Why You Should Consider Cold Plunging

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised. 

What We Tried:

Cold Plunging. This trendy fitness hack promises a lot of health benefits.

You’ve likely noticed cold plunging has become all the rage in the health and fitness world and golfers are no exception. Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods, among others, have taken, well, the plunge.

Who Tried It:

Hayes Weidman. A MyGolfSpy Forum leader, staff writer, golf and fitness fanatic who would do just about anything (like immerse himself in ice-cold water on a daily basis) if it means another yard gained on the course.

Let’s get this out of the way now: This is NOT an article that quotes academic studies or lays out a compelling scientific argument for why you should cold plunge. This is an article about one guy’s experience in buying and using an at-home ice bath. You’re going to need to fire up Google, do your homework and make your own decision. The sports medicine world isn’t exactly in full agreement on cold therapies.

Why You Should Cold Plunge

If you do some of that Googling I mentioned, you’re going to come across several purported benefits of cold plunging (also known as cold water immersion). First, once immersed, your liver will essentially freak out and release “cold shock proteins” into your body. Those proteins trigger increased protein synthesis and scrub those free radicals out of your bloodstream. Cold water immersion is also said to force blood flow and oxygen into the core and up to the brain and mobilize the burning of visceral brown fat. Many proponents claim it is the most effective method to burn fat off your body.

Cold plunging may also lead to a rush of feel-good hormones and a more effective immune system. Add to these effects the obvious anti-inflammatory benefits and cold plunging probably sounds worthwhile right? It sure sounds like a potential pathway to a healthier you, and maybe better performance on the golf course as a result.

Why You Shouldn’t Cold Plunge

Well, it’s really really cold for starters. One thing I can tell you with certainty: it’s not easy and it really doesn’t get easier.  But therein lies a potential benefit. More on that later.

 Another reason is the potential to overdo it. Stay in too long at too low a temperature and the cold exposure could damage your skin. Doing it too long could also drop your body temperature too low and cause hypothermia. And if you’re cold plunging to get an athletic edge, you have to get the timing right or you can risk “over recovering.” Put another way, there’s evidence to suggest that if you cold plunge right after a weight training session, you’ll actually short-circuit the inflammation in your muscles that ultimately leads to gains in size and strength.  If you’re going to take a cold plunge, do it wisely.

Buying a Cold Plunge

Joe Rogan may be the most famous among the cold plungers. If you listen to his podcast, he often touts starting his day with a three-minute ice bath. So, you could drop a cool 13 grand for a Morozko Ice Bath like Rogan uses. It’s got built-in temperature control and filtration, has pretty-looking wood stain color options and can even be custom engraved.

However, I’m guessing you’re like me and you don’t live in Joe Rogan’s financial stratosphere. Amazon to the rescue!. I went for the Cold Pod. It wasn’t discernibly better or worse than most others but it was on sale for a little over $150.

As you can imagine, at that price point there are some hang-ups. Temperature control is the main shortcoming.  As it warms up outside, you’re going to need to dump ice in the tub regularly to get it cold enough.  Once Old Man Winter hits, ice is a different kind of problem. It’s kind of tough to cold plunge when the contents of the pod are solid, know what I mean? (Most pods at this range advertise some insulation but that will only get you a couple of degrees one way or the other at best.)

Sure, you could put it inside in a basement or garage but good luck with that. I’m not ready to trust the seals on a $150 purchase that much. 

If you are, go for it, although have a plan for changing the water frequently. (It gets funky because we human beings are funky.) I’d also recommend you buy the XL version of a pod. I’m only 5’9” and the XL that I bought feels barely big enough.

How to Use It

First, don’t do it after a strength-training or speed-training session. Post-cardio workout is fine but if you do something highly anti-inflammatory like cold plunging after lifting, you’re likely circumventing some gains. The only exception is when recovery is at a premium, like between rounds in a tournament.

Second, the water doesn’t have to be truly freezing to be effective.  There’s some debate online over the temperature of the water. In my experience, mid-to-upper 40s Fahrenheit water is plenty cold to get the purported effects. Having said that, I absolutely feel there is value in the mental training aspect of cold plunging. The more it sucks, the more mental fortitude you’ll get from it. Regardless, the first time in that water you’re going to experience 15 to 30 seconds of breathlessness and a “Why the hell am I doing this?!” sensation. Breathe through it and it will pass. From there, stay in for three to six minutes and then do it again tomorrow. I’ll warn you, when tomorrow comes you’re going to remember how cold it was and feel some dread. But the same reward will be there. I eventually found a song to breathe along to and meditate (“Time” from the Inception soundtrack) and I know that halfway through the second playing of it I’ve hit about six minutes.

Does It Work?

Remember that part about this not being a scientific study? I don’t have lab results here folks. No before and after weight or body fat measurements, no blood work, nada. And as I’ve mentioned, I’m pretty dedicated to what most would consider some high-intensity workouts. I generally eat pretty clean. So I can’t reasonably attribute any gains to cold plunging alone. I can’t tell you cold-plunging packs on the muscle, lowered my blood pressure, warded off infection, etc.

What I can tell you is that after 90 days of dedicated use, I’m hooked. On my lifting days, I do it first thing in the morning before warming up and hitting the gym.  On cardio days, I do it after. I absolutely feel more recovered and fresher for my workouts, with less of that pesky delayed onset muscle soreness and less fatigue. I’ve got noticeably more energy overall. Skeptics may roll their eyes but I am telling you that every time I drop into that water I can absolutely feel a surge of blood to my noggin. Within an hour of using it I feel amazing and I feel that way throughout the day. There are clear mental health benefits; the dopamine surge is a real thing and I have less anxiety in general. On the rare day I can’t cold plunge, I notice a difference and truly miss it. Am I seeing better athletic performance?  The jury’s out.  I live in the northeast U,S, and my golf season hasn’t started yet. We’ll see.

An Experiment

If you’re considering taking the plunge, literally, try a little experiment. Take a cold shower. I don’t mean shower, then turn the water cold and feel it gradually get colder. Turn the water as cold as you can get it, jump in and deal with it for at least three minutes. It’s going to suck at first but you will acclimate if you breathe through it. An hour or two later, I’ll bet you’re going to notice that you’re feeling pretty good. If that is in fact your experience, you just got a little bit of insight into how good you’re going to feel if you cold plunge. Give it a try!