Do you want to know all about ice baths and cold plunges?
Do you need to prepare for some sort of crazy Ironman competition, or maybe you’re just curious?
Well, we’ve got you covered.
Our objective is to get your body acclimated to the cold and get all the benefits that come with it, including accelerated fat loss and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
First of all, what is an ice bath?
An ice bath is a short (4 to 10 minute) exposure to cold water, typically somewhere between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The exposure time for an ice bath is short, as opposed to a cold plunge (below), which is typically longer.
Cold water immersion has been shown to be an effective method for improving recovery, especially after bouts of strenuous exercise. There are two main reasons for this:
The body expends a lot of energy to keep the core and your internal organs at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. What this means is that the body has to work hard to keep vital organs at their normal function, which can be quite taxing. By exposing the body to cold water, you are basically telling the body that it needs to expend more energy. This triggers a series of responses that help to expend energy and burn fat.
Cold water immersion has also been shown to increase levels of catecholamines (such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and others). These are chemicals often associated with being “pumped up” or getting excited. Catecholamine levels can increase to 100 times normal levels during cold water immersion and this is speculated to account for the reduction in muscle soreness.
Cold water immersion has also been shown to increase the expression of genes associated with fat metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, and angiogenesis. This means that the cold water immersion stimulates your body’s ability to burn fat, increase energy production (via more mitochondria), and improve blood flow.
How Do I Take One Of These Ice Bath Things?
The best time to take an ice bath is after a tough workout or, in the evening, or before bed. If you exercise in the morning, try taking an ice bath at night or after your workout. Choose whatever time of day works best for you.
First, fill up a bathtub halfway with cold water. Then go ahead and slowly lower yourself into the water. This part can be a little tough, but just go slow, and it’ll be alright. After 4 to 10 minutes in the bathtub, get out and dry off. The most important thing with this process is to stay hydrated. You can expect to lose about 1 litre of fluid per 10 minutes in the bathtub.
You can take a cold plunge as well. A cold plunge is similar to an ice bath, except it typically lasts longer. Also, the water is typically colder and deeper than it would be for an ice bath. The process begins the same: fill up a bathtub halfway with cold water but continue to fill it with cold water until the bathtub is full. Soak in this for about 5-10 minutes, then get out and dry off.
After this, it’s highly recommended that you do something physical for five to ten minutes (run up and down your stairs or do jumping jacks or something like that). Why is this? Well, it turns out that the benefits of cold water immersion and cold plunge are most evident after this short period of active recovery.
You can use an ice bath or cold plunge as a substitute for active recovery by doing the same thing after your shower – run up and down your stairs or do jumping jacks for 5-10 minutes, then dry off.
Can I Just Take A Shower Instead of an Ice Bath or Cold Plunge?
Well, you could, but then you wouldn’t get the benefits of cold water immersion. An ice bath or plunge will cool your core temperature, but taking a cold shower won’t do the same. The key to maximizing the benefits of cold water immersion is to cool your core temperature.
Do Ice Baths Help Me Burn Fat?
Normally, your body regulates its core temperature by constricting or dilating blood vessels near the surface of the skin. When these blood vessels dilate, more blood flows to these areas, and you feel cold. When your body needs to keep your core temperature elevated, it will constrict the blood vessels near the surface of your skin and trap heat.
This is why you feel hot after exercising. When you take an ice bath or cold plunge, your body needs to constrict blood vessels near the surface of your skin to keep your body temperature elevated. This is like a mild form of vasoconstriction. This is the process by which your blood vessels constrict and reduce blood flow.
It’s also one of the ways your body can increase energy expenditure (the number of calories you burn) via something called the thermic effect of activity. Like I said, taking an ice bath or cold plunge is like a mild form of vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction is a way that your body can increase energy expenditure and thus burn more fat.
How Does Ice Baths or Cold Plunges Help With Weight Loss?
Well, this is a great question. Some people believe that the primary benefit of taking an ice bath or cold plunge after a workout is not related to fat burning but rather by decreasing inflammation in your muscles. The theory is that cold water immersion reduces the level of metabolites – products of metabolic reactions in your body – in your muscles. The increased level of metabolites is believed to cause an increase in the permeability of your cell membranes, allowing more metabolites to leave your muscles.
The increased level of metabolites also causes the release of some potentially harmful substances called cytokines, produced by our white blood cells in response to inflammation. This is believed to be one of the leading causes of muscle soreness, and when you take an ice bath, you’re reducing inflammation and thus relieving muscle soreness.
To summarize, cold water immersion reduces the level of metabolites in muscles, reducing the permeability of muscle cells and reducing the release of cytokines, resulting in faster recovery. All this makes you feel better and allows you to exercise harder and more frequently.
What Are The Other Benefits Of Ice Baths?
There are many other benefits of ice baths. However, this is highly dependent on your goal and how you respond to cold water immersion.
Boosts Metabolism
Ice baths are said to boost your metabolism by as much as 22% for up to 72 hours. This is because cold exposure causes something called non-shivering thermogenesis, a process by which your body creates heat from muscle contractions.
Increases Pain Tolerance
When you take an ice bath, your body’s first response is to reduce blood flow to your skin to protect your core body temperature. This increased blood pressure in your muscles causes the release of lactic acid and metabolites from your muscles.
Your body’s second response is to increase your heart rate to remove the metabolites from your muscles as quickly as possible. All this causes a large amount of pain. The increase in blood pressure and heart rate also improves muscle contractility, which allows you to exercise longer and harder. All of this causes an increase in pain tolerance and encourages working out more.
Reduces Soreness
Taking ice baths when you are sore can reduce the degree of muscle damage. But does this necessarily translate to reduced muscle soreness? When your muscles are damaged, the process of repairing the damage causes inflammation. If you reduce inflammation, you can potentially reduce muscle soreness.
The primary goal of ice baths is to reduce the level of metabolites and cytokines in your muscles. If you reduce inflammation, this can potentially help with muscle repair and thus reduce muscle damage.
Increases Neural Drive
Ice baths increase neural drive, which allows you to exercise harder. As your muscles warm up during exercise, the rate of nerve impulses to your muscles decreases. When you take an ice bath, the nerves can fire more rapidly, resulting in increased muscle activation.
Increases Creatine Phosphate Levels
Several studies discovered an increase in creatine phosphate levels right after ice baths. However, the only study that shows a long-term increase in creatine phosphate levels used cold water immersion for 12 minutes in healthy, young men.Creatine phosphate is a substance used by your body to rapidly produce energy. Taking ice baths after workouts is said to increase creatine phosphate levels, resulting in improved workout performance.
Eases Symptoms of Depression
Some studies have shown that cold water immersion can reduce symptoms of depression. This is due to the anti-depressant effects of cold water immersion, which causes an increase in norepinephrine (a hormone associated with motivation and arousal) and decreases serotonin.
Eases Symptoms of Anxiety
Some studies have shown that cold water immersion can reduce symptoms of anxiety. This is thought to be due to the anti-anxiety effects of cold water immersion, which causes an increase in norepinephrine (a hormone associated with motivation and arousal) and a decrease in serotonin.
Increases Energy
Some studies have shown that taking an ice bath causes your body to release much adrenaline to keep your core body temperature stable. This causes an increase in energy and alertness.
We have more information about the benefits of ice baths throughout our website.
Is An Ice Bath Or Cold Plunge Right For Me?
That depends on your goals. If you’re trying to increase pain tolerance, reduce soreness, or gain muscle mass, an ice bath is right for you. If you’re trying to ease symptoms of depression or anxiety, reduce muscle soreness and DOMS, or increase energy and alertness, a cold plunge is right for you. If you’re trying to increase your energy and alertness but don’t care about reducing muscle soreness, a cold plunge is also right for you.
Where Do You Get An Ice Bath Or Cold Plunge In Australia?
You can make your own ice bath by filling up a small Rubbermaid tub with half water and half ice. A good idea is to buy a ice bath from a reputable online retailer. It is often more convenient and easier to use than a tub.
What Precautions Should Be Taken When Taking an Ice Bath?
Several precautions should be taken when taking an ice bath:
- Never use an ice bath if you can’t swim.
- Be careful because your hands and feet might not be able to handle the cold water initially.
- Shave your legs if you plan on doing a cold plunge.
- Don’t use an ice bath if you have any type of arthritis, Raynaud’s disease, or peripheral neuropathy.
- Don’t use an ice bath if you’re on blood thinners (like Warfarin).
FAQs About Ice Baths And Cold Plunges
How Long Do I Need To Take An Ice Bath Or Cold Plunge For?
This is up for debate. An ice bath usually involves sitting down in a body of cold (approximately 55 degrees) water for 3 to 5 minutes. A cold plunge involves standing up in a body of cold water (about 55 degrees) for around one minute.
Some people prefer sitting down because it helps reduce the stress on their back and legs while sitting in a pool of cold water is more comfortable than standing with your feet on the ground. Some people prefer standing because it’s easier to engage your muscles.
How Often Should I Take An Ice Bath Or Cold Plunge?
This is up to you. Some people prefer taking an ice bath daily, while others prefer taking an ice bath 3-5 times a week.If you’re trying to reduce the effects of DOMS, relieve anxiety or depression, increase energy expenditure and alertness, or gain muscle, then you should take an ice bath once a week.
If you’re trying to reduce soreness and improve recovery, then you should take an ice bath once every two weeks. If you’re trying to increase pain tolerance, then you should take an ice bath three times a week.
When Should I Take An Ice Bath Or Cold Plunge?
Some people prefer taking an ice bath immediately following a workout while some people prefer taking an ice bath on the days they don’t workout.