Frozen in Poland: Lelo’s embrace innovative methods to prepare for Rugby World Cup 2015

Imagine standing in a chamber in nothing but your bathing suit when suddenly you’re blasted with bursts of frozen air. The temperate drops to minus 120 degrees Celsius but don’t worry about frostbite – it will only last a minute or two.

This temporary freezing technique, officially known as cryotherapy, is one of the latest recovery therapies used by athletes all over the world to aid in their recovery. For the Georgian national rugby team this is only a small part of their preparations for next month’s Rugby World Cup 2015.

In 38 days the international rugby competition involving 20 nations will kick off in the United Kingdom. One day later – in 39 days – Georgia will take to the field in its first match against Tonga.

The countdown is on but for the Georgian side preparations began months ago, starting with a five-week intensive camp on home soil.

Now the team is in Poland for the second phase of their preparations. The Lelos published this selfie after a training session on the Georgian Rugby Union's official Twitter account:

#TheLelos' take Selfie during few moments of free time after #TrainigSessions at #CetniewoOlympicBase#RWC2015pic.twitter.com/CZ9JptfgHX

— Georgian Rugby Union (@GeorgianRugby) August 10, 2015

There the team is continuing their strength and conditioning-oriented training sessions, with the "added benefit” of cryotherapy at the Cetniewo Olympic Training Centre. After training sessions players go through two-three minutes in the cryogenic chamber where temperatures drop to minus 120 degrees Celsius, enabling them to better recover after their workouts.

Speaking from Poland head coach Milton Haig said the training camp had begun well in Poland.

The training camp has begun well in Poland. Players have recovered well from the early morning travel and have trained well since arriving. Temperatures have been very good for training and the facilities are world class. Players have enjoyed the experience of the cryotherapy chamber with a lot of positive feedback. It's still too early to decide on [the] ‘training effect’ but the initial signs are very positive.”

As well as the optimistic effect of the cryotherapy recovery treatment, the team was also benefitting from a change of environment.

The change of training base has been very good and it has refreshed everyone mentally, especially as the area is a very popular polish holiday destination with tens of thousands of Polish people here at the moment," Haig added.

The Lelos will head back home from Poland on August 15 and take another week off before they travel to the UK on August 24 to start phase three of preparations.

The RWC 2015 will officially begin on September 18 and end on October 31. Georgia is in Pool C of the competition, along with Argentina, Tonga, Namibia and current world champions the All Blacks from New Zealand.

Georgia’s Pool games are:

September 19 vs Tonga

September 25 vs Argentina

October 2 vs New Zealand

October 7 vs Namibia.

On the same topic: What is behind the success of Georgian rugby?