I was given Kool ‘N Fit Conditioning Fluid late last year for product testing. It came at the perfect time as I was training heavily for New York. Even better that the generous supplier provided more than enough to share so I asked friends from my training group to spray to their hearts’ content and provide honest feedback as well.
WHAT IS IT?
Kool ‘N Fit Sport is a performance spray used to condition muscles before, during, and after a sports activity. It is made of all-natural ingredients using a 100-year old German formula.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
I heard that local mountain bikers swear by this product. It is only now that it is being introduced to the running community. It provides the following benefits:
- increases blood flow by 30% to help your muscles warm up faster, which subsequently reduces your chance for injury
- relaxes your muscles so they work more efficiently and reduces the chances of straining or tearing
- alleviates cramps (the hubby’s dream come true!)
WHEN DO YOU USE IT?
Kool ‘N Fit can be used the following ways: (as written in their brochure)
- BEFORE A RUN: for a better, faster and more complete warm up
- DURING A RUN: to enhance performance, avoid fatigue, and refresh with no sticky, greasy film on your skin
- AFTER A RUN: to foster faster recovery and reduce next-day soreness
TBR REVIEW
For the past few months, I use Kool ‘N Fit for long runs (usually above 15k) or when I feel tightness in my legs before shorter runs or a major race. I don’t feel the need to use it for easy training runs.
Before a run. I spray it before I warm up all over my legs—hamstrings, quads, calves, especially the ITB area which easily tightens up for me. (They recommend it for shoulders and lower back too.) This is where I feel like the product works best for me; it definitely helps me warm up faster. Muscles feel more limber and flexible at a quicker time, pretty good for me and my legs which need around 3k to 5k to warm up.
After a run. Today, after running 14k in Asics Gel Trainers—a shoe that I love but is not meant for my flat-footed feet (sob sob)—I felt minor arch pain on my right foot, so after the run, I sprayed it all over the foot too. It provided some relief from the discomfort due to the cool feeling albeit temporarily. For recovery, I have yet to test its effectiveness. It is advised that you spray every 2-4 hours after a race to promote muscle recovery. Let me try this soon.
During a run. During one of our long runs last year, after our training group climbed a steep ascent, I listened intently to my body gauging if the product had worked wonders on my performance, I didn’t feel any different. At the same time, one friend yelled as he climbed up the hill “Wow, this is really effective!” (Lit, that’s you, remember?) Hubby, who is often troubled by cramps, says that he has never gotten a cramp attack when he sprayed Kool ‘N Fit, but he’s not entirely sure if it’s because of the product, luck, or improved endurance (naks!)
Convenient and cool. Kool ‘N Fit is incredibly easy and convenient to use. You just spray it all over without the need to rub into the skin. (Thank God we won’t have to worry about rubbing it into our eyes!) There’s no residue and no staining on clothes. (Tip: they say you can spray it on clothing the night before a major race. The sweat activates it and helps to avoid fatigue.) I’ve used it while wearing compression tights and the spray can penetrate through the material. In less than a minute, you’ll feel a cool sensation on the sprayed area. There’s a light menthol smell that thankfully doesn’t get overwhelming especially when mixed with sweat.
Portable size. Aside from the 4 oz. bottle, they have a portable atomizer which easily fits into running shorts’ pockets or hydration belts. This allowed us to try it midway through long training runs (although due to it’s small size it runs out too quickly so avoid sharing!)
For New York, however, I decided to leave Kool ‘N Fit behind. I couldn’t quite imagine feeling the cold sensation on my legs amidst the freezing temps of NYC. I wish they had a body warming spray instead!
TBR VERDICT
Kool ‘N Fit is a product that is not required for most runners (read: you’ll do fine without it.) But, I do find it effective for a faster warm up, reduction in fatigue, and I like the overall feeling it gives tired, worn out leg muscles. I would recommend this product for serious runners—especially marathoners and ultramarathoners—who wish to improve their performance while reducing the chances for injury.
Kool ‘N Fit is available at Grantrail Cycles and Sabak Stores. 4 oz bottle, P480. Click here to visit website.
