Cold Plunge Before or After Workout

With athletes widely using cold plunge as a daily routine, the question arises: should you do cold plunge before or after workout? Follow COLDCHILLER’s lead to find out.

What Is Cold Plunge?

Cold plunge has a long history. Only recently has it been used in sports and exercise.
Cold plunge is the process of immersing the body below the shoulders in cold plunge at 10-15°C. Cold plunge tubs are usually used as containers for cold plunge, but bathtubs can also be used as containers for cold plunge.
Some people simply add ice cubes to their bathtubs at home and immerse themselves in cold water. The ideal duration of cold plunge is within 5-10 minutes.
For athletes who often undergo high-intensity training, cold water immersion can help them relieve the physical effects of intense exercise.

The Science Behind Cold Plunge and Exercise Recovery

The value of cold plunge lies in its ability to reduce muscle swelling, thereby enhancing joint stability and preventing injuries. It also helps alleviate signs of fatigue, restoring strength and function to affected muscle groups.

Research has shown that cold exposure can reduce inflammation, primarily by regulating the production of cytokines, leading to a significant decrease in inflammatory responses.
©Photo by Jbiomedsci
Additionally, cold water therapy can minimize oxidative reactions, effectively mitigating secondary muscle damage and optimizing cellular metabolism.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Cold Plunge Before or After Workout

Which of the two different ways of cold plunge is better, cold plunge before or after workout? Today, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of both in detail.

Benefits of Cold Plunge Before Workout

Although most people are accustomed to cold plunge after workout, cold plunge before workout is not without benefits.
Taking a cold plunge before workout can be considered as part of your warm-up. Taking a cold plunge before exercise can help you get in the mood. If you take a cold plunge before morning exercise, it can help you get your head off.

If you are exercising in hot weather, taking a cold plunge before workout can be beneficial. In hot environments, people feel warmer. Exercising in such conditions can easily lead to dizziness and even the risk of heat stroke. Performance will decrease after long periods of exercise in hot environments.
A cold plunge before a workout can help you reduce this risk. Immersing your body in cold water can help cool your body down and enhance your performance in hot weather.

Disadvantages of Cold Plunge Before Workout

Cold plunge before workout plays a role in warming up the body. Unfortunately, however, most of the effects of cold plunge are on the body after strenuous exercise. In other words, the health benefits of cold plunge can only be fully realized after the exercise.

Cold plunge before workout will reduce the temperature of muscles, affecting muscle elasticity, jumping and sprinting, and affecting sports performance. Arm muscles are more easily affected due to their higher surface area to mass ratio.

Benefits of Cold Plunge After Workout

Cold plunge is popular among athletes because it can relieve muscle soreness after exercise. Cold plunge after workout can relieve muscle swelling and reduce muscle soreness after exercise.

©Photo by Jbiomedsci

Cold plunge can significantly reduce creatine kinase levels within 24 hours, which can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise.

Disadvantages of Cold Plunge After Workout

Cold plunge after workout speeds up your metabolism, increases fat burning, and may increase your hunger, leading to excessive calorie intake.

Should You Cold Plunge Before or After Workout​?

So, should you cold plunge before or after workout​?
In fact, there are pros and cons to taking a cold plunge before or after workout. Whether you choose to take a cold plunge before or after workout depends on your needs.
If you exercise in hot weather, you can choose to take a cold plunge before a workout.
If you are a professional athlete, such as a weightlifter, it is recommended that you take a cold plunge after a workout, considering that cold water immersion will lower the temperature of the muscles and affect the elasticity of the muscles.
©Photo by Auraleisure
If you want to relieve muscle soreness and reduce muscle tension caused by strenuous exercise, you can choose to take a cold water bath after a strenuous exercise.
Therefore, whether you choose to cold plunge before or after workout depends entirely on your needs.
While cold plunge can help you train better, if your primary goal is to build muscle, then a cold plunge after a workout is not the right choice for you because it can slow down muscle building.

It is worth noting that cold plunge is not suitable for everyone, especially for the elderly or people with heart disease. It is a more risky activity. If you need to immerse in cold water, be sure to consult a doctor and do it with someone accompanying you.

In addition, please make sure that your physical condition can meet the needs of an ice bath. If you need to incorporate cold water immersion into your daily training plan, you can consult a professional to develop a reasonable training plan to help you achieve your training goals through cold plunge.

Integrating Cold Plunge into Your Fitness Routine for Maximum Results

If you are just doing regular exercise, you can incorporate cold water immersion into your daily training plan. Here is a one-week exercise schedule for you.
This exercise schedule is mainly divided by upper body and lower body. If you have specific training goals such as fat loss and muscle gain, you can refer to the following schedule for planning.

Monday: Aerobic Exercise + Cold Plunge

At least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, you can choose jogging, cycling, walking. Proper aerobic exercise combined with cold water immersion on Monday can help your body adapt to the next week’s exercise.

Tuesday: Upper Body + Cold Plunge

You can use dumbbells to exercise your arm strength. When you feel sore in your arms, you can experience cold water immersion to help you relieve arm soreness and quickly recover your body condition.

Wednesday: Lower Body + Cold Plunge

Squats, lunges and other exercises can exercise your lower body well, and cold water immersion can give you more health benefits.

Thursday: Rest.

Proper rest can help you recover your physical condition and face the next training with a fuller mental state.

Friday: Upper Body + Cold Plunge

This upper body workout focuses on shoulders and chest. A cold water soak after a workout can help you relax and relieve tension.

Saturday: Lower Body + Cold Plunge

You can work out your hips and legs with squats, hip bridges, lunges, leg presses, and more. Using cold water soaks can help you reduce inflammation and relieve muscle tension.

Sunday: Rest.

Better rest will help you get ready for the next week’s workout.

Cold Plunge Before or After Workout​ FAQs

Here are some common questions about taking a cold plunge before or after a workout.

What Is the Best Time to Cold Plunge?

You can take a cold plunge any time you want. Morning, evening, before or after a workout are all good times. The exact time depends on your needs and is a personal preference. Whatever time works for you is the best time to take a cold plunge.

How Often Should You Cold Plunge?

The frequency of cold plunge is 2-3 times a week. In order to better recover and carry out the next training, athletes can immerse in cold water 3-4 times a week or more frequently. Beginners can generally immerse in cold water 1-2 times a week.

Can People with Anemia Cold Plunge?

Yes. But they should consult a healthcare provider beforehand. People with anemia are prone to dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath during an ice bath, so they need to consult a professional and do cold water immersion under the guidance of a professional.