Why Do Athletes Take Ice Baths
Some actions don’t seem logical; why would an athlete willingly jump into a bath full of ice? Well, as it goes, it has countless benefits and can change anyone’s game; we actually consider you to give it a go!
While every athlete has their own incentive, the two primary reasons they jump into ice baths are muscle recovery and mental toughness. It’s known ice baths reduce swelling and inflammation; but many athletes use them purely to better their mindset through better focus, discipline, and attitude, which improves performance.
Sports scientists tell you all about the biological benefits, but the biggest motivational speakers, such as David Goggins and Wim Hof, talk passionately about the psychological benefits. For example:
“When you go into the cold, you cannot think. You have to be. You 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲, to be the best version of 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳”
Wim Hof – also known as Iceman. Motivational speaker who promotes cold water therapy.
Yes, there are countless benefits to your fibers, immune system, and heart; but never forget the blessing of how it strengthens your mind.
If you need more convincing, check out Wim Hof’s 10 reasons to take Ice baths!
Benefits Of Ice Baths For Athletes
If you’re curious as to what happens to your body, here are the main impacts and benefits ice bath exposure has:
Let’s look into each one with more details.
Fasten Muscle Recovery
Here is the biology behind ice baths speeding muscle recovery:
Cold exposure constricts (narrows) blood vessels, so less blood flows into the area. This reduces muscle inflammation and, instead, directs blood to your body’s core and internal organs. This makes them rich in oxygen. Once you warm up, your blood vessels widen, so the oxygen-rich blood flows back into your muscle tissue and flushes out waste products such as lactic acid – speeding the recovery phase.
A 2016 study highlights athletes who consistently submerge themselves into cold water report less muscle soreness after exercise than those who didn’t
When athletes utilize ice baths, they can train more frequently and up their game without risking exhaustion.
Improved Discipline
When it comes to ice baths, it’s mind over matter.
If you build enough courage to put yourself into an uncomfortable position, you become mentally stronger, quicker to take action, and better at managing daily stressors. These all come from the conversations you have with yourself before immersing in cold water.
“If we always choose comfort, we never learn the deepest capabilities of our mind or body.“
Wim “The Icemn” Hoff
When you get used to doing things you don’t want to do, which you know benefit you, your attitude towards hardship is far healthier, and you become more willing to challenge yourself. Ice baths help train your mind for this.
David Goggins, arguably the toughest man alive, speaks on this. See below:
Strengthen Immune System
The shock your body is exposed to following an ice bath encourages our white blood cells to fight off infection. By repeatedly going in an ice bath, your white blood cells frequently battle harmful bacteria, making you less prone to fall ill.
One experiment concluded after six weeks of regular immersions; there was a significant increase in specific immune parameters that helped activate the immune system.
This benefits athletes as it prevents them from spending time away from training, so they maintain high fitness and health levels.
Release Endorphins
Lastly, and the most discussed, ice baths release ‘feel good’ hormones; here’s how:
- After an intense exercise session, our muscle temperatures are super high. Ice baths help to cool us off and bring us down to a more neutral level. This in itself is a pleasant feeling.
- It improves our mood by releasing adrenaline and dopamine (research shows dopamine levels increase by 250%). This euphoria, unlike substances, lasts throughout the day and has no spike drop.
- You build a sense of accomplishment knowing you’ve done something very few can do. This alone is a significant moral boost and builds internal confidence.
The general concept is this: you’ll hate being submerged in ice water, but you’ll love how you feel after. So, it’s recommended for athletes to help with motivation and keeping a positive attitude through brutal training.
Will you go through short-term suffering for long-term happiness?
How Long Should You Sit In An Ice Bath
Ice baths aren’t comfortable to be in, so even though you feel like you want to get out, sometimes you’re better off staying in. How can you judge how long you should spend there?
The optimal time depends on the individual; however, it’s likely to be between 5-15 minutes. Some people feel the cold less than others; nonetheless, if you feel lightheaded, irritating skin, or cardiovascular problems starting to occur, jump out immediately.
Some leisure centers have a plunge pool, which isn’t as cold as ice but still shocks the body. In this instance, you can stay for a little longer – up to 25 minutes, depending on the temperature.
Can you ice bath daily?
Yes, completely. You can sit in an ice bath daily; however, to optimize results, you only need 5-6 days of cold exposure.
Note:
Regardless of how long and frequently you ice bath, it’s imperative to let your body warm up by itself. By all means, drink hot liquids, wrap a towel around you, or stand in the sun – but don’t go straight into boiling hot water.
Are Ice Baths Dangerous
If you can’t tell already, we love ice baths. Unfortunately, they aren’t for everyone – you shouldn’t ice bath if you are pregnant, have outstanding medical conditions, or just eaten. While it’s mostly cardiovascular, blood pressure, or neuron-related issues, always check with your doctor if it’s sensible.
Most individuals with these conditions get told by their doctor to avoid ice baths. The scary and dangerous problems occur when people are unaware they have medical issues and go straight into cold water therapy – which may lead to heart attacks. This is why it’s imperative to have regular check-ups with your doctor.
What if you’re sure you don’t have any of these conditions? Is it still safe?
When done sensibly, only positive externalities arise from cold exposure. However, when you push your limits too far, there are hazards that you need to be careful of. These are:
- Risk of Hypothermia and Frost Bite.
- Skin Irritation.
- Dizziness.
- Respiratory Issues.
If it’s your first time, we recommend having someone by your side to support you. In addition, beginners should have the temperature slightly below what they find comfortable – even if it’s not ice cold. Start with 60 degrees Fahrenheit and slowly get colder with more experience.
Do Ice Baths Burn Fat
Studies have shown Ice baths put our bodies under stress like exercise does. Does this mean it lowers fat levels?
Yes, ice baths burn fat, but not to the extent of exercising, healthy dieting, and staying active. The freezing temperatures put our bodies under stress, which triggers our survival instinct to begin burning fat.
- Dr Chris Minson and other authors explain how ice baths can help improve insulin response. During cold water exposure, our bodies release a hormone called “adiponectin,” which prevents us from being insulin resilient, and we cope with stresses better, so we have lower levels of background inflammation. Both of these reduce the chances of becoming diabetic.
- Ice baths trigger brown fat (a tissue responsible for regulating body temperature in cold conditions.) A side effect of this is the body begins to burn calories, which reduces fat levels.
- When we shiver, our muscles rapidly contract. This uses energy, so you burn calories throughout. In saying this, the calories it burns are negligible and won’t significantly impact fat levels.
The main takeaway is that while ice baths burn fat, it’s not an effective technique for weight loss. This is because it’s a short-term survival instinct rather than a long-term health impact.
Do Ice Baths Burn Muscle
A recent 2023 study have pointed out that ice baths limit strength and muscle gains.
It’s bittersweet that ice baths reduce inflammation levels. While it prevents muscle soreness, it also limits muscle growth. This is because inflammation is a necessary component for hypertrophy, so without it they won’t increase size.
As a result, athletes who regularly jump in an ice bath after lifting weights will likely experience less muscle growth than those who don’t. This is because the cold water constricts blood vessels, which lowers inflammation and, therefore, muscle protein levels.
Additionally, ice baths can impair our body’s anabolic signals (our internal messaging system). As a result, our muscles can’t communicate to our body that they need to grow – once again limiting strength and muscle improvements.
These two reasons highlight that you should get into an ice bath before your workout if you’re going to maximize muscle hypertrophy or an ice bath after if you want to recover faster.
For a great explanation, check the below video:
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