We have had man buns, apple cider vinegar shots, barefoot shoes and now the current trend of ice baths.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a new cult trend but the way the physio bro science of the internet has taken to warring over their value is frankly the best entertainment I’ve had since we all claimed hot yoga and twisting detoxified us with zero consideration for those pesky things called facts.
I don’t mind the whole cold shower, ice dip thing, you do you boo, I’m just more of a croissant and coffee gal…but if we just pull back the focus to look at the bigger picture of where it sits, what can we see?
There will always be raging evidence for and against, some sketchily funded by those selling ice bath equipment and refuted by camps mostly selling other wellness stuff. Let’s lay aside personal preference and whether is actual ‘does’ anything and see where it sits in the broader landscape of health, rehab, pain and training.
Unless you have
SLEEP
NUTRITION
HYDRATION
TRAINING
MENTAL HEALTH
REST
RECOVERY
Absolutely NAILED DOWN, you would be far better addressing the basic pillars of health than investing time, energy and funds into anything else. We love a quick fix. Slugging down vitamins after booze, scoffing antacids after takeaways and concealing those eye bags are all short term and absolutely a normal part of being human BUT if we are arguing change and benefits about ice baths, we are plugging the proverbial dyke with a finger unless you have those fundamentals on hard lock.
Speeding up health and recovery is less about cryo, cold plunges, saunas or foam rolling and absolutely about getting enough sleep, learning how to relax, moving and understanding nutrition. Ultimately no ice bath, indeed no wellness hack, can out run the daily essentials being secured.
