Cold water immersion or commonly known as cold shower, cold treatment or cryotherapy, have emerge as one of the favourite recovery techniques among athletes and physically active people in recent years. This forms of therapy entails putting the body in cold water whose temperatures range from 50-59 degree Fahrenheit with a view of helping to reduce inflammation in case of an injury as well as to aid in recovery after training or any competition. 

The supposed uses of cold water immersion first rose to fame after the 2000 Sydney Olympics when the UK track and field team utilized the method and trounced the competition while recommending its recovery advantage. Since then, cold tubs and ice baths are adorning the locker rooms of higher performing teams and training facilities across the globe. It has also in the past decade or so shift from the fringes and become part of general fitness culture and regularity where it is now common to find in boutique, Crossfit or often regular commercial gyms. 

Less inflammation, and effusion, enhanced blood flow

Among proposed advantages of cold water immersion it is pointed out that the subjects experience a decrease in exercise-induced soreness and swelling, which can be accredited to the post training sessions. There is a speculation that the cold causes vasocongestion, meaning that the blood vessels narrow, and this aids in driving metabolic products from muscles. This aids in offering protection of the muscles from soreness, in addition, to also assist in faster recuperation time. It also, has fundamentals that increase blood flow, which allows the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles thus enhancing its endurance that is fatigue.  

In several other studies done on athletes with varying training frequencies over the years, cold water immersion reduces the reported muscle soreness a few days after rigorous training as opposed to a counterpart not performing the method. People who swam in a pool with a temperature of about 50-degree Fahrenheit for at least 10 minutes complained of less muscle soreness after two days, by about 40%. Players in the study who engaged in cold water immersion baths, post-game, observed lower muscle damage biomarkers. In addition to being aware of decreased muscle soreness, muscle damage was also quantitatively distal in those in the study as well.

Increased Super Compensation Period  

Erasing of metabolic waste products and increase of circulation can be attributed to cold water immersion that can enable the athletes to recover quickly in between rigorous training. This means that they are able to perform higher intensities more frequently within their work without the effects of fatigue being felt. The only drawback is that DOMS is inevitable, although the duration and intensity of the soreness do seem lessened with regular cold water immersion so that training harder is indeed more bearable.

Today’s trainings show that the cold tubs are almost seen as a part of training as much as the actual training session is. They are best done immediately after the completion of severe sessions, where inflammation and metabolites accumulation is high. It can only be helpful in the next session, generally the session following the next session in the case of the athletes.  This enables athletes to cope with carry-over fatigue and soreness so much better over the course of a tough training cycle or tournament competition, hence being able to perform at optimal level constantly.

More consensus from the scientific studies is inconclusive whether cold water immersion use per se promotes performance or energy levels prior to competition. Nevertheless, it appears that with each of the parameters described above and with faster recovery during training, greater performance potential in many sports is achieved.

Use Beyond Elite Athletes  

Most of the scientific data that have been produced concern the impact of cold-water immersion on high-standard and professional athletes, however, currently it is popular among recreational fitness participants to a significantly greater extent. New generation small fitness studios such as OrangeTheory, Barry’s Bootcamp and CorePower Yoga are beginning to look at cold tubs not simply as complimentary to workout spaces.  

Most participants want the anti-inflammatory and delayed onset muscle soreness relief effect after their studio exercises which are drawn as HIIT training, heavy strength training, jumping activities and heated yoga. Athletes have been forced to rely on these fast twitch back mechanisms to continue with their 5 or 6 days of training per week.

People from all walks of life have been introduced to the option of getting into the cold tub after the workout which many health facilities provide. The feeling of the cold is not as bad as next – day possibility to avoid the waddle – inducing quadriceps soreness after leg day. 

Augmented Parasympathetic Tone 

Apart from regeneration of muscles and tissues, some scientific evidences have inferred that cold water immersion also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system – meaning the body is telling it the time is right for it to sleep, rest, relax and rejuvenate. Cold provokes profound stress reaction – norepinephrine and cortisol are liberated at first, then acetylcholine and vagal tone are increased. The body becomes more relaxed after coming out of the cold exposure, this is especially so when the cold is over.

It has practical use for not only the physical but for mental and psychological rest as well, which I am sure any fan of hot sauna, followed by a plunge in the lake understands. The crises of getting into the freezing water is responded to by body assuming a rather relaxing state after sometime.

The MI Point: Cold Water Immersion Best Practice denominator  

When it comes to cold water immersion for beginners, one needs to transition into the process slowly. Sweat begins with more mild water temperatures before going lower than 50 degrees of water temperature. Erdfrüher an auch Pausen von 5 – 10 Minuten bevor eine Erweiterung der Zeit im Kaltenbad erfolgt. Enabling the body to accept high swings in temperature and longer exposure times essential too.

The incorporation of cold baths is recommended to become a standard feature of training recovery between three to four times weekly for most athletes. Further, you can combine cold water immersion with other activities such as; massage, foam rolling, use of compression gear, and proper sleep and nutrition.  

While several benefits in its regard have already been proved by other scholars, cold water showering after strenuous actions has never been more famous as a part of training and fitness with reference to any types of sport training and general fitness. While there is nothing like being thrown into a pool of freezing water it’s somewhat a detox and most converts attest to the improvement in recovery and performance rates in the long haul. From the ranks of icy cold tubs locating beside weight lifting gyms and yoga studios, cold water immersion trend has stood test of time as recovery trends grow.