I have no idea if the above legend is true. Everything about ice baths seems to be a mystery, including definitive data on whether they actually work. But ice baths are firmly cemented in sporting custom as a way to speed recovery after training or competition.

A recent study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared ice baths to contrast baths, a popular derivative. In an ice bath, you simply sit in icy cold water. During a contrast bath, you alternate sitting in icy cold water and sitting in warm water. Today’s study examined 24 professional rugby union players. After a scrimmage game, each player was subjected to either an ice bath, a contrast bath, or ten minutes of quietly browsing Facebook on his phone. During the subsequent days, the players were tested and compared in order to understand which protocol had been most effective.

The results? In short, the ice bath group recovered the best of all. The control group was close behind. And the contrast bath group royally sucked. The contrast bath group showed the worst recovery from muscle soreness. They also showed more swelling of the legs. And during a team practice later in the week, the contrast bath group reported the practice felt 25% more difficult than the ice bath group members reported.

At first this would seem pretty damning for contrast baths, but let’s examine exactly how the baths were executed. Each player in the ice bath group sat in the ice bath for five minutes, got out for 2.5 minutes, and then went back in for a final five minutes. Each player in the contrast bath group sat in an ice bath for one minute, then a warm bath for one minute, and repeated for a total of ten minutes.

I think this protocol put the contrast bath group at a disadvantage. The contrast bath group only experienced sixty seconds in the ice bath before switching to warm water. This probably wasn’t enough time in the cold to get any of the reported benefits of icing. However, the warm bath was probably enough to exacerbate the inflammation already started by their scrimmage game. In comparison, the ice bath group actually experienced a total of 12.5 minutes of cold before returning to a normal body temperature. The 2.5 minutes between ice baths certainly didn’t warm them up very much.

I would like to see the contrast bath group perform a similar protocol as the ice bath group. But instead of 2.5 minutes at room temperature between ice baths, I would put the contrast bath group in a warm bath for those 2.5 minutes. In my experience, that’s closer to how contrast baths are actually used.

What’s your experience with ice baths and contrast baths? Do you think one is better than the other? Let us know in the comments.

References

1. Trevor Higgins, et al. Acute Response to Hydrotherapy After a Simulated Game of Rugby. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Oct 2013. Vol. 27. Issue 10. p2851–2860. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31828151b6.

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The concept is actually called hydrotherapy, and encompasses various methods of using water and temperature to enhance recovery. In a recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, researchers looked at two types of hydrotherapy on various recovery factors.

In the study, 24 participants were placed in one of three groups: a control group, a group doing ice water emersion, or a group doing contrasting hydrotherapy, which mixes hot and cold water immersion. The participants played a game of rugby and immediately afterward did one of these protocols. The researchers took measurements before the game and at five different intervals after the game, the final one being a full six days later. They measured jumping ability, sprinting ability, flexibility, muscle circumference, and how the athletes felt in regards to their muscle soreness.

In all groups there were trends toward recovery at the 48-hour mark, but there was measurable fatigue from the game even six days later. Of the variables they tested, only flexibility was universally improved at the six-day mark. As far all the other variables, only perceptions of soreness and effort were affected by the hydrotherapy in this study. In both forms of hydrotherapy, muscle soreness was reduced, but in the contrasting group their perceptions of exertion actually went up.

The remaining variables that did not seem to be improved were performance related, such as power output in a jump and sprinting. Because the actual performance of athletic variables wasn’t affected by either better recovery or improvements in feelings of soreness, it may mean there is no good reason to do hydrotherapy. In fact, the idea of the mythical status of hydrotherapy that I mention above might simply be a product of feelings of reduced soreness.

All that said, in principle, manipulating temperature is one of the most basic theoretical ways to change blood flow. Improving blood flow post exercise seems like a no brainer. After exercise you have restricted blood flow due to the swelling of tissue. Cold reduces swelling, at least near the surface of the skin and for a little bit. Heat, on the other hand, increases blood flow. The two put together ought to be a good thing for athletic recovery.

While the results of this study are clear, I’m not ready to give up on hydrotherapy just yet. With a theory for its effectiveness as simple as how temperature affects the human body, it seems to stand on strong enough ground to withstand one study. And, since there are some benefits at least to how it makes us feel, there’s good reason to do it anyway.

If you’re able to easily perform hydrotherapy, even if that amounts to contrasting the temperature in your shower, I’d still with it until more research comes out explaining the mechanisms for why it wouldn’t work.

References:

1.Trevor Higgins, et. al., “Evaluation of Hydrotherapy, Using Passive Tests and Power Tests, for Recovery Across a Cyclic Week of Competitive Rugby Union,” J Strength Cond Res 27(4), 2013

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If you find yourself taking frequent ice baths or spending a significant portion of your week soaking in Epsom salts, The Soak is for you. This bath soaking product combines three ingredients – magnesium sulfate, peppermint, and eucalyptus – to supercharge your recovery.

I used The Soak for the first time the day after I attended a MovNat workshop. Although it was only a one day workshop, I was extremely sore the next day. I think it may have been the sorest I’ve ever been, in fact. All of my muscles felt like they had been pushed to their limits. I couldn’t wait to try out The Soak, and was not disappointed. I would say that just one bath decreased my discomfort by about 80 percent. What was most impressive to me was how much longer the effects lasted. This may have something to do with the particular combination of ingredients used to create The Soak. They are:

1. Magnesium Sulfate: This is the classic ingredient athletes have used for centuries to aid in muscle recovery. Studies suggest it has additional benefits as well, such as increased testosterone production in both sedentary and active men. I have also used Epsom salt baths for a long time to treat migraines and PMS symptoms. Other ailments that are aided by magnesium sulfate include hypertension, plantar fasciitis, and leg cramps. According to The Soak website, magnesium sulfate also binds serotonin and enhances a feeling of relaxation.
2. Peppermint Essential Oil: Not only does peppermint oil smell amazing, but it also has numerous health benefits that contribute to The Soak’s effectiveness. Aside from muscle pain relief, peppermint oil relieves digestive problems, cold, cough, nerve pain, respiratory problems, sinusitis, and more.
3. Eucalyptus Essential Oil: Combined with the peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil has a cooling effect that makes The Soak more effective than a standard Epsom salt bath. Eucalyptus also acts as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent, which makes your muscles feel refreshed and ready for your next workout or training session.

You can use The Soak in three ways: dissolved in a warm bath, added to an ice bath, or frozen. I prefer to use it in a warm bath and find it very effective. You can also dissolve it in water and freeze it for a site-specific muscle massage. My husband also ‘borrowed’ some of my stash to use after his Krav Maga training and is a huge fan. He had an ankle injury a few years back and uses The Soak to massage his ankle when it starts flaring up, and also used it in ice baths.

My only complaint about The Soak is that it does contain an artificial food coloring, FD&C #1, also known as Brilliant Blue. Although it is approved by the FDA, there have been instances of adverse health effects associated with internal consumption of FD&C #1. When inhaled or ingested in large amounts, it has been shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies. However, it doesn’t seem that topical use has any adverse side effects.

Aside from that, The Soak is a perfect combination of ingredients. On the product website you’ll notice that it is popular with CrossFit athletes, but The Soak is also ideal for endurance athletes, martial artists, or any other athletes who need to accelerate their recovery. I always use The Soak after my long runs and have noticed a dramatic decrease in recovery time. You can also purchase The Soak in a variety of sizes, including a single bath sample size, so you can give it a trial run before you decide to purchase a larger amount.

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When you’re in a hot arena, or exercising outside when it’s hot, cooling yourself before you even start exercising can help you get better results. The reason is hot external temperatures will reduce your performance when compared to both cold and room temperature conditions. One study actually found that the ideal temperature for athletics was between 6 and 7 degrees Celsius – that’s 42 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s good news for those of us living in the frigid north. In fact, environmental temperatures have a major impact on most endurance events.

Because a major reason for reduced performance in hot environmental temperatures is the comparatively high core body temperatures found in people, it’s important to look at ways to keep cool. A recent study by BMC Medicine performed a review of thirteen studies which looked at various popular methods of cooling an athlete prior to exercise. Each used one or more of three methods including cold water immersion (getting in a tub of water), ice slurry ingestion (drinking water with crushed ice in it), and the use of garments designed to cool athletes.

The cold water immersion was found to be the most effective of the methods at improving performance, followed by ice slurry. The cooling garments, which were vests or jackets filled with ice, did not have any beneficial impact on performance. The authors did note that ice slurry, though less effective, was the more practical of the methods and thus was ultimately the most useful for most athletes. Combining methods was also about as effective as you’d expect.

It doesn’t matter if you’re just hitting the gym or competing at a major sporting event, having even moderate improvements to your performance in the short term and the long term means greater success. So here’s the bottom line: paying attention to your temperature is a critical component to athletics. If it’s hot outside cooling yourself before you even begin is something you should do. When you get hot during exercise it is once again important to cool yourself. If you can hop into a cold water tub, then do it, because it’s the best way. If not, drink ice water. Crushing ice into the water is the best way to accomplish this. Your results will be your body’s way of thanking you for the cold drink of water.

References:

1. El Helou N, Tafflet M, Berthelot G, Tolaini J, Marc A, Guillaume M, Hausswirth C, Toussaint JF: Impact of environmental parameters on marathon running performance. PLoS One 2012, 7:e37407.

2. Paul R Jones, et. al., “Pre-cooling for endurance exercise performance in the heat: a systematic review,” BMC Medicine, 10:166 (2012)

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I’ve committed to doing my first fitness competition in December. Apparently, I agreed to whittle down my body fat percentage to an acceptable level for the bikini division. My coach tells me I have to pose, wear stripper shoes, and stick my ass out. I’m going to feel so naked out there and historically speaking, I haven’t been so confident just prior to scantily clad strutting. The last time I had to do anything like this was on the Bravo show WORKOUT where I was asked to model clothes and rip off my shirt. Wanna see?

My philosophy has always been to break out of comfort zones to experience a new level of excitement and fulfillment. Walking around with other women in bikinis and high heels on a stage in front of hundreds (or thousands?) of people makes me very nervous. I think this competition, however, is just the kick I need to take my fitness to another level.

I think I’ve always prided myself on having a “normal” or attainable body type that’s strong and healthy. I’ve gone through periods where I’ve roller-coastered from a lean 18% body fat to a more post-holiday, celebratory 25% body fat (which is where I am now thanks to a very happy first year of marriage.)

Can I get down to 18% body fat or lower in ten weeks? That’s the question I ask myself every day. I feel like I’m working so hard at building up my shoulder muscles and quads (areas my coach says I need more muscle), but it’s leaving me very sore and tired.

The one thing that has greatly helped my soreness and turned up my calorie burn is an ice bath. Usually I would go screaming in the other direction, but according to Tim Ferriss’s The 4 Hour Body, I could potentially increase the fat burn by four times as much with cold exposure, as well as increase the uptake of glucose by muscle tissue. I can burn four times more fat and get stronger? Okay, for that I’ll suffer through the Guantanamo Bay bath for twenty minutes.

If that sounds incredible to you, just remember that Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day and he couldn’t possibly burn all that through exercise. As we all know, he doesn’t spend ten hours swimming competitive butterfly daily. There has to be an additional explanation to his calorie burn and the cold water is it.

So far I’ve taken three ice baths and they’re really not as bad as I thought they would be. I zone out for twenty minutes listening to Tony Robbins’ motivational speeches and my knees always feel better afterwards. My body recovers and my mind gets pumped.

Another option for about sixty percent of the benefit of an ice bath, is to put ice packs on my upper back and shoulders for thirty minutes. Icing that area potentially turns on the brown adipose tissue or “fat-burning fat.” And who doesn’t sit back on the couch for at least thirty minutes? I figure that’s a pretty non-painful way to get a large portion of the benefit of ice baths without the convulsing.

I’ll keep you posted on my body fat loss as I get closer to the competition. (And how well I do avoiding Halloween candy and a ridiculous Thanksgiving Day meal.)

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