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The popularity of ice baths has increased immensely in the past decade or so, as more and more gym goers continue swearing by its benefits, which include everything from muscle recovery to better sleep to an improved immune system.
If you're new to cold therapy, like ice baths, the idea of standing in a bucket of ice might seem crazy and far less appealing that relaxing in a hot tub. But before you write off this recovery method, we suggest first learning more about it.
You can start by reading this article, which provides a broad overview of ice baths, including what they are, when and how they began, and tips for starting a cold water immersion routine.
By the time you're done reading, you'll have a good idea of whether a cold plunge is right for you!
Table of Contents:
What Is Cold Therapy?
What Is An Ice Bath?
How Do Ice Baths Work?
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
Benefits & Drawbacks Of Ice Baths
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become A Recovery Method?
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Cold Bath Factors To Consider
Tips For Starting An Ice Bath Routine
What is Cold Therapy?
Cold water therapy is an umbrella term used to describe various recovery methods that use ice-cold water or other means to induce cold temperatures, including everything from ice baths to a cold shower. The goal is to elicit different physiological benefits, such as improved recovery and decreased inflammation¹.
The cold temperatures of ice baths trigger vasoconstriction or the narrowing of the blood vessels, ultimately decreasing blood flow and leading to benefits such as decreased inflammation and less swelling.
In comparison, heat therapy does the exact opposite and increases blood flow.
What is an Ice Bath?
Ice baths fall under the bracket of cold water therapy and refer to filling up a bath or tub with water and ice cubes and then getting in.
Let's take a closer look at how cold water exposure works and what it does.
How Do Ice Baths Work?
The obvious working mechanism of ice baths is freezing cold water. When you first jump in, your body starts to go through a series of physiological reactions. Initially, the shock causes hyperventilation, as well as an increase in heart rate, but this eventually levels off.
When in an ice bath, your blood vessels shrink, restricting blood flow. This shrinking of blood vessels occurs as your core body temperature drops, and it's suggested that this reaction mitigates swelling and inflammation after an injury.
After sufficient time, the body part that is submerged will begin to go numb and lose sensation. This follows a similar concept to cold therapy machines, another method that uses cold temperatures for treatment and recovery.
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
You may hear the words "ice baths" and "cold water immersion" used interchangeably and wonder what the difference is. Cold water immersion can be thought of as more of an umbrella term for cold water therapy.
It can include everything from an ice-cold plunge in a lake to one in an ice barrel.
As mentioned, they're used interchangeably, and at the end of the day, they mean the same thing.
Benefits Of Ice Baths
Ice baths have been reported to treat a wide array of medical ailments. In addition, they've also been promoted as helping lifters more quickly recover from delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, along with reducing inflammation and swelling.
Additional benefits associated with ice baths include increased immunity, faster metabolism, decreased pain, improved muscle recovery, better sleep, and increased energy.
To learn more about the perks associated with cold water immersion, check out our article on ice bath benefits.
Ice Bath Drawbacks
There is one factor we want to touch on when it comes to the drawbacks of an ice bath.
Research shows that taking an ice bath for muscle hypertrophy not only doesn't offer benefits, but it may actually mitigate the anabolic process1.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but at some point during muscle protein synthesis, the extreme temperatures interfere and cause a decrease in adaptations.
So for those trying to add mass, proceed cautiously with ice baths.
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
If you've ever jumped in legit ice-cold water, you know it's not exactly an enjoyable experience. While it doesn't hurt, the extreme temperatures associated with cold water immersion can take your breath away and lead to slight shock in the beginning.
Interestingly, despite the less-than-pleasant feelings associated with ice baths, they've been around for a very long time.
Earliest Records Of Taking An Ice Bath
Records of ice baths date back as far as 3,500-5,000 BC. In fact, the likes of Plato and Hippocrates are documented as using ice baths, and its origins are thought to be from Ancient Greece².
At the time, ice baths were mainly used after battles to soothe injuries and fatigue, and improve general well-being. The Roman physician Claudius Galen was documented as using cold water immersion as a homeopathic remedy for fever².
Growth of Ice Baths For Medical Purposes
From that point, ice baths remained a part of multiple cultures, with the Nordic countries being the most modern civilization to regularly utilize them.
Interestingly, part of their popularity in Nordic culture resulted from not having much choice, as living in Nordic countries in the dead of winter basically leaves you with warmer water that's still technically very cold.
Even after the invention of electricity, ice baths were so ingrained in the Nordic culture and associated with enough health benefits that they simply remained there.
In addition, in the late 1700s, medical research started to be done on cold water immersion's effects on human physiology. Physiologist James Currie was the first to document the effect that fever has on the core body temperature as well as the first to track body temperature in this condition².
During this time, James Currie used ice baths to track his temperature to prove the legitimacy of using icy water to improve one's health.
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become a Recovery Method?
In the early 20th century, a physician by the name of Edgar A. Hines began to examine the effects of cold therapy on the body's autonomic nervous system.
Edgar A. Hines observed that cold therapy affected our respiratory rate and heartbeat, in addition to relieving sore muscles and other discomforts.
It wasn't until the early 2000s that ice bathing began to be looked at as a possible therapy to support muscle recovery from sports and training. To date, it's pretty common to find an ice bath in a sports physical therapist's or sports physician's office.
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Even after it was reported that there were benefits of ice baths for recovering from sports and training, it initially remained something only used by professional athletes, rather than a common practice used by all gym goers.
That was until the world was introduced to Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete whose specialty was persevering through extreme temperatures. This includes things like swimming in ice-cold water under ice or standing in a container completely surrounded by ice cubes.
What Is The Wim Hof Method?
Wim Hof began to promote what he calls The Wim Hof Method, a program that uses various breathing techniques and cold exposure in a training session.
The goal of the method is to teach followers to control their fitness variables, such as heart rate and breathing rate.
Doing so is supposed to enable a person to deal with highly stressful or uncomfortable situations and provide numerous health and fitness benefits, including increased energy, better sleep, reduced stress levels, heightened focus and determination, increased willpower, and a stronger immune system.
As we could all use more energy for our workout splits, along with added willpower and determination to get to the gym, those are pretty compelling reasons to try cold exposure!
3 Factors To Consider When Using Cold Baths
Using an ice bath is fairly simple. However, there are a few variables to keep in mind.
1) Select An Ice Bath Tub:
There are several ways to set up ice bath tubs for regular use.
First, if you want to have a nice option at your constant disposal or are interested in a tub with some bonus features, we've compiled a list of the best ice bath tubs, so you can find the one best suited to your needs.
Alternatively, if you have a porcelain bathtub in your house, you can get creative and just use that.
For parents who have a kiddie pool lying around, that's another option. In fact, consider it multitasking. Doing this gives you an ice bath and provides your kids with a nice pool to keep them entertained in the warmer months.
The point is that no matter your budget, there's a way to set up an ice bath at your house. Heck, we have seen some people clean up an old trash can and transform it into an ice bath. If it holds water and is big enough for you to get in, it'll work.
One caveat to remember is that you don't want one exponentially bigger than you. This requires you to use more water, ice, and time filling the tub. You also don't want one that you have to "squeeze" into.
Let's remember we're talking about cold water immersion, and getting stuck is not ideal. You want one that you can fit in comfortably yet doesn't have an excessive amount of room.
2) Find The Ideal Temperature For Ice Baths:
You'll need to get the temperature right when setting up an ice bath at home. When taking ice baths, aim for between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius).
This is the ideal temperature range for cold water therapy, as it tends to be the threshold required to invoke the desired physiological response.
However, for those new to ice baths, this can be exponentially cold to the point that you are unable to stay in long enough to experience the benefits. If you're new to ice baths, start with a bit warmer water at first.
For example, use as cold of water as possible and then just add one bag of ice. After you get acclimated to that, you can slowly add more ice until you reach your target temperature.
This is best achieved using a 3:1 ratio of water to ice.
3) Stay In The Ice Bath For The Correct Amount of Time:
Studies still haven't nailed down the optimal time range for an ice bath. However, 10-15 minutes is the general recommendation for most people.
2 Tricks To Help You Start Using Ice Baths
New to ice baths? These two tips will help get you started!
1. Keep your chest out of the water:
One useful trick when you begin taking cold baths is to keep your chest out of the water. Not only will this keep less body area submerged, but your heart and lungs will also stay above water, which can significantly decrease your initial shock.
Then, either in that session or the next, you can start to alternate between neck and stomach levels.
If you're having a hard time, you can just use cold showers in the beginning. Turn the shower on as cold as you can. When ready, jump in the shower and stay in for as long as you can.
2. Control your breath:
While you don't necessarily need to follow Wim Hoff, we can learn a lot from him. His emphasis on controlling your breath is the best thing you can do to keep from panicking.
This is also common in endurance racing and is known as "calm outside, calm inside." The theory is that if you can keep your breathing under control with slow, deep breaths, you will keep your heart rate down and remain calmer.
Want to test it out? Try focusing on the "calm outside, calm inside" method the next time you partake in a long LISS cardio session.
Should You Try An Ice Bath?
Cold baths seem to follow the same path as many other biohacks. By that, we mean there's a mix of science, myths, exaggeration, and practical application. But a major variable to consider when talking about ice baths is acknowledging that they are a relatively cheap therapy form that can bring big benefits.
If you are at all interested in trying it, it definitely won't hurt. Just remember that apart from reducing pain, the benefits of an ice bath are generally only seen after chronic use. That means for best results, you should use it regularly.
And who knows? After you get used to the freezing temps, you may look forward to your daily dip in ice water!
Ready to benefit from ice baths? Check out our article on the 5 Best Ice Bath Tubs, which includes tubs ranging from a budget-friendly option to a premium one with added features.
References:
Stephens JM, Halson S, Miller J, Slater GJ, Askew CD. Cold-Water Immersion for Athletic Recovery: One Size Does Not Fit All. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2017;12(1):2-9. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2016-0095
Allan, R., Malone, J., Alexander, J. et al. Cold for centuries: a brief history of cryotherapies to improve health, injury and post-exercise recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol 122, 1153–1162 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04915-5
The popularity of ice baths has increased immensely in the past decade or so, as more and more gym goers continue swearing by its benefits, which include everything from muscle recovery to better sleep to an improved immune system.
If you're new to cold therapy, like ice baths, the idea of standing in a bucket of ice might seem crazy and far less appealing that relaxing in a hot tub. But before you write off this recovery method, we suggest first learning more about it.
You can start by reading this article, which provides a broad overview of ice baths, including what they are, when and how they began, and tips for starting a cold water immersion routine.
By the time you're done reading, you'll have a good idea of whether a cold plunge is right for you!
Table of Contents:
What is Cold Therapy?
Cold water therapy is an umbrella term used to describe various recovery methods that use ice-cold water or other means to induce cold temperatures, including everything from ice baths to a cold shower. The goal is to elicit different physiological benefits, such as improved recovery and decreased inflammation¹.
The cold temperatures of ice baths trigger vasoconstriction or the narrowing of the blood vessels, ultimately decreasing blood flow and leading to benefits such as decreased inflammation and less swelling.
In comparison, heat therapy does the exact opposite and increases blood flow.
What is an Ice Bath?
Ice baths fall under the bracket of cold water therapy and refer to filling up a bath or tub with water and ice cubes and then getting in.
Let's take a closer look at how cold water exposure works and what it does.
How Do Ice Baths Work?
The obvious working mechanism of ice baths is freezing cold water. When you first jump in, your body starts to go through a series of physiological reactions. Initially, the shock causes hyperventilation, as well as an increase in heart rate, but this eventually levels off.
When in an ice bath, your blood vessels shrink, restricting blood flow. This shrinking of blood vessels occurs as your core body temperature drops, and it's suggested that this reaction mitigates swelling and inflammation after an injury.
After sufficient time, the body part that is submerged will begin to go numb and lose sensation. This follows a similar concept to cold therapy machines, another method that uses cold temperatures for treatment and recovery.
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
You may hear the words "ice baths" and "cold water immersion" used interchangeably and wonder what the difference is. Cold water immersion can be thought of as more of an umbrella term for cold water therapy.
It can include everything from an ice-cold plunge in a lake to one in an ice barrel.
As mentioned, they're used interchangeably, and at the end of the day, they mean the same thing.
Benefits Of Ice Baths
Ice baths have been reported to treat a wide array of medical ailments. In addition, they've also been promoted as helping lifters more quickly recover from delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, along with reducing inflammation and swelling.
Additional benefits associated with ice baths include increased immunity, faster metabolism, decreased pain, improved muscle recovery, better sleep, and increased energy.
To learn more about the perks associated with cold water immersion, check out our article on ice bath benefits.
Ice Bath Drawbacks
There is one factor we want to touch on when it comes to the drawbacks of an ice bath.
Research shows that taking an ice bath for muscle hypertrophy not only doesn't offer benefits, but it may actually mitigate the anabolic process1.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but at some point during muscle protein synthesis, the extreme temperatures interfere and cause a decrease in adaptations.
So for those trying to add mass, proceed cautiously with ice baths.
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
If you've ever jumped in legit ice-cold water, you know it's not exactly an enjoyable experience. While it doesn't hurt, the extreme temperatures associated with cold water immersion can take your breath away and lead to slight shock in the beginning.
Interestingly, despite the less-than-pleasant feelings associated with ice baths, they've been around for a very long time.
Earliest Records Of Taking An Ice Bath
Records of ice baths date back as far as 3,500-5,000 BC. In fact, the likes of Plato and Hippocrates are documented as using ice baths, and its origins are thought to be from Ancient Greece².
At the time, ice baths were mainly used after battles to soothe injuries and fatigue, and improve general well-being. The Roman physician Claudius Galen was documented as using cold water immersion as a homeopathic remedy for fever².
Growth of Ice Baths For Medical Purposes
From that point, ice baths remained a part of multiple cultures, with the Nordic countries being the most modern civilization to regularly utilize them.
Interestingly, part of their popularity in Nordic culture resulted from not having much choice, as living in Nordic countries in the dead of winter basically leaves you with warmer water that's still technically very cold.
Even after the invention of electricity, ice baths were so ingrained in the Nordic culture and associated with enough health benefits that they simply remained there.
In addition, in the late 1700s, medical research started to be done on cold water immersion's effects on human physiology. Physiologist James Currie was the first to document the effect that fever has on the core body temperature as well as the first to track body temperature in this condition².
During this time, James Currie used ice baths to track his temperature to prove the legitimacy of using icy water to improve one's health.
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become a Recovery Method?
In the early 20th century, a physician by the name of Edgar A. Hines began to examine the effects of cold therapy on the body's autonomic nervous system.
Edgar A. Hines observed that cold therapy affected our respiratory rate and heartbeat, in addition to relieving sore muscles and other discomforts.
It wasn't until the early 2000s that ice bathing began to be looked at as a possible therapy to support muscle recovery from sports and training. To date, it's pretty common to find an ice bath in a sports physical therapist's or sports physician's office.
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Even after it was reported that there were benefits of ice baths for recovering from sports and training, it initially remained something only used by professional athletes, rather than a common practice used by all gym goers.
That was until the world was introduced to Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete whose specialty was persevering through extreme temperatures. This includes things like swimming in ice-cold water under ice or standing in a container completely surrounded by ice cubes.
What Is The Wim Hof Method?
Wim Hof began to promote what he calls The Wim Hof Method, a program that uses various breathing techniques and cold exposure in a training session.
The goal of the method is to teach followers to control their fitness variables, such as heart rate and breathing rate.
Doing so is supposed to enable a person to deal with highly stressful or uncomfortable situations and provide numerous health and fitness benefits, including increased energy, better sleep, reduced stress levels, heightened focus and determination, increased willpower, and a stronger immune system.
As we could all use more energy for our workout splits, along with added willpower and determination to get to the gym, those are pretty compelling reasons to try cold exposure!
3 Factors To Consider When Using Cold Baths
Using an ice bath is fairly simple. However, there are a few variables to keep in mind.
1) Select An Ice Bath Tub:
There are several ways to set up ice bath tubs for regular use.
First, if you want to have a nice option at your constant disposal or are interested in a tub with some bonus features, we've compiled a list of the best ice bath tubs, so you can find the one best suited to your needs.
Alternatively, if you have a porcelain bathtub in your house, you can get creative and just use that.
For parents who have a kiddie pool lying around, that's another option. In fact, consider it multitasking. Doing this gives you an ice bath and provides your kids with a nice pool to keep them entertained in the warmer months.
The point is that no matter your budget, there's a way to set up an ice bath at your house. Heck, we have seen some people clean up an old trash can and transform it into an ice bath. If it holds water and is big enough for you to get in, it'll work.
One caveat to remember is that you don't want one exponentially bigger than you. This requires you to use more water, ice, and time filling the tub. You also don't want one that you have to "squeeze" into.
Let's remember we're talking about cold water immersion, and getting stuck is not ideal. You want one that you can fit in comfortably yet doesn't have an excessive amount of room.
2) Find The Ideal Temperature For Ice Baths:
You'll need to get the temperature right when setting up an ice bath at home. When taking ice baths, aim for between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius).
This is the ideal temperature range for cold water therapy, as it tends to be the threshold required to invoke the desired physiological response.
However, for those new to ice baths, this can be exponentially cold to the point that you are unable to stay in long enough to experience the benefits. If you're new to ice baths, start with a bit warmer water at first.
For example, use as cold of water as possible and then just add one bag of ice. After you get acclimated to that, you can slowly add more ice until you reach your target temperature.
This is best achieved using a 3:1 ratio of water to ice.
3) Stay In The Ice Bath For The Correct Amount of Time:
Studies still haven't nailed down the optimal time range for an ice bath. However, 10-15 minutes is the general recommendation for most people.
2 Tricks To Help You Start Using Ice Baths
New to ice baths? These two tips will help get you started!
1. Keep your chest out of the water:
One useful trick when you begin taking cold baths is to keep your chest out of the water. Not only will this keep less body area submerged, but your heart and lungs will also stay above water, which can significantly decrease your initial shock.
Then, either in that session or the next, you can start to alternate between neck and stomach levels.
If you're having a hard time, you can just use cold showers in the beginning. Turn the shower on as cold as you can. When ready, jump in the shower and stay in for as long as you can.
2. Control your breath:
While you don't necessarily need to follow Wim Hoff, we can learn a lot from him. His emphasis on controlling your breath is the best thing you can do to keep from panicking.
This is also common in endurance racing and is known as "calm outside, calm inside." The theory is that if you can keep your breathing under control with slow, deep breaths, you will keep your heart rate down and remain calmer.
Want to test it out? Try focusing on the "calm outside, calm inside" method the next time you partake in a long LISS cardio session.
Should You Try An Ice Bath?
Cold baths seem to follow the same path as many other biohacks. By that, we mean there's a mix of science, myths, exaggeration, and practical application. But a major variable to consider when talking about ice baths is acknowledging that they are a relatively cheap therapy form that can bring big benefits.
If you are at all interested in trying it, it definitely won't hurt. Just remember that apart from reducing pain, the benefits of an ice bath are generally only seen after chronic use. That means for best results, you should use it regularly.
And who knows? After you get used to the freezing temps, you may look forward to your daily dip in ice water!
Ready to benefit from ice baths? Check out our article on the 5 Best Ice Bath Tubs, which includes tubs ranging from a budget-friendly option to a premium one with added features.
References:
[*]Stephens JM, Halson S, Miller J, Slater GJ, Askew CD. Cold-Water Immersion for Athletic Recovery: One Size Does Not Fit All. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2017;12(1):2-9. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2016-0095
[*]Allan, R., Malone, J., Alexander, J. et al. Cold for centuries: a brief history of cryotherapies to improve health, injury and post-exercise recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol 122, 1153–1162 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04915-5
Click here to view the article.
If you're new to cold therapy, like ice baths, the idea of standing in a bucket of ice might seem crazy and far less appealing that relaxing in a hot tub. But before you write off this recovery method, we suggest first learning more about it.
You can start by reading this article, which provides a broad overview of ice baths, including what they are, when and how they began, and tips for starting a cold water immersion routine.
By the time you're done reading, you'll have a good idea of whether a cold plunge is right for you!
Table of Contents:
What Is Cold Therapy?
What Is An Ice Bath?
How Do Ice Baths Work?
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
Benefits & Drawbacks Of Ice Baths
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become A Recovery Method?
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Cold Bath Factors To Consider
Tips For Starting An Ice Bath Routine
What is Cold Therapy?
Cold water therapy is an umbrella term used to describe various recovery methods that use ice-cold water or other means to induce cold temperatures, including everything from ice baths to a cold shower. The goal is to elicit different physiological benefits, such as improved recovery and decreased inflammation¹.
The cold temperatures of ice baths trigger vasoconstriction or the narrowing of the blood vessels, ultimately decreasing blood flow and leading to benefits such as decreased inflammation and less swelling.
In comparison, heat therapy does the exact opposite and increases blood flow.
What is an Ice Bath?
Ice baths fall under the bracket of cold water therapy and refer to filling up a bath or tub with water and ice cubes and then getting in.
Let's take a closer look at how cold water exposure works and what it does.
How Do Ice Baths Work?
The obvious working mechanism of ice baths is freezing cold water. When you first jump in, your body starts to go through a series of physiological reactions. Initially, the shock causes hyperventilation, as well as an increase in heart rate, but this eventually levels off.
When in an ice bath, your blood vessels shrink, restricting blood flow. This shrinking of blood vessels occurs as your core body temperature drops, and it's suggested that this reaction mitigates swelling and inflammation after an injury.
After sufficient time, the body part that is submerged will begin to go numb and lose sensation. This follows a similar concept to cold therapy machines, another method that uses cold temperatures for treatment and recovery.
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
You may hear the words "ice baths" and "cold water immersion" used interchangeably and wonder what the difference is. Cold water immersion can be thought of as more of an umbrella term for cold water therapy.
It can include everything from an ice-cold plunge in a lake to one in an ice barrel.
As mentioned, they're used interchangeably, and at the end of the day, they mean the same thing.
Benefits Of Ice Baths
Ice baths have been reported to treat a wide array of medical ailments. In addition, they've also been promoted as helping lifters more quickly recover from delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, along with reducing inflammation and swelling.
Additional benefits associated with ice baths include increased immunity, faster metabolism, decreased pain, improved muscle recovery, better sleep, and increased energy.
To learn more about the perks associated with cold water immersion, check out our article on ice bath benefits.
Ice Bath Drawbacks
There is one factor we want to touch on when it comes to the drawbacks of an ice bath.
Research shows that taking an ice bath for muscle hypertrophy not only doesn't offer benefits, but it may actually mitigate the anabolic process1.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but at some point during muscle protein synthesis, the extreme temperatures interfere and cause a decrease in adaptations.
So for those trying to add mass, proceed cautiously with ice baths.
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
If you've ever jumped in legit ice-cold water, you know it's not exactly an enjoyable experience. While it doesn't hurt, the extreme temperatures associated with cold water immersion can take your breath away and lead to slight shock in the beginning.
Interestingly, despite the less-than-pleasant feelings associated with ice baths, they've been around for a very long time.
Earliest Records Of Taking An Ice Bath
Records of ice baths date back as far as 3,500-5,000 BC. In fact, the likes of Plato and Hippocrates are documented as using ice baths, and its origins are thought to be from Ancient Greece².
At the time, ice baths were mainly used after battles to soothe injuries and fatigue, and improve general well-being. The Roman physician Claudius Galen was documented as using cold water immersion as a homeopathic remedy for fever².
Growth of Ice Baths For Medical Purposes
From that point, ice baths remained a part of multiple cultures, with the Nordic countries being the most modern civilization to regularly utilize them.
Interestingly, part of their popularity in Nordic culture resulted from not having much choice, as living in Nordic countries in the dead of winter basically leaves you with warmer water that's still technically very cold.
Even after the invention of electricity, ice baths were so ingrained in the Nordic culture and associated with enough health benefits that they simply remained there.
In addition, in the late 1700s, medical research started to be done on cold water immersion's effects on human physiology. Physiologist James Currie was the first to document the effect that fever has on the core body temperature as well as the first to track body temperature in this condition².
During this time, James Currie used ice baths to track his temperature to prove the legitimacy of using icy water to improve one's health.
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become a Recovery Method?
In the early 20th century, a physician by the name of Edgar A. Hines began to examine the effects of cold therapy on the body's autonomic nervous system.
Edgar A. Hines observed that cold therapy affected our respiratory rate and heartbeat, in addition to relieving sore muscles and other discomforts.
It wasn't until the early 2000s that ice bathing began to be looked at as a possible therapy to support muscle recovery from sports and training. To date, it's pretty common to find an ice bath in a sports physical therapist's or sports physician's office.
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Even after it was reported that there were benefits of ice baths for recovering from sports and training, it initially remained something only used by professional athletes, rather than a common practice used by all gym goers.
That was until the world was introduced to Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete whose specialty was persevering through extreme temperatures. This includes things like swimming in ice-cold water under ice or standing in a container completely surrounded by ice cubes.
What Is The Wim Hof Method?
Wim Hof began to promote what he calls The Wim Hof Method, a program that uses various breathing techniques and cold exposure in a training session.
The goal of the method is to teach followers to control their fitness variables, such as heart rate and breathing rate.
Doing so is supposed to enable a person to deal with highly stressful or uncomfortable situations and provide numerous health and fitness benefits, including increased energy, better sleep, reduced stress levels, heightened focus and determination, increased willpower, and a stronger immune system.
As we could all use more energy for our workout splits, along with added willpower and determination to get to the gym, those are pretty compelling reasons to try cold exposure!
3 Factors To Consider When Using Cold Baths
Using an ice bath is fairly simple. However, there are a few variables to keep in mind.
1) Select An Ice Bath Tub:
There are several ways to set up ice bath tubs for regular use.
First, if you want to have a nice option at your constant disposal or are interested in a tub with some bonus features, we've compiled a list of the best ice bath tubs, so you can find the one best suited to your needs.
Alternatively, if you have a porcelain bathtub in your house, you can get creative and just use that.
For parents who have a kiddie pool lying around, that's another option. In fact, consider it multitasking. Doing this gives you an ice bath and provides your kids with a nice pool to keep them entertained in the warmer months.
The point is that no matter your budget, there's a way to set up an ice bath at your house. Heck, we have seen some people clean up an old trash can and transform it into an ice bath. If it holds water and is big enough for you to get in, it'll work.
One caveat to remember is that you don't want one exponentially bigger than you. This requires you to use more water, ice, and time filling the tub. You also don't want one that you have to "squeeze" into.
Let's remember we're talking about cold water immersion, and getting stuck is not ideal. You want one that you can fit in comfortably yet doesn't have an excessive amount of room.
2) Find The Ideal Temperature For Ice Baths:
You'll need to get the temperature right when setting up an ice bath at home. When taking ice baths, aim for between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius).
This is the ideal temperature range for cold water therapy, as it tends to be the threshold required to invoke the desired physiological response.
However, for those new to ice baths, this can be exponentially cold to the point that you are unable to stay in long enough to experience the benefits. If you're new to ice baths, start with a bit warmer water at first.
For example, use as cold of water as possible and then just add one bag of ice. After you get acclimated to that, you can slowly add more ice until you reach your target temperature.
This is best achieved using a 3:1 ratio of water to ice.
3) Stay In The Ice Bath For The Correct Amount of Time:
Studies still haven't nailed down the optimal time range for an ice bath. However, 10-15 minutes is the general recommendation for most people.
2 Tricks To Help You Start Using Ice Baths
New to ice baths? These two tips will help get you started!
1. Keep your chest out of the water:
One useful trick when you begin taking cold baths is to keep your chest out of the water. Not only will this keep less body area submerged, but your heart and lungs will also stay above water, which can significantly decrease your initial shock.
Then, either in that session or the next, you can start to alternate between neck and stomach levels.
If you're having a hard time, you can just use cold showers in the beginning. Turn the shower on as cold as you can. When ready, jump in the shower and stay in for as long as you can.
2. Control your breath:
While you don't necessarily need to follow Wim Hoff, we can learn a lot from him. His emphasis on controlling your breath is the best thing you can do to keep from panicking.
This is also common in endurance racing and is known as "calm outside, calm inside." The theory is that if you can keep your breathing under control with slow, deep breaths, you will keep your heart rate down and remain calmer.
Want to test it out? Try focusing on the "calm outside, calm inside" method the next time you partake in a long LISS cardio session.
Should You Try An Ice Bath?
Cold baths seem to follow the same path as many other biohacks. By that, we mean there's a mix of science, myths, exaggeration, and practical application. But a major variable to consider when talking about ice baths is acknowledging that they are a relatively cheap therapy form that can bring big benefits.
If you are at all interested in trying it, it definitely won't hurt. Just remember that apart from reducing pain, the benefits of an ice bath are generally only seen after chronic use. That means for best results, you should use it regularly.
And who knows? After you get used to the freezing temps, you may look forward to your daily dip in ice water!
Ready to benefit from ice baths? Check out our article on the 5 Best Ice Bath Tubs, which includes tubs ranging from a budget-friendly option to a premium one with added features.
References:
Stephens JM, Halson S, Miller J, Slater GJ, Askew CD. Cold-Water Immersion for Athletic Recovery: One Size Does Not Fit All. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2017;12(1):2-9. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2016-0095
Allan, R., Malone, J., Alexander, J. et al. Cold for centuries: a brief history of cryotherapies to improve health, injury and post-exercise recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol 122, 1153–1162 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04915-5
The popularity of ice baths has increased immensely in the past decade or so, as more and more gym goers continue swearing by its benefits, which include everything from muscle recovery to better sleep to an improved immune system.
If you're new to cold therapy, like ice baths, the idea of standing in a bucket of ice might seem crazy and far less appealing that relaxing in a hot tub. But before you write off this recovery method, we suggest first learning more about it.
You can start by reading this article, which provides a broad overview of ice baths, including what they are, when and how they began, and tips for starting a cold water immersion routine.
By the time you're done reading, you'll have a good idea of whether a cold plunge is right for you!
Table of Contents:
- What Is Cold Therapy?
- What Is An Ice Bath?
- How Do Ice Baths Work?
- Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
- Benefits & Drawbacks Of Ice Baths
- Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
- When Did Cold Water Immersion Become A Recovery Method?
- Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
- Cold Bath Factors To Consider
- Tips For Starting An Ice Bath Routine
What is Cold Therapy?
Cold water therapy is an umbrella term used to describe various recovery methods that use ice-cold water or other means to induce cold temperatures, including everything from ice baths to a cold shower. The goal is to elicit different physiological benefits, such as improved recovery and decreased inflammation¹.
The cold temperatures of ice baths trigger vasoconstriction or the narrowing of the blood vessels, ultimately decreasing blood flow and leading to benefits such as decreased inflammation and less swelling.
In comparison, heat therapy does the exact opposite and increases blood flow.
What is an Ice Bath?
Ice baths fall under the bracket of cold water therapy and refer to filling up a bath or tub with water and ice cubes and then getting in.
Let's take a closer look at how cold water exposure works and what it does.
How Do Ice Baths Work?
The obvious working mechanism of ice baths is freezing cold water. When you first jump in, your body starts to go through a series of physiological reactions. Initially, the shock causes hyperventilation, as well as an increase in heart rate, but this eventually levels off.
When in an ice bath, your blood vessels shrink, restricting blood flow. This shrinking of blood vessels occurs as your core body temperature drops, and it's suggested that this reaction mitigates swelling and inflammation after an injury.
After sufficient time, the body part that is submerged will begin to go numb and lose sensation. This follows a similar concept to cold therapy machines, another method that uses cold temperatures for treatment and recovery.
Are Ice Baths & Cold Water Immersion The Same Thing?
You may hear the words "ice baths" and "cold water immersion" used interchangeably and wonder what the difference is. Cold water immersion can be thought of as more of an umbrella term for cold water therapy.
It can include everything from an ice-cold plunge in a lake to one in an ice barrel.
As mentioned, they're used interchangeably, and at the end of the day, they mean the same thing.
Benefits Of Ice Baths
Ice baths have been reported to treat a wide array of medical ailments. In addition, they've also been promoted as helping lifters more quickly recover from delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, along with reducing inflammation and swelling.
Additional benefits associated with ice baths include increased immunity, faster metabolism, decreased pain, improved muscle recovery, better sleep, and increased energy.
To learn more about the perks associated with cold water immersion, check out our article on ice bath benefits.
Ice Bath Drawbacks
There is one factor we want to touch on when it comes to the drawbacks of an ice bath.
Research shows that taking an ice bath for muscle hypertrophy not only doesn't offer benefits, but it may actually mitigate the anabolic process1.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but at some point during muscle protein synthesis, the extreme temperatures interfere and cause a decrease in adaptations.
So for those trying to add mass, proceed cautiously with ice baths.
Where Did Ice Baths Originate?
If you've ever jumped in legit ice-cold water, you know it's not exactly an enjoyable experience. While it doesn't hurt, the extreme temperatures associated with cold water immersion can take your breath away and lead to slight shock in the beginning.
Interestingly, despite the less-than-pleasant feelings associated with ice baths, they've been around for a very long time.
Earliest Records Of Taking An Ice Bath
Records of ice baths date back as far as 3,500-5,000 BC. In fact, the likes of Plato and Hippocrates are documented as using ice baths, and its origins are thought to be from Ancient Greece².
At the time, ice baths were mainly used after battles to soothe injuries and fatigue, and improve general well-being. The Roman physician Claudius Galen was documented as using cold water immersion as a homeopathic remedy for fever².
Growth of Ice Baths For Medical Purposes
From that point, ice baths remained a part of multiple cultures, with the Nordic countries being the most modern civilization to regularly utilize them.
Interestingly, part of their popularity in Nordic culture resulted from not having much choice, as living in Nordic countries in the dead of winter basically leaves you with warmer water that's still technically very cold.
Even after the invention of electricity, ice baths were so ingrained in the Nordic culture and associated with enough health benefits that they simply remained there.
In addition, in the late 1700s, medical research started to be done on cold water immersion's effects on human physiology. Physiologist James Currie was the first to document the effect that fever has on the core body temperature as well as the first to track body temperature in this condition².
During this time, James Currie used ice baths to track his temperature to prove the legitimacy of using icy water to improve one's health.
When Did Cold Water Immersion Become a Recovery Method?
In the early 20th century, a physician by the name of Edgar A. Hines began to examine the effects of cold therapy on the body's autonomic nervous system.
Edgar A. Hines observed that cold therapy affected our respiratory rate and heartbeat, in addition to relieving sore muscles and other discomforts.
It wasn't until the early 2000s that ice bathing began to be looked at as a possible therapy to support muscle recovery from sports and training. To date, it's pretty common to find an ice bath in a sports physical therapist's or sports physician's office.
Ice Bath's Rise In Popularity
Even after it was reported that there were benefits of ice baths for recovering from sports and training, it initially remained something only used by professional athletes, rather than a common practice used by all gym goers.
That was until the world was introduced to Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete whose specialty was persevering through extreme temperatures. This includes things like swimming in ice-cold water under ice or standing in a container completely surrounded by ice cubes.
What Is The Wim Hof Method?
Wim Hof began to promote what he calls The Wim Hof Method, a program that uses various breathing techniques and cold exposure in a training session.
The goal of the method is to teach followers to control their fitness variables, such as heart rate and breathing rate.
Doing so is supposed to enable a person to deal with highly stressful or uncomfortable situations and provide numerous health and fitness benefits, including increased energy, better sleep, reduced stress levels, heightened focus and determination, increased willpower, and a stronger immune system.
As we could all use more energy for our workout splits, along with added willpower and determination to get to the gym, those are pretty compelling reasons to try cold exposure!
3 Factors To Consider When Using Cold Baths
Using an ice bath is fairly simple. However, there are a few variables to keep in mind.
1) Select An Ice Bath Tub:
There are several ways to set up ice bath tubs for regular use.
First, if you want to have a nice option at your constant disposal or are interested in a tub with some bonus features, we've compiled a list of the best ice bath tubs, so you can find the one best suited to your needs.
Alternatively, if you have a porcelain bathtub in your house, you can get creative and just use that.
For parents who have a kiddie pool lying around, that's another option. In fact, consider it multitasking. Doing this gives you an ice bath and provides your kids with a nice pool to keep them entertained in the warmer months.
The point is that no matter your budget, there's a way to set up an ice bath at your house. Heck, we have seen some people clean up an old trash can and transform it into an ice bath. If it holds water and is big enough for you to get in, it'll work.
One caveat to remember is that you don't want one exponentially bigger than you. This requires you to use more water, ice, and time filling the tub. You also don't want one that you have to "squeeze" into.
Let's remember we're talking about cold water immersion, and getting stuck is not ideal. You want one that you can fit in comfortably yet doesn't have an excessive amount of room.
2) Find The Ideal Temperature For Ice Baths:
You'll need to get the temperature right when setting up an ice bath at home. When taking ice baths, aim for between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius).
This is the ideal temperature range for cold water therapy, as it tends to be the threshold required to invoke the desired physiological response.
However, for those new to ice baths, this can be exponentially cold to the point that you are unable to stay in long enough to experience the benefits. If you're new to ice baths, start with a bit warmer water at first.
For example, use as cold of water as possible and then just add one bag of ice. After you get acclimated to that, you can slowly add more ice until you reach your target temperature.
This is best achieved using a 3:1 ratio of water to ice.
3) Stay In The Ice Bath For The Correct Amount of Time:
Studies still haven't nailed down the optimal time range for an ice bath. However, 10-15 minutes is the general recommendation for most people.
2 Tricks To Help You Start Using Ice Baths
New to ice baths? These two tips will help get you started!
1. Keep your chest out of the water:
One useful trick when you begin taking cold baths is to keep your chest out of the water. Not only will this keep less body area submerged, but your heart and lungs will also stay above water, which can significantly decrease your initial shock.
Then, either in that session or the next, you can start to alternate between neck and stomach levels.
If you're having a hard time, you can just use cold showers in the beginning. Turn the shower on as cold as you can. When ready, jump in the shower and stay in for as long as you can.
2. Control your breath:
While you don't necessarily need to follow Wim Hoff, we can learn a lot from him. His emphasis on controlling your breath is the best thing you can do to keep from panicking.
This is also common in endurance racing and is known as "calm outside, calm inside." The theory is that if you can keep your breathing under control with slow, deep breaths, you will keep your heart rate down and remain calmer.
Want to test it out? Try focusing on the "calm outside, calm inside" method the next time you partake in a long LISS cardio session.
Should You Try An Ice Bath?
Cold baths seem to follow the same path as many other biohacks. By that, we mean there's a mix of science, myths, exaggeration, and practical application. But a major variable to consider when talking about ice baths is acknowledging that they are a relatively cheap therapy form that can bring big benefits.
If you are at all interested in trying it, it definitely won't hurt. Just remember that apart from reducing pain, the benefits of an ice bath are generally only seen after chronic use. That means for best results, you should use it regularly.
And who knows? After you get used to the freezing temps, you may look forward to your daily dip in ice water!
Ready to benefit from ice baths? Check out our article on the 5 Best Ice Bath Tubs, which includes tubs ranging from a budget-friendly option to a premium one with added features.
References:
[*]Stephens JM, Halson S, Miller J, Slater GJ, Askew CD. Cold-Water Immersion for Athletic Recovery: One Size Does Not Fit All. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2017;12(1):2-9. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2016-0095
[*]Allan, R., Malone, J., Alexander, J. et al. Cold for centuries: a brief history of cryotherapies to improve health, injury and post-exercise recovery. Eur J Appl Physiol 122, 1153–1162 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04915-5
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