Why would anyone need a cold plunge? I have a driver for this decision, which is important to note because this could be a huge waste of money. I get this question a lot, and like supplements, people will look at any modality in the vein that this will positively affect behavior. In reality, like any personalized health and fitness option, you will always be who you are, the only difference is whether you are that person and spent all that money purchasing a cold tub.
My indicator of investing in a cold plunge was taking a cold shower every day for 90 days. Not just in the summer when it’s hot, but in the fall and winter when it’s cold. If I could do that, I would have a great foundational habit built before shelling out any money. Not only that, but I have built up a tolerance to the cold water. One where it does not shock me as much as it used to.
The other thing is that I have had access to Cold Plunge before. I worked in several athletic departments that had them within sports medicine. I would do some ridiculous protocol for hours and then wash that down with cold water immersion. If you have access to one in your facility, use that one. If you are not using that one, you are probably not going to use one at your house.
The next big question is what kind (barrel or tub), chiller no chiller, and where you are going to put it. For me, the first one is pretty straightforward, barrel. The reason is I have young kids, and making it hard to climb into something is always better. A barrel is harder than a tub to climb into. The second one is going with a chiller. If you have doubts about this, go and buy enough ice to cool off your bathtub. You will want to spend the extra money. Not to mention still water without a filter or chlorine seems like a nightmare. Last one, where to put it? Let’s dive into this one.
Outside seems to be the most logical. Outside next to some sort of outdoor electric outlet with a cover to protect from water. Far enough away from kids and close enough to be able to utilize it in conjunction with the sauna. Solid surface with drainage in case of overflow. Lastly, a nice view does not hurt. If you are going to be in agony, might as well like the environment.
The conversation around protocols, temperature, duration, time of day, and what days to use it are important but not the focal point of this blog. There is a ton of information out there. One word of caution, think of why this is a big deal right now. A lot of the momentum for cold immersion is coming from influencers. They are not formally trained and say some outlandish things like being in cold burns more calories than exercise. Sifting through to what is real, is important.
I can tell you firsthand that doing cold water immersion is valuable. I am old enough to remember when it was considered a staple, considered wrong (blunting the natural regeneration process by blunting inflammation), and now a valuable tool. Anecdotal is not the right term, but it is highly personal. It reminds me of why hydrostatic weighing for body composition is not more widely used, people get weird around water. You have cold immersion right now, cold showers, contrast showers, or cold baths (with or without ice) are all at your disposal which is a great place to start. If you are doing that consistently, and you have the right setup, it may be time to kick things up a notch to a full-ice plunge.