How to properly take a steam bath. How to steam yourself - Article

The day you sweat, the day you don’t grow old. (Russian proverb)

Going to the bathhouse is a serious matter, it requires preparation and experience, and knowledge of some tricks. The noble Bath Attendant will share the secrets of light steam, good mood and the rules of bath etiquette and “fashion”.

To the steam room without haste and fuss! There is no benefit from steaming in a hurry; a bathhouse is a holiday, a pleasure and a healer. Set aside a few hours, or even an evening, in your schedule for this ritual.
Choosing a bathhouse Among the many bathhouses, everyone will find their ideal one. The Finnish sauna is hot and dry, the eastern (Turkish) hammam is with wet and soft steam, the Russian bath is universal - both in terms of steam and degree of heating.
There is only a shower or a swimming pool in front of the steam room. Set aside the washcloth and soap for later. You should prepare for a visit to the steam room by standing under a warm shower for several minutes. You can swim in the pool for 15-20 minutes, if possible. This way the muscles become toned, improving the benefits of the steam room. And it’s better not to get your hair wet; usually a bath cap is slightly moistened.
In a sauna with a pillow It is better to steam while lying down, relaxing and forgetting about everything. People who understand comfort will choose a felt pillow instead of a hard wooden headrest.
Rule of a safe bath A good bathhouse attendant warns guests and resolutely will not allow razors, alcohol, or even glass bottles with essential oils and gels to be brought into the steam room.
Nothing extra. Believe the people's experience: before taking a steam bath, watches, glasses, and all jewelry must be removed. They can deteriorate and burn you inadvertently.
Give me a couple! You should splash on the stones to produce steam with boiling water or a hot infusion of herbs with oils and aromatic additives, water with kvass and beer. The stones are not poured, but served in small portions, at the very heat of the stove. Hear a pop from the stones - this is a sure sign of light, soft steam. But in order not to get burned by a wave of hot air, you need a ladle with a long wooden handle.
After the steam , we took a steam bath, warmed up under the brooms, now move to the lower shelves. The pulse will calm down a little, the head will clear, then you can leave the steam room. Moderation and restlessness in the bathhouse are the key to health.

How to steam properly together?

The person being parried lies on his stomach with his arms extended along his body. The steamer strokes him several times with a broom from his feet to his head. In the opposite direction, the broom is led first along one side, then along the other.
The steamer grabs hot air from the steam cake with a broom, lowers the broom onto the lower back of the person being steamed, and presses it with his hand for 2-3 seconds. This is a compress .
The steamer whips the steamer with the lower part of the broom, first in different directions on the back, then the lower back, pelvis, calves and feet. Quilting takes 1-2 minutes and ends with intense stroking.
Then the steamer proceeds to whipping : he grabs hot air and whips it with a broom all over the body. Every few whippings you can apply a compress;
Then fanning - after a slight wave of the broom, the steamer lightly touches the body of the person being steamed with it and passes several times from feet to head from different sides.
The steaming is completed by rubbing : one hand holds the broom by the handle, the second rubs the entire body through the leaves of the broom.

The effect of bath procedures on the body

Regular trips to the bathhouse can cure:

decreased tone of the epidermis;
joint and muscle pain;
kidney disease;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
migraine;
blood pressure problems;
diseases of the respiratory system.

The benefit of a bath is that after warming up, the body actively secretes sweat. Along with it, waste, toxins, fat and various harmful substances are removed from the body. Blood flow increases and heart rate increases. With this activity, more nutrients are transported to the cells by the bloodstream. If you know how to properly take a steam bath in a Russian bath, then after the procedures the condition of the skin improves, breathing normalizes, and the body is cleansed.

The work of a bathhouse attendant using oak brooms is to force a hot stream of air towards the body Source blog.postel-deluxe.ru

What kind of steam pie is this? What is it for?

The pie is a thick (about half a meter) layer of vigorous steam that hangs under the ceiling of the steam room. Infrared radiation from the cake additionally warms up the body of the person being steamed.

ZYBY

The steamer uses brooms to take part of the steam from the cake and distribute it over the body of the steamer, making a poultice. The steamer must accurately dose the steam and partially mix it in order to steam the body without scalding it.

It is believed that steaming from a cake gives a greater effect than the so-called conditioning steam obtained from the oven and evenly filling the steam room from floor to ceiling.

But a person is comfortable in conditioned steam, which does not burn and does not force him to leave the steam room screaming. And many professional steamers advocate conditioning steam.

Conditions in which visiting a heated bath is contraindicated

Every person who plans to visit it for their own pleasure or to improve the health of the body must know everything about the bathhouse We steam only if there are no contraindications:

Pregnancy;
Acute respiratory diseases;
Bleeding;
Oncology and other education;
Epilepsy.

You should also approach procedures for diseases of the cardiovascular system with great caution. If you take a steam bath and feel bad, it is better not to repeat the procedure. sweat when I feel good.

So which type of steam is preferable?

Even the bathhouse guru is not unanimous on this issue. But many steam bath fans strive to create a “beach” mode on the shelf and at the same time a pronounced layer of steam under the ceiling.

ZYBYFORUMHOUSE Member

From the beach mode, using the method of enveloping the entire body, a person is transferred to a state of bath orgasm, creating a conditioned steam zone around him. But it should be possible to add vigorous steam from the cake to the steaming area and create different types of steam in general above the steamed one or for local heating of areas of the body.

Common Mistakes

There are many myths and legends about the Russian bath Proper vaping is often disrupted precisely because of habitual stereotypes:

The steam room should not be scalding. Normal temperature is about 60 degrees.
Health cannot be improved in this way in all situations; you should carefully read the contraindications.
Procedures be taken if you are in good condition and in a good mood.
A professional steamer will never allow pain, bruises or scratches.
Sauna and bathhouse give different effects.
The movement to steam with a broom should be soft and gentle.
The bathhouse is combined with swimming in ice water only for trained, experienced people.

benefit if you follow all the basic rules and maintain a good mood and excellent health. It is worth understanding in time when it is time to stop using it , not to lead to serious tests on the body, and to work with your feelings.

But is burst ventilation enough to freshen the bathhouse between visits?

Quite. In between visits, it is enough to open the doors and windows in the steam room. But bathhouse experts also make a hole under the shelf, at a height of a meter from the floor. To create the “no one has ever steamed here yet” effect, a shock dose of water is thrown onto the heater, and a bucket of cold water is immediately poured onto the shelves. Steam from under the ceiling will fly away into the vent and take the stale air with it. This method is not suitable for dry-air baths, steam rooms with a solid floor and no drain.

Bath utensils and accessories

Experienced regulars know how to take a steam bath and are always armed with everything they need. In addition, the steam room must have the following functional elements and containers:

stove-heater;
seats and benches;
wooden tub and ladle;
hanging bowl with water, aromatic herbs or essential oils;
lamps with hermetically sealed shades.

Benches at lower and higher levels are necessary in order to be placed on them as the body heats up. The higher you climb, the hotter the air will be. It is convenient to stretch out on the bench to steam with brooms and relax the muscular system. The tub looks like a deep basin with handles. The ideal choice of wood for the tub and ladle is oak. It tolerates high moisture well and lasts for a long time. Water is poured from a ladle onto the stones, collecting it in a tub.

For healing, a linden broom is used, eucalyptus branches are placed under the head Source sankt-peterburg.spravka.ru

For a bath you need a wooden tub, a ladle, towels, a broom, detergents Source banyaionica.ru

Before going to the bathhouse, you should acquire some accessories:

a bottle of still drinking water;
a broom made from tree branches;
soft felt hat;
two terry towels;
washcloth made from natural materials;
woolen mitten;
massage mitten;
massage brush;
essential oil, herbs;
sheet;
rubber slippers;
robe;
soap, shampoo and other cleaning supplies;
hair brush.

A broom will help you improve your health, and a hat will protect your ears and head from burns. They dry themselves with one towel, and lay the second one on the bench in the steam room. Use a washcloth made of natural fibers or a mitten to carefully remove dead cells, sweat, and dirt from the skin. Depending on what ailment should be cured with the help of a steam room, they take with them oils or aromatic medicinal herbs.

A brush with natural bristles on a wooden frame is convenient for cleaning the skin on the back Source baltijaam.ee

The oil is diluted with water and placed next to the stove or sprayed on brooms Source static.tildacdn.com

A sheet is wrapped around the body so that the sweat that appears is absorbed into it more quickly. Rubber slippers are worn when visiting public baths. This is necessary for hygienic purposes and for safety to avoid slipping and falling. You will need a robe after completing the bath procedure. Detergents and body care products will help you carry out SPA treatments after the bath.

The sheet is laid on a bench in the steam room or wrapped in it so that it absorbs sweat Source progress.online

A bathrobe is worn at the final stage of bath procedures Source sauna-ananas.ru

In my family, I’m the only one who likes to steam. Can I effectively steam myself?

Yes. Experienced bath attendants recommend this technology:

On the first run, warm up (preferably lying down);
Warm up thoroughly again;
Rest without cooling down, but until the heartbeat normalizes;
He steams in a position that allows him to work with a broom without straining: his head rests freely on the wall, his back rests on an inclined support, his legs are bent. The abs and neck should not strain! Place one leg on the bent knee of the other, broom the knee and thigh, repeat for the other leg;
Sit in the coachman's position: one hand rests with the elbow on the hips, the other with a broom works on the back and shoulders. We change hands;
Rest, if desired, make a few more short passes and aggressively steam the feet, lower back and shoulders, the rest is optional.

ShkrapoviFORUMHOUSE Member

It is very important to steam the feet - they have projections of all organs. I learned it from the Finns.

Contraindications to visiting the steam room

A steam room will be useful if it has an optimal ratio of temperature and humidity. In certain cases, visiting a steam room, either with or without a broom, can be disastrous.

Direct contraindications to this procedure:

Skin inflammation, including acne. Steam room conditions can provoke the formation of full-fledged ulcers and abscesses with all the ensuing consequences.
Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. Increased blood circulation can lead to an attack.
Visiting a steam room can have a negative impact on people suffering from lung problems.
People with sexually transmitted diseases can also feel much worse in the bathhouse.
It is strictly forbidden to visit the steam room if you have various tumors.

You should not go to the sauna at the same time as taking corticosteroids. You need to wait 3-4 weeks after completing the course of treatment, because the drugs reduce the reactivity of the adrenal glands, and vascular complications can occur from overheating.

Tell us about the brooms: what should they be made of, do they need to be steamed?

The steam from a classic birch broom greatly expands the small bronchi, which is why it is so easy to breathe after steaming with it. An oak broom is good for people with problem skin. Linden helps drive away colds. Eucalyptus broom is considered medicinal and helps a lot with a sore throat. In the steam room, they press it to the face and breathe for 5-10 minutes.

There is no need to steam fresh brooms, otherwise they will become soggy. Pour a dry broom with cold water for 15 minutes, then into hot water for 3-5 minutes. And only if the broom is too dry, it is steamed in boiling water.

Do you not use soap in the bath?

The noble bathhouse attendant agrees with this rule: soap is not allowed directly into the steam room itself, onto the wooden shelves. But after steam, in the washroom or under the shower - please

Beauty tip from the Noble Bath Attendant: bring honey to the bath. After steaming, apply it to your face and body, let it absorb, and then ask for a massage or rub with a silk exfoliating glove. This procedure is a wonderful alternative to salon wraps. Do you know that the birthplace of chalk peeling is oriental baths (hamam)?

In Rus' they washed with lye - a solution of stove ash. It cleaned well and was an excellent replacement for modern scrubs and peels. Pamper your steamed hair and skin with natural soap, without strong chemicals. The collection of the Noble Bathhouse Attendant contains only healthy products, such as soap produced by .

Its action is as wonderful as the names of the ingredients in this soap: coffee grounds and ground cinnamon, sweet orange and colored clay, crushed herbs and flowers, birch charcoal and cocoa, coconut, shea and neem oils. Solid particles act as a scrub and help get rid of dead epithelial cells. Oils provide delicate care, replacing masks and balms. By restoring elasticity to the skin, they provide it with hydration and nourishment.

Natural soap is gentle care for the skin and the secret of your freshness and charm.

How to create a fragrant accent? Just pour a decoction of herbs into the heater?

This is possible, but there are nuances. To avoid smoke from burnt organic matter and to allow steam to extract beneficial phytoncides from herbs, the decoction is splashed not on hot stones, but on stones whose temperature is slightly above 100 degrees.

ZYBY

To do this, in my oven the top cover is concave in the shape of a V, with stones from Ilmen piled up there, and they are heated by the exhaust gases.

For the same reason, you cannot add aromatic oils to the drinking water - only drip them onto linden boards.

More ways:

put a saucepan in which water will boil on the heater, and put a colander with fresh herbs into the boiling water;
Dip a bunch of dry herbs into hot water, take it out, hold it near the heater while adding steam, and place it on a shelf;
additionally cover the shelves with grass hay.

The point is to get not just pleasant smells, but a healing effect.

Const. White

Add propolis infusion to a group of steaming brooms, you will get not only a wonderful aroma, but also good inhalation.

Recommendations

At the beginning of the process, you should not climb higher. It is necessary to pre-warm the body in conditions of not very high temperatures, allowing the blood vessels to expand a little and start the process of sweating.

After completing the initial course of bath therapy, you can move on. In the second run, experienced users occupy the middle shelf in a prone position. This position reduces the load on the heart.

If it is impossible to position yourself horizontally, you can sit down on the shelves. In this case, it is much more useful to be on a shelf with legs. Standing in a steam room is generally harmful. When the air temperature difference in the area of the legs and head is 20 degrees, blood circulation worsens, and if you add to this the tension of the muscles and joints, the bath procedure will not bring any benefit. You can also get heatstroke.

FAQ

Is frequent visits to the bath dangerous for people with dry and sensitive skin?

Frequent visits are definitely dangerous. Experts advise protecting such skin from sudden changes in temperature and from stressful situations, which result in the release of sweat. And the bathhouse is one of those things. But it is worth keeping in mind that a Russian or Turkish bath, the steam of which is saturated with moisture, is less harmful to dry and sensitive skin than a Finnish sauna that burns with dry air.

What happens if you don’t remove your makeup before visiting the bathhouse?

Nothing good! If we are talking about eye makeup, then it will simply inevitably “float” and you will look accordingly when leaving the steam room. But powder and foundation left on the face can be even more dangerous, since they seriously disrupt the natural processes of air exchange and sweating of the skin, leading to clogged pores. Just lipstick won't hurt. It will even help protect your lips from drying out.

Is it true that you need to sing and scream in the bathhouse to warm your throat?

It's not about warming up, but about emotional release. Of course, you can scream in the forest, but in a bathhouse it will be a hundred times more effective. We forbid ourselves from shouting in life: it is uncivilized, indecent. Why not express your feelings in the bathhouse!

If after a bath there are only branches left on the brooms, is that good or bad?

One of two things: either the broom was bad, or they hovered too vigorously. It’s bad when leaves from a broom fall into the heater: then you have to breathe in the fumes of burnt leaves.

Is it possible to take children to the bathhouse?

Children's age is not an obvious contraindication for a bath, but everything is individual and it is worth consulting with a pediatrician. Children under 3 years old should not be taken to the bathhouse, since they are not yet able to regulate their own body temperature and describe their own sensations, and this is very dangerous. The standard recommendation for older children is the minimum time for visiting the steam room (a few minutes, no more than five). As for the temperature regime, the “classic” Russian bath, 50-65 ˚C with a humidity of up to 65%, is tolerated normally by the child’s body.

Conclusion

Maximum benefit, minimum harm!

Only by carefully following these simple rules of the bath, after the measured implementation of all the prescribed measures, will you be able to feel indescribable lightness in your body, clarity in your head, lose a couple of years and gain more health!

Of course, here the power of the effect also depends on the quality of the building structure itself. Therefore, for those who want to thoroughly study all the intricacies of the Russian steam room, we recommend reading on our portal about how to install a sauna correctly. And in the video presented in this article you will find other interesting information on the topic raised today. Enjoy Your Bath!

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About the fight against stupidity

On the Internet, the practice of providing advice is excellent and at a very high level. Before you have time to type the appropriate request, a wagon and a small cart of various information immediately fall out on you, and exclusively from specialized “expert analysts.” The most unpleasant thing in this matter is that following their recommendations, in the overwhelming majority of cases, is good if it is simply meaningless and will not bring any benefit. It can be worse when direct harm to health and property is not far away.

Let's give a simple example. The most direct quote from such an online guide to providing bathing tips:

Tip 3: To “make” steam, you need to have some decoctions, juices or ampoules of ammonia for drying the steam room.

We quite sincerely believe that the most harmless juice for “making steam” in this way will be birch juice, preferably without pulp. Any sane person can imagine what will happen if you put half a liter of grape or apple juice from the nearest supermarket on the stove. It’s even better with ampoules of ammonia. Indeed, in bath practice there is a very controversial and ambiguous method in which 5-7 milliliters of a 10% ammonia aqueous solution is dissolved in a liter of water and the resulting solution is poured over heated stones. The pungent smell of the resulting steam overcomes the unpleasant perfumes of rot, musty water or sewage that prevail in the room. It is clear that in such cases it is necessary to eliminate the sources of unsanitary conditions, and not to “refresh” the atmosphere with ammonia over and over again. Yes, and this must be done very responsibly, so as not to overdo it with the dosage. Or here’s another piece of advice from the “experts”. Again, we present direct text from the original source of knowledge and nothing more: “High temperature is dry steam, characteristic of a sauna. In a Russian steam bath, the temperature of the steam room is kept within the range: 60-80°C - “light steam”, 90-110-140° - “normal steam”, 150-160° - “extreme steam”, humidity is maintained within 60-40 %. In the sauna, the steam room temperature is kept between 110-150°C - “gentle heat”, 150-160° - “for persistent Finns”, but the humidity is from 32 to 40%. You can also steam in a sauna, but it also has its own secrets, because it’s mostly passive steaming.”

Actually, such “advice” cannot be commented on; they must be mercilessly uprooted from the information field.

You can’t argue that the laws of physics are comprehensive, but the physiology of the human body is purely individual. However, there are general rules outlined by common sense. The higher the absolute air humidity in the atmosphere of a steam room, the lower the maximum temperature bar that will be determined as tolerable for a person of average physical condition, without the danger of thermal injury. A typical example is the famous oriental bath - hammam, which implies almost 100% humidity and extremely low temperature, as by the standards of the same dry-air bath.