Learn about Bolt and Palmar cooling

Cool from the Core: How Palmer Cooling Supercharges Performance and Recovery

In the world of performance, every edge matters. From elite athletes to weekend warriors, we’re all searching for that extra 1%. One of the most exciting scientific breakthroughs in recent years doesn’t come in a pill or a powder — it starts in your hands. Literally.

Welcome to the science of palmer cooling.

What is Palmer Cooling?

Palmer cooling is a technique that cools the palm of your hand to lower your core body temperature — especially during or after intense physical activity. It works by targeting a unique area of the body where heat exchange is highly efficient: the glabrous skin of the palms.

Unlike most of the body, the palms (along with the soles of the feet and the face) have specialized arteriovenous anastomoses — blood vessels that allow rapid heat transfer between the body and the environment. By cooling this area, you can quickly draw heat away from your core.

Why Does It Matter?

When you train or compete hard, your body heats up. Your muscles produce heat as a byproduct of work, and eventually, your core temperature rises. When this happens:

• Performance drops
• Fatigue sets in faster
• Recovery takes longer

Palmer cooling counteracts this by acting like a “thermal release valve”, reducing your core temperature and extending your ability to perform. But this isn’t just theory — it’s backed by science.

What Does the Research Say?

The method was pioneered and studied at Stanford University by Dr. Craig Heller and Dr. Dennis Grahn. Their research showed that cooling the palms between sets significantly improved endurance and strength outcomes.

In one key study:

• Subjects doing pull-ups to failure could only manage around 20 reps.
• With palmer cooling between sets, that number jumped to over 60 reps after a few sessions.
• The improvement wasn’t due to more muscle — it was due to better temperature management.

“We stumbled on a way to reverse muscle fatigue rapidly,” said Dr. Heller in an interview.
The cooling acted almost like cheating — but it's entirely natural.

📚 Reference: Grahn DA, Cao VH, Heller HC. Heat extraction through the palm of one hand improves aerobic exercise endurance in a hot environment. J Appl Physiol. 2005; 99(3): 972-978.

Performance, Recovery, and Beyond

The benefits go beyond lifting weights. Palmer cooling has been shown to:

✅ Enhance stamina during cardio and interval training
✅ Accelerate recovery between sets or after training
✅ Help maintain mental focus by reducing heat-related cognitive fatigue
✅ Allow for more volume and intensity during training

In essence, it helps you train harder, longer, and smarter — while feeling fresher.

Who Is It For?

While originally tested on military personnel and athletes, palmer cooling is now finding its way into gyms and recovery centers across the world. It’s useful for:

• Strength and endurance athletes
• CrossFit and HIIT fans
• Combat sports and motorsport competitors
• Anyone training in hot environments
• People looking for faster recovery after workouts

Enter Bolt: Cooling Reinvented

At BoltCooling.com, we’ve engineered the science of palmer cooling into a compact, handheld solution: Bolt X1. No fans, no wires, no melting ice — just premium aluminum, a patented thermal core, and science-backed cooling in your palm.

Whether you're chasing a PR or a better recovery window, Bolt helps you cool from the core so you can perform at the edge.

Final Thoughts

Palmer cooling isn’t a gimmick. It’s real science. And for those who demand more from their training, it might just be the most effective performance hack you haven’t tried yet.

Cool the palms. Unlock the core. Perform at your peak.