WHAT IS AN ICE BATH?
Simply put, an ice bath is when you immerse yourself in a tub or bucket of cold, icy water, typically for two to ten minutes with water at a temperature between 50°F and 59°F. People often take an ice bath after their workouts as a form of post-exercise recovery.
WHY DO ATHLETES TAKE ICE BATHS?
While the prospect of cold-water immersion might seem daunting at first, there may be benefits of ice baths for athletes across multiple sports, including basketball, football, tennis, and swimming — and for several years now, the most elite names in those fields have vouched for taking an ice bath after workouts or an intense game to keep their competitive edge.
To get a detailed overview of the multiple benefits of ice baths, adidas reached out to two professionals: Juan Martinez, a performance manager at Exos, and retired soccer player Tamika Mkandawire. Both were very generous with their time, as well as with the clarity they provided to quell concerns newcomers might have on factors like the ice bath temperature, if you should take an ice bath before or after workouts, and how ice baths are different from cold plunges or cold showers.
WHY ARE ICE BATHS GOOD FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY?
Martinez emphasizes that ice baths can help numb post-workout pain and reduce both inflammation and muscle soreness; the constriction of blood vessels in cold water can mitigate muscle damage, helping you recover to perform better in a shorter timeframe through increased mitochondrial biogenesis.
Martinez also notes that the cold temperature may improve blood flow and circulation, as well as activate your immune system.
CAN ICE BATHS IMPROVE YOUR MOOD?
Ice cold baths may have a range of mental health benefits that have attracted fans and followers worldwide who are non-athletes as well. The chilly ice bath temperature “releases endorphins, which can improve mental health,” Martinez says, and may reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improving focus and overall mood — helping practitioners build up cold tolerances over time.
ICE BATH TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
In Martinez’s opinion, ice baths are safe to take at home — so long as the general rules are safely followed. If you’re just starting out, you can wear a swimsuit or shorts and a T-shirt to help ease you into the process. Here are some tips Martinez has provided from his own personal experience to help start you off:
1. WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE AN ICE BATH?
For starters, with regards to if it’s better to take an ice bath before or after a workout, Martinez believes that you can best utilize the benefits of ice baths by taking one as soon as you finish exercising — especially after intense exercise; taking your ice bath before working out can hinder your performance, since the cold water can make your muscles stiff.
2. HOW COLD SHOULD AN ICE BATH BE?
The ideal ice bath temperature is generally agreed to be between 50°F to 59°F — although Martinez notes that this temperature range can depend on your tolerance of the cold.
3. HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY IN AN ICE BATH?
“The amount of time you spend in an ice bath depends on how cold it is,” Martinez says. If you’re just starting out and going with the temperature suggested above, your bath should be no longer than two minutes, eventually working your way up to a maximum of ten minutes.
4. HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU TAKE AN ICE BATH?
Martinez clarifies that this often depends on your athletic goals: While ice baths can be helpful when dealing with soreness, or for athletes to reduce the pain that often comes after an especially intense workout, “strength athletes should do it less often than endurance athletes,” he says, and that you should limit yourself to around one or two ice baths per week — no more than three; taking ice baths daily could be detrimental, as they can affect long-term strength and muscle growth in athletes.
HOW A PRO ATHLETE TAKES AN ICE BATH
As a retired professional soccer player in the UK and the USA, Tamika Mkandawire has nearly two decades of personal experience with ice baths. Starting early in his career, he’s relied on regular ice baths — especially after a game or a tough practice — as part of his workout and recovery routine.
“As an athlete, you want to recover faster to perform at your highest level,” said Mkandawire. Many pro athletes like him soak in icy water as part of their training schedule.
Like Martinez noted above, when it comes to the question of taking an ice bath before or after a workout, it's best to take ice baths right after you finish exercising, before your body cools down.
Mkandawire listed out his supplies for taking an ice bath for us, and they can get you started on the right foot if you’re interested in using a similar set up at home:
A good spot: Anywhere that can accommodate a tub with ice can be a spot for an ice bath. You can take an icy soak immediately after a tough workout, while your muscles are still warm; Mkandawire likes to set up his ice bath in a spot where he can jump right in.
Tub: A regular bathtub can be used for ice baths but it’s not the only option. Lots of athletes like Mkandawire use wading pools or large plastic tubs, especially for ice bathing outside right after a tough competition.
Ice: To prepare your ice bath, start with a tub of very cold water and add ice to it right before you jump in. Mkandawire uses enough ice to fill a small cooler — about the equivalent of a ten-pound bag.
Thermometer: To safely get maximum benefit from his ice bath, always check the temperature with a thermometer before jumping in. “It’s easy to assume that colder is better and that’s certainly not the case,” Mkandawire says. As noted above, experts suggest that between 50° and 59° Fahrenheit (10°–15° Celsius) is an ideal temperature range for most ice baths –– no need to go any colder.
Timer: Use a watch, a timer, or a smartphone to time your soak. As a beginner to ice baths, Mkandawire would soak for a minute or two at a time. He’s gradually worked his way up to soak for five to seven minutes — but never for longer than ten minutes.
Dry towels: For Mkandawire and many athletes like him, there’s no set dress code for taking an ice bath — lots of athletes will jump in with their shorts and t-shirts still on. The most important thing is to have some dry towels or a bathrobe nearby, so you can bundle up and get warm as soon as you step out of the ice tub.
DIVING IN
Before a workout or a game, Mkandawire fills his tub with cold water ahead of time, so that he can add ice and jump in as soon as possible once he finishes his workout. When he’s ready to take the plunge, he pours the ice into the tub and lets the temperature stabilize. Once he’s used his thermometer to check the water temperature, all that’s left for him to do is dive in.
POST-ICE BATH ROUTINES
After a strenuous workout and an invigorating ice bath, it’s time to warm up again. Mkandawire usually takes a hot shower, wraps himself up in something dry and cozy, keeps his body moving gently to stimulate blood flow with stretching or walking.
It’s also important to stay hydrated following an ice bath, so he always makes sure to fill up his water bottle — ice optional. We’ve written an in-depth piece on why hydration is important, outlining how essential it is to your recovery.
There are also several more guides available to help guide you to post-workout recovery, including our seven important tips to recover quicker, cool down stretches for after a workout, and understanding the importance of rest days.
ICE BATH ALTERNATIVES
As with any form of water therapy, always make sure that the water is at a safe temperature that you can handle; setting it to be either too hot or too cold could damage your skin — and for anyone who’s totally new to the world of ice baths, Mkandawire’s advice is to start small and go slow: “If you’re a complete beginner, I’d probably start with a cold shower to be honest!”
“When you’re in the shower just turn the water all the way to cold — it’s quite bracing. When you feel you’re ready to immerse yourself in cold water, run a cold bath, see if you can sit in that for a few minutes.” From there, Mkandawire suggests, many athletes can gradually acclimate themselves to a longer, colder soak. Martinez agrees that the effects of a cold shower are “similar but not as great, since it can’t get as cold and your full body does not get submerged.”
Another alternative to consider is taking a cold plunge. Though the term is often used interchangeably with an ice bath, Martinez points out some key differences: “An ice bath is ice plus cold water. It’s cheap, it can be done at home in a tub, and you have less control over the temperature.
“A cold plunge involves a temperature-controlled tub, so it’s more expensive — since it needs pumps, filters, and a more precise temperature. The water should be between 50°F and 70°F and should last between ten and fifteen minutes, with more time spent in the water if you set it to be warmer.”
Martinez also suggests contrast bath therapy, which involves alternating between hot and cold water in two different tubs to create a pumping effect on blood vessels: “With a cold-to-hot contrast, we want to work at a ratio of one-to-one for a total of fifteen minutes.
“The cold temperature will be the same as the cold plunge, between 50°F and 70°F, with the warm water being between 100°F and 115°F. For example, you would spend thirty seconds in cold water and then thirty seconds in hot water, or one minute in each, until you reach fifteen minutes.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Ice Baths
Are ice baths good for you?
When utilized safely and correctly, taking an ice bath after an intense workout may offer several benefits that aid muscle recovery, like reducing inflammation, numbing pain, improving blood circulation, and releasing endorphins that can improve your mental health.
Are ice baths dangerous?
Finally, Martinez points out some safety considerations to be aware of: “Ice baths can be detrimental to recovery after strength training, because they interfere with natural protein and cellular responses. They can also be dangerous at extremely low temperatures for long periods of time, and submerging your face is not recommended due to the risk of drowning.
“Research also shows that ice baths can limit the body’s ability to adapt to strength stimuli, as it takes away the stimulus they are physiologically responding to. With this in mind, hydrotherapy is not something to be used every day but something to be kept for when needed.”