Over the last ten or so years, ice bath before or after workout and cold water therapy generally have become quite popular in the strength and conditioning world. But with good reason—voluntary exposure to cold has several potential advantages.
However, this is the query: Is cold plunging more beneficial before or after exercise? Is it the most effective active recovery method? And how does it stack up against some of the top muscle rehabilitation products available?
In actuality, neither the solution nor the causes are so straightforward. I spoke with Dr. Michael Masi, DPT, SCS, CSCS, CISSN, USAW-1, and creator of Masi Fitness, to address cold plunge timing and dispel cold exposure fallacies since there are a lot of subtleties involved.
A Cold Plunge: What Is It?
Dropping your body into cold water is precisely what a frigid plunge sounds ice bath before or after workout. You submerge your whole body—typically up to your neck or chest—in cold water using a bathtub, a do-it-yourself arrangement, or one of the finest cold plunge tubs (equipped with a chiller for temperature control).
Read Also: Steady State Cardio Exercises: What Is Steady State Cardio?
Is It Better to Perform a Cold Plunge Before or After Exercise?
After discussing the physiological changes brought on by exposure to cold water, let's address the topic of cold plunges and when they should be done: before or after a workout.
The majority of the study that we could find examined the effects of cold water treatment as a means of recuperating after strenuous exercise. And that's what a lot of medical experts advise in general.
Cold plunges, however, should be scheduled apart from your workout regimen, advises Dr. Masi, DPT. Dr. Masi does not advise jumping into a chilly plunge just after working out.
Additional Advantages of Cold Plunges
We recently discovered that post-exercise ice baths may not be beneficial for hypertrophy training, which raises questions about whether to time your icy plunges for workout recovery. Still, there are advantages to submerging yourself in cold water that aren't directly related to recuperating after exercise.
Concluding Remarks on Cold Plunging Before or After Exercise
The answer is more nuanced than a straightforward yes-or-no, this-or-that question when it comes to cold plunge before or after exercises.
It turns out that icy plunges may prevent the body's normal reaction to recuperating from physical activity. According to Dr. Masi, DPT, cold plunges should be timed apart from periods of exertion and maybe even postponed until days off from training or recuperation.
To aid with exercise recovery and overall performance, one research even suggests a decent cool-down, enough rest, moderate stretching, drinking drinks, and massage above exposure to cold water.
You May Also Like: How To Get Motivated To Workout
FAQs
Is it better to ice bath before or after a workout?
Your muscles can feel a bit tight and sluggish to react, but the cold water can assist keep your body temperature down so the heat doesn't affect your performance. If you want to improve your ice bath before or after workout, you should cold plunge.
How long after a workout should you take a cold shower?
It could be advisable to wait at least twenty minutes after working out before having a cold shower, according to a human performance and exercise physiology expert from Houston, Texas' Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute.
Does cold shower after workout reduce gains?
By inhibiting the actions of genes and proteins involved in muscle development, cold water immersion may lessen long-term improvements in strength and hypertrophy. It is advised that those who are focused on building muscle refrain from submerging themselves in cold water immediately after a workout.
.
