Why do Stephen Curry and Michael Phelps Float?

Glenn Stokoe • October 14, 2020

Here’s a sports trivia question for all our athletically-inclined readers:


What do the Dallas Cowboys, the Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Cubs, The Manchester United Football Club, and Michael Phelps all have in common?

You might see this lineup and think “well, the ‘92 Dallas Cowboys won the Superbowl that year, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals in ‘14, the Cubs made history when they won the 2016 World Series, Manchester United is one of the most hono(u)red Football Clubs in the world, and Michael Phelps has won more gold medals than any other Olympian in history! They’re all winners!”

But that’s not all they have in common: they also all used float tanks.


They weren’t alone, either: the New England Patriots, UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, the Chicago Bulls, Olympic Gymnast Aly Raisman, the Philadelphia Eagles, Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis, The Detroit Pistons, as well as literally hundreds of other professional athletes have incorporated floating into their training and recovery programs throughout the years.


Floating is one of the best kept secrets in high-performing athletes and there’s some interesting research that helps explain why.

 

Raising the Performance Ceiling

If someone told you that laying in the dark on a bed of saltwater could give you superhuman strength or speed, would you believe them? It may not be as far-fetched as it sounds.


One study found that high-level athletes who have plateaued – those who don’t see any additional benefits from more training – would see an improvement in performance after floating in conjunction with visualization techniques, even without additional training.

Put another way, athletes were able to increase their peak performance just by floating before competition. A follow up study not only confirmed this result but also showed that floating multiple times between games led to significant improvements over a single float! This demonstrates something that most floaters already know: the more you float, the better it is for you.


Improved Precision

Beyond general athletic performance, a few studies looked at more specific benefits of floating in athletes.

Several studies tested how floating affects marksmanship. All 3 studies had a float group and a control group, with participants from all skill levels.


In the rifle marksmanship study 75% had a statistically significant increase in accuracy pre- to post-float with no such increase was found in the control group (relaxation without floating). A similar effect was found in the darts study, with 80% of participants seeing an improvement. It’s worth noting that in both studies, these improvements were seen regardless of skill level.


While the archery study didn’t see any significant increase in accuracy, it did show that the float-group had more consistent scores than the non-float group, something that the other two studies found as well.


Reduced Recovery Time

While the benefits described above could be explained as a side effect of stress reduction, there’s more to the story of the impact on floating in physical performance, certainly not enough to explain why floating has been so popular among high-level athletes.

Building off of earlier research, scientists in recent years have started using biometrics to see what’s happening to athletes who float on a physiological level. A 2013 study looked at the effect floating has on lactic acid build-up.


Lactic acid is associated with that post-workout feeling of tightness in your muscles that causes your body to stiffen and get sore. Professional athletes are always looking for new ways to reduce the amount it builds up during a workout to maximize performance.

What they found was that floating after exercise showed a 62% reduction in lactic acid buildup on average compared to the control group. Participants also reported feeling less pain and were back at peak performance sooner.


A follow up study in 2016 was able to replicate this effect with a larger sample size over 9 different sports. Not only were they able to replicate the lactic acid reduction, they also found a significant reduction in muscle soreness and improved mood and reduced fatigue in those that floated.


Looking at the Whole Picture

When you take all of these effects together, you can start to see why floating has been one of the best kept secrets of successful athletes. When you take into consideration the stress reduction benefits as well, you can see how floating might help them be at the top of their mental game in addition to their professional one.



The best part about all of this? Floating is helpful for athletes at every level. You don’t need to be an Olympian to see the benefits of floating in your exercise. It can be a nice way to cool down after a jog or help you recover after playing in a local league game on the weekends.

Ready to work with Float North County?

Let's connect! We’re here to help.

Send us a message and we’ll be in touch. 

Or give us a call today at (858) 925-6069

Agency Contact Form

More Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools

By Glenn Stokoe February 21, 2023
The ideas of altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, and voluntary self-isolation often bring with them images of shamans, spaced-out hippies, geometric art, and vibrant … The post The Science of Floating and Mystical Experiences appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe November 17, 2022
Touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste are what most people immediately think of when asked about the human senses. While these five major senses get … The post Tuning into your Inner Perception through Floating appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe September 30, 2022
Similar to many float enthusiasts, if you ask us what floating is good for, our first answer is often, “What is it not good for?” … The post Latest in Float Research appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe June 7, 2022
Although the environment for floating is carefully constructed and controlled, it doesn’t stop every float being its own unique experience. This is true, not only … The post Some Things Never Change appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe April 8, 2022
Creativity and convergence If humanity defines itself by anything, it is by our capacities to think critically and to adapt through our creative abilities. Although … The post Creative Notion from the Silent Ocean appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe March 24, 2022
  Imagine yourself – who are you and where are you REALLY going? What do you truly know about yourself? You’ve found your parking spot, … The post Improve Thyself: Betterment by Buoyancy appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe January 7, 2022
As you consider what changes you want to make in your life for the new year, it’s worth also spending some time thinking about how … The post Floating: The Ultimate Wingman for New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe November 11, 2021
In many ways, our culture has fostered an unhealthy relationship with time spent alone. Even the words that we use to describe alone time are … The post Happy to be Alone appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe October 6, 2021
You’ve probably heard of our fight or flight response – when we’re presented with stressful or threatening situations (like being chased by a hippopotamus), our … The post Fight or Flight . . . or Float? appeared first on Float North County.
By Glenn Stokoe September 17, 2021
From helping with anorexia nervosa, to regulating the immune system, to reducing general and acute anxiety, new findings on floatation continue to flow out from … The post New Research in to Floating for Anorexia Nervosa appeared first on Float North County.
More Posts
Share by: