Ice bath / Cold Water Plunge

[xDKP]

I have recently started doing cold water plunges with a recovery tub (picture for reference - not me) in my garden and love it! I have just used stop watch for timing my time in the cold water, but would like to see the heart rate as well just to see progress.

Do you guys just use the "Other activity" to track that? Do you just time it as I do now or nothing at all?

 

[Monkswhiskers]

I use the yoga activity in the app to time my cold showers (10 mins a day, highly recommended!). I set up a shortcut for water lock etc. I suppose any non gps activity would be fine.

 

[MajorFubar]

I use the yoga activity in the app to time my cold showers (10 mins a day, highly recommended!).

I can think of alternative activities that will raise my heart rate for ten minutes rather than standing under a freezing-cold shower. But you do you lol.

I think I've contracted hyperthermia from even just looking the picture OP posted.

 

[Monkswhiskers]

It makes mine drop (mammalian dive reflex). Look at the studies into the many health benefits before you dis.
Cold water therapy and intermittent fasting are 2 silver bullets when it comes to health, and completely free!
Check out the many studies online if you don't believe me.

 

[MajorFubar]

I don't disbelieve, it's just definitely not for me.
But the thread title piqued my curiosity, and now I can't unsee the photo posted by OP which made my manhood crawl up inside my groin. I'm going to have to try to coax him out by bribing him with pictures of Jennifer Ortega.

 

[xDKP]

I don't disbelieve, it's just definitely not for me.
But the thread title piqued my curiosity, and now I can't unsee the photo posted by OP which made my manhood crawl up inside my groin. I'm going to have to try to coax him out by bribing him with pictures of Jennifer Ortega.

It’s really not easy in the beginning (and really never will be) but the kick you get when you have been in the tub for just minutes is amazing!

I love to run in the morning when possible, because of the energy it gives me. This is close to giving the same energy after just five minutes - pretty amazing

 

[Night Spring]

How do you get the ice to fill the tub? Make them in your freezer, or buy ice from the store?

 

[Bichon]

Look at the studies into the many health benefits before you dis.
Cold water therapy and intermittent fasting are 2 silver bullets when it comes to health, and completely free!
Check out the many studies online if you don't believe me.

On the topic of safety, the Wikipedia page on ice baths states:

"There is agreement in the medical and scientific communities that ice baths can pose serious risks to health. Risks include hypothermia, shock and the possibility of sudden cardiac death"

I suppose everyone's needs are different, but if I was to advise Apple about what I wanted my watch to do should it detect that I suddenly plunged into ice water, it would not be to display the stopwatch and heart rate monitor -- rather I'd want it to call 911 and tell the emergency services operator that the wearer may have stepped onto thin ice and fallen into a frozen lake. 😀

 

[xDKP]

How do you get the ice to fill the tub? Make them in your freezer, or buy ice from the store?

As mentioned not my picture but I have quite a lot of frozen packs from when travelling with drinks in coolers etc. and use those. A bag of ice from the store might be needed once in a while

 

[Monkswhiskers]

On the topic of safety, the Wikipedia page on ice baths states:

"There is agreement in the medical and scientific communities that ice baths can pose serious risks to health. Risks include hypothermia, shock and the possibility of sudden cardiac death"

I suppose everyone's needs are different, but if I was to advise Apple about what I wanted my watch to do should it detect that I suddenly plunged into ice water, it would not be to display the stopwatch and heart rate monitor -- rather I'd want it to call 911 and tell the emergency services operator that the wearer may have stepped onto thin ice and fallen into a frozen lake. 😀

Well there are risks with many things. I wouldn't advise jumping into deep water if you can't swim.

What they are referring to is 'cold shock'.

I certainly wouldn't suggest to someone to jump into ice water if you have never done it.

It's best to acclimatise, eg. warm showers slowly turned to cold and increasing the exposure time.

Your body is an amazing thing and will adapt. Of all the horrible things that can happen to you in life being in cold water for 60-90s (you don't feel it after that) is low down on the list and the benefits outweigh imho.

Some health benefits I have noticed personally :-

Reduced inflammation (DOMS, Sore back etc.)
Resilience to colds due to boosted immune system
Fantastic sleeps due to melatonin production increase from brown fat
Skin feels and looks better
Slightly slimmer (brown fat)

YMMV