The Shocking Benefits of Ice Baths

No matter who you are, you’ve probably seen athletes hop into a tub of ice after a match or training.

From the outside looking in, it seems like a bit of a baffling thing to do.

But they’re on to something.

Deliberate cold exposure is one of the best things that you can do for your health.

Not only is it great for your body and recovery, but it’s also amazing for your brain, creating resilience and raising dopamine levels.

We promise it won’t seem crazy anymore once we talk about its impact on performance.

Let’s get right into it.

Recovery

Like we’ve said before (and we’ll probably say it many times again), recovery is the most important part of football.

Believe it or not exposing yourself to cold can be a game-changer for recovery.

It goes into a lot more depth than one might think, but we’ll keep it simple.

Long story short, we have these cells called cold-shock proteins, and they do what they sound like they might do.

They respond to the shock of the cold.

And when they get an icy-cold stimulus, you get a crazy amount of benefits.

These cold-shock proteins are linked to things like promoting wound healing, encouraging regrowth of cartilage and bone, maintaining muscle mass, regulating glucose metabolism, and more.

Each of these play a part in recovering from a hard match or workout.

However, do not take an ice bath after strength training or lifting.

It’s been shown to negate muscle growth in both strength and size within 4 hours of a session.

Brown fat

The next best thing about cold exposure is how it affects our fat cells.

And no, we’re not talking about regular fat either.

We have specialized fat cells in our body that contain significantly more mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) than a typical fat cell, which allows them to produce more energy.

Because they have a higher concentration of mitochondria, they turn brown—exactly why it’s called brown fat.

This type of fat is actually good for us.

It’s found in a few vital areas around our core and specializes in helping keep us warm.

Since most people have clothes that help keep us insulated, a lot of their bodies have a weakened ability to keep themselves warm.

Jumping into an ice bath will help keep those fat cells stimulated and ready to keep you toasty.

They can be the difference in performing your best or falling flat during a freezing, late-fall match.

Not only that, but since it uses more energy, it boosts the body's metabolism a bit.

It’s nice to get that boost even if you’re not looking to lose weight, to keep your body cycling through fresh energy.

Cold-headed

Regular use of ice baths builds mental resilience, training your mind to handle stress and discomfort.

Since your mind is around to keep your body alive, it will not like the situation you’ve put yourself in, and it will tell you to get out.

This is where you can push past your mental limits.

The most common recommendation that we’ve heard is to push past the first three times that your body really tells you that you need to get out.

Fighting yourself is not an easy feat at all.

In all honesty, it took me a few tries before I could push past my mind’s second scream.

But it’s not a problem.

Like anything else, it's a process.

The important part is to understand that 99% of your limits are actually mental.

Cold Exposure Disclaimers

Do not get into any dangerous bodies of water, especially if you are new to this.

Do not hyperventilate before or during cold exposure.

Start slow. You’d be surprised at how cold 55-60 degree Fahrenheit water will feel.

Cold showers will not get you the same benefits as submerging your body, but it’s better than not doing cold exposure at all.

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Until next time,

Footytutor