Cold Water Immersion

[transcend2007]

Have you tried cold water immersion ... ?

I've been jumping into my pool that is 66 degrees (for 5 minutes) ... most of the research has been done at colder temperatures (55 to low 60's) ... I can tell you from personal experience anything under 75 feels cold ...

I was listening to an Andrew Huberman podcast and he talking about the health benefits from improved circulation ... inflammation reduction ... pain relief ... and improved exercise recovery ...

But what I found was most interesting was that it has the ability to enhance mood due to chemicals released from our brain .... I've just started the practice and cannot yet confirm a better mood but I will when say when done within 5 minutes of waking up it fucking wakes me up at makes me very alert immediately ...

Have you ever tried it ... ?

 

[CJ]

John Jewett just put out a podcast on this, on Fouad's podcast network...

https://traffic.megaphone.fm/FOUAD1689270593.mp3?updated=1680626642

 

[Gadawg]

I love it. But you need to go colder.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

health benefits from improved circulation ... inflammation reduction ... pain relief ... and improved exercise recovery ...

I believe all of these are true, but at the cost of gains. the inflammation you're getting after a training session is part of what your body needs to build muscle, at least - that's what I've read.

I do cold showers and occasionally sauna with cold shower breaks, but that's more for mental clarity than it is anything else. I suppose it helps a bit with GH levels too, but not tremendously.

what I found was most interesting was that it has the ability to enhance mood due to chemicals released from our brain

my understanding of this was that the mood enhancement isn't something that happens right after, moreso that it gets you used to stress (cortisol spikes) so that when stress outside the sanctity of a cold bath happens - you're more equipped to deal with it.

Cannot confirm or deny the cortisol stuff because I'm ADHD and stressful situations is where we shine brightest. I do it because it's tough, and choosing to do tough shit makes you more tough.

 

[transcend2007]

John Jewett just put out a podcast on this, on Fouad's podcast network...

https://traffic.megaphone.fm/FOUAD1689270593.mp3?updated=1680626642

I learned a lot from that thank you ... I had not heard the CWI actually reduces hypertrophy ... dang that was some bad new bears ...

Because I can tell you it actually no fun jumping into cold water ... but I do like the immediate wake up factor ...

 

[transcend2007]

I believe all of these are true, but at the cost of gains. the inflammation you're getting after a training session is part of what your body needs to build muscle, at least - that's what I've read.

I do cold showers and occasionally sauna with cold shower breaks, but that's more for mental clarity than it is anything else. I suppose it helps a bit with GH levels too, but not tremendously.

my understanding of this was that the mood enhancement isn't something that happens right after, moreso that it gets you used to stress (cortisol spikes) so that when stress outside the sanctity of a cold bath happens - you're more equipped to deal with it.

Cannot confirm or deny the cortisol stuff because I'm ADHD and stressful situations is where we shine brightest. I do it because it's tough, and choosing to do tough shit makes you more tough.

Thank you ... I appreciate the feedback ... the cold shower may get the same or similar benefit without the downside ... no polar swims in my near future ... lol

 

[TomJ]

While there is some info suggesting cold plunging can slow down muscle gain at the high end due to the limit on the inflammatory response.
It's my purely anecdotal opinion that the benefits outweigh the cost.

The mental, chemical, and pain management benefits in my opinion outweigh the slight loss in hypertrophy.
If you feel better, joints feel fresher, your mood is improved and you have more energy, that just leaves you in a better place to train harder

 

[CJ]

I learned a lot from that thank you ... I had not heard the CWI actually reduces hypertrophy ... dang that was some bad new bears ...

Because I can tell you it actually no fun jumping into cold water ... but I do like the immediate wake up factor ...

If I recall correctly, anything anti inflammatory(thinking ibuprofen/acetaminophen here) will negatively effect hypertrophy, with the exception of the elderly, because their level of inflammation is much greater.

 

[CJ]

While there is some info suggesting cold plunging can slow down muscle gain at the high end due to the limit on the inflammatory response.
It's my purely anecdotal opinion that the benefits outweigh the cost.

The mental, chemical, and pain management benefits in my opinion outweigh the slight loss in hypertrophy.
If you feel better, joints feel fresher, your mood is improved and you have more energy, that just leaves you in a better place to train harder

But it shrinks my pee pee and that makes me sad.

 

[transcend2007]

While there is some info suggesting cold plunging can slow down muscle gain at the high end due to the limit on the inflammatory response.
It's my purely anecdotal opinion that the benefits outweigh the cost.

The mental, chemical, and pain management benefits in my opinion outweigh the slight loss in hypertrophy.
If you feel better, joints feel fresher, your mood is improved and you have more energy, that just leaves you in a better place to train harder

Yes I'm with you on this ... CWI creates a mental toughness also as Tony Robbins has had this practice for over 30 years and he's attributed it to being a bedrock of his discipline ... doing something difficult to start the day is excellent preparation for each day ...

The other thing is most of the studies that podcast cited were from 2015 ... and when CWI is done immediately after a workout ... it would be interesting to see some studies from doing it hours prior to workout ... and also newer in the 2020's ...

But still a fascinating conversation ... thank you everyone ... I've learned a lot today on this topic ...

 

[TomJ]

I used to do an ice bath every single day after practice back when I ran D1 track.
Felt fantastic when I did it, felt broken when I missed it.

 

[Yano]

We have hypothermia warnings for the lake temp here in spring n early summer. Days hit 75 n 80 but the water temps still only 55 to 60.

We don't call it cold water immersion or anything fancy , it's just swimming.

 

[Gadawg]

Everything about hindering hypertrophy Ive ever heard about or read was just about immediately post workout.

 

[BRICKS]

If I recall correctly, anything anti inflammatory(thinking ibuprofen/acetaminophen here) will negatively effect hypertrophy, with the exception of the elderly, because their level of inflammation is much greater.

From what I've read and a surgeon who was a professional cyclist and does cold water immersion, the reduction in gains is from cold water immersion post training. First thing in the morning for cold if you train afternoon or evening.

Little off topic but I'm going to add that 20 min, 4 times a week at 160 degrees in the sauna can reduce risk of heart attack and stroke by 40%. That's on our list for this summer, and I have an aversion to cold water immersion.

 

[transcend2007]

From what I've read and a surgeon who was a professional cyclist and does cold water immersion, the reduction in gains is from cold water immersion post training. First thing in the morning for cold if you train afternoon or evening.

Little off topic but I'm going to add that 20 min, 4 times a week at 160 degrees in the sauna can reduce risk of heart attack and stroke by 40%. That's on our list for this summer, and I have an aversion to cold water immersion.

Great point @BRICKS ... sauna also provides excellent benefits ... dang bro 20 minutes though I can barely make it 8 minutes ... I've got to step my sauna game ...

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

he reduction in gains is from cold water immersion post training.

This is true, but if you're training 3-4x per week with days off in between - the inflammation typically has not gone away within 48 hours...
So you're either recovering from training, OR you're training right now.

I'd imagine that it would be best timed like cardio: as far away from lifting as you can make it. In this case - as far post-training as you can.

Its all semantics though, I'm still gonna do it if I feel better as a result.

 

[Andrewgen_Receptors]

going to add that 20 min, 4 times a week at 160 degrees in the sauna

I tried 20 minutes yesterday. Made it 10, then 7, then 3. Cold showers in between. Good luck

 

[Gadawg]

Sauna is the shit!

 

[Gadawg]

I much prefer a steam room though. You can get the same benefits a lot faster.

 

[transcend2007]

I much prefer a steam room though. You can get the same benefits a lot faster.

What is the difference between the sauna and the steam room ... my gym has both ... ?