This past weekend I was offered an opportunity to spend a day in a traditional Russian bath house better known as a Banya. Originally I was a little hesitant after researching typical banya practices and coming across multiple images like this one, where a person is essentially smacking a naked person with leaves (venik) in a very warm sauna.

Nonetheless I powered forward and decided to embrace the cultural experience. The banya was equipped with a Russian wet sauna, dry sauna, aromatherapy sauna, turkish steam room, cold plunge, hot tub, pool and relaxation room mostly teetering around 200 degrees. Russian banyas are different than run of the mill saunas due to the variation in humidity levels as well as the temperatures.

Traditionally one goes into the sauna and after exiting immediately shocks their body with the cold plunge. The two extreme temperatures are supposed to help the body get rid of toxins, stress, improve blood circulation, heart and vascular systems as well as boosts your metabolism.

Eventually I worked up the nerve to be hit with the venik. Although it sounds like you are being lashed, it actually didn’t hurt at all. If anything it kind of fanned the heat directly onto my body making it feel even warmer if that was possible. The purpose of these leaves are to release chemicals in the body that kill harmful pathogens.  Also, the essential oils released by venik improve metabolism and prevent premature aging of the skin, in short it’s the ancient natural version of botox.

Before I knew it six and a half hours had passed. Usually after a day of “spaing” I am exhausted but this experience was different in that I wasn’t drained but instead I was totally energized. All in all it was a great experience that resulted in draining my body of natural toxins and giving me a natural energy boost for only $30, can’t really beat that!