There’s a new fitness trend that’s taking the MMA world by storm—floating in sensory deprivation tanks filled with body-temperature salt water. It sounds strange, but Palm Avenue Float Club founder Derrick Foo tells us about its many benefits.

Where did you first hear of flotation?
It’s been around for decades and decades, but I first got exposed to it through MMA—a lot of people have discovered flotation as a technique to help them visualize their “perfect” performance.

What kind of physical benefits does flotation offer?
The anti-gravity nature of the environment allows blood to flow through body much more quickly. This reduces cortisol in the body, releases endorphins and allows the body to heal faster. It also cuts down the body’s “gravity-fighting” workload, which has benefits as well.

What about mental or psychological benefits?
It’s a conducive environment for meditation. Once you’re in a meditative state, your brainwaves and stress levels go down, while creativity and healing performance go up. Tibetan monks are said to spend 20 years to develop the ability to go into this state at will—and getting into the tank is like a taking bullet train to this state.

Because you’re detached from stimuli and are forced to focus inwards and spend so much time with yourself, the treatment can also change your worldview. Lots of people come out of the tank in a euphoric, light and hyper-aware (of sound and light) state that lasts for a day or two.
 

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