I didn't realize there might be a downside to ice baths. I've been using portable ice bath after hard workouts, but maybe I'll experiment with other recovery methods and see how my body responds.

"I didn't realize there might be a downside to ice baths"
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I didn't either when I first asked the question. I wonder how the research/evidence has evolved? I still like the idea, but I don't want it to be counter-productive to my training.

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.

I’m behave yet to see any meta analysis that shows cold therapy is good for anything

Am I missing it? I am looking to be educated


Heat/sauna on the other hand has a large number of research showing both sports as well as health benefits

"A pint's a pound, the world around"

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Not exactly cold plunges, but there are studies on ice baths and data that exists on this for recovery (with the caveat that most studies of recovery products or modalities are small and often heterogenous or difficult to apply to other situations) shows that not only are ice baths not of benefit for recovery, but they are counterproductive and limit training adaptation. But as with most recovery products, if it gets you to actually take time to recover and you believe it is helpful (the placebo effect is significant with most recovery products, even with the knowledge that it is purely placebo) there may be some personal benefit.


This.

In her Must Read book "Good To Go - What the Athlete in all of us can learn from the strange Science of Recovery" Christie Aschwanden, debunks the benefits of any kind of Cold Therapy with facts.

That being said anecdotally I have for years been doing Sauna and some form of cold/cooler plunge at our Cottage. You do FEEL better after doing this. I find my sleep is better and deeper following a session of back and forth heat/cold - that may be the advantage right there!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

The data is pretty solid that you will enhance your parasympathetic reactivation (inferred by HRV). Water immersion with colder temps better have this effect of speeding recovery from hard training and enhancing sleep quality. One of our studies on this here. If it feels good, it probably is... not sure there's anything very conclusive around lowering adaptation from training. Some muscle signalling data but not really real world stuff to my knowledge. Won't stop me from partaking when I can.

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https://athletica.ai/
https://hiitscience.com/

This seems to be one of those subjects (like stretching) where there might be plenty of science on both sides - pro AND con - so it's just up to user's preference with what they apply or don't apply?

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

If I’m reading that abstract correctly though, doesn’t it just say that water immersion (be it cold or neutral temperature) has the same effects at affecting HRR and HRV? So really it’s just immersion that helps, and that the temperature is less significant?

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MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

Exactly. That's all you can say about that study. This meta-analysis (reviewing multiple studies) aligns with my gut practitioner feel. There's something about the hydrostatic pressure effect but certainly also the water temperature and speed of heat transfer away from the body that's effective at inducing this 'feel' of being recovered. In the meta-analysis the key variable they used was the participant's perception of soreness, as less was appreciated about sympathovagal (CNS) balance at that time. But I am certain from my own experience doing long plunges in the Columbia River this winter that they are aligned (arthritic pain relieved to almost zero, HRV up, HR down). Study concluded that: "CWI with a water temperature of between 11 and 15 °C and an immersion time of 11-15 min can provide the best results". Practically though, do what you can, and especially if it feels good and is getting you the results you're after.

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https://athletica.ai/
https://hiitscience.com/

My N = 1 is consistent with that. I have a 100 gallon feed tub in my back yard - the best effects for me have been when the water if between 52 and 58 degrees and I sit in there for about 15 minutes, As to whether or not I am actually "recovering," I feel like I am. As an aside, I found a significantly positive effect on my recovery was swimming in a colder than normal pool. I live in Northern Virginia and the 50 meter outdoor community pool stayed open a few extra weeks after Labor Day. The pool was open in the afternoon and the water temps dropped to the low 60s by the end. I would use the trainer or go for an extended trail run for high volume work in the morning and felt refreshed for every single workout.

David - It all depends on what you want to use it for. I just started using one a few weeks ago. As others have mentioned, I stay away from post workout plunges due to the new research. However, I have done several workouts after plunges and somehow those workouts have been easier. I assume it’s from my core temp starting so low. I purchased it more for the mental challenge and really like the dopamine boost I get for the next 5 hrs!

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Team Zoot