Cold Towel?
00:09:42 Should You Cool Body/Head to Lower Body Temperature?, Hyperthermia, Heat Stroke
00:13:30 Body Sites for Quick Cooling: Palms, Soles & Upper Face, Glabrous Surfaces
00:16:01 Tool: Loosen Grip & Performance; Gloves & Socks
00:17:33 Cooling Brain via Upper Face; Offset Concussion?
00:19:50 Enhance Anerobic Performance & Cooling Palms, Heat Loss
00:23:05 Improve Aerobic Endurance & Cooling Palms
00:24:00 CoolMitt; Ice Cold Is Too Cold
00:27:00 Tool: Use Palmer Cooling to Enhance Performance; Cooling Palms, Soles & Face
00:30:42 Acknowledgments

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Leverage palm cooling with CoolMitt to enhance athletic performance

A company called Arteria has developed a device named the CoolMitt (coolmitt.com) that leverages palm cooling to dramatically increase athletic performance.

#device

#exercise

Avoid ice water for hand cooling to prevent vasoconstriction

Trying to cool your hands in ice water is counterproductive because the extreme cold causes vasoconstriction, sealing the heat inside your body instead of releasing it.

#circulation

#temperature

Utilize hands as heat portals to manage body temperature

The palms of your hands, soles of your feet, and upper face are primary sites for heat loss due to special blood vessels that bypass capillaries.

#body-temperature

#temperature

Loosen grip on handlebars or weights to enhance performance

Gripping bicycle handlebars or weights too tightly can shut off blood flow to your palms, trapping heat in your body and limiting your performance.

#blood-flow

#exercise

Cool palms and soles to rapidly lower core body temperature

Cooling the palms, soles, and face is twice as fast at lowering core body temperature than the standard medical practice of putting ice packs on the armpits and groin.

#body-temperature

#recovery

Achieve permanent performance gains through cooling between sets

The ability to do more work by cooling between sets results in a true conditioning effect, meaning you keep the strength and endurance gains even in workouts without cooling.

#exercise

#recovery

Recognize muscle overheating as cause of fatigue during exercise

The most immediate cause of muscle fatigue during exercise is not energy depletion, but rather the local rise in muscle temperature which shuts off its fuel supply.

#exercise

#muscle

Avoid cooling neck to prevent dangerous core temperature rise

Putting something cold on your neck or head can trick your brain's thermostat into feeling cool while your core body temperature continues to rise to dangerous levels.