Surely you have also heard of ice baths, because they are known for their numerous health benefits after training. Did you know that they are highly recommended to eliminate fatigue and exhaustion? That’s right, and that’s not all. Keep reading because you will discover why buy an ice bath and all the benefits it will bring to your health.
Benefits of the ice bath
As we said, ice baths are very good for health. The main reason to use an ice bath is that it helps speed up muscle recovery and the removal of metabolic waste from the muscles.
Likewise, it stimulates the recovery of the nervous system and the cardiovascular system while reducing joint and muscle pain. In fact, the application of cold facilitates the mobilization of metabolites produced by physical effort, thus improving physical recovery.
And as we previously pointed out, ice baths are highly recommended to eliminate fatigue and tiredness due to the blood supply that the cold generates in our body. In this way there will be a greater amount of oxygen and this decreases the “stress” of the cardiovascular system, relieving fatigue mediated by the central nervous system.
An ice bath can be very relaxing if you know how to give it to yourself (iStock)
How to use an ice tub
In order for the ice bath to bring us all its benefits, it is important to know how and when to use it. And, without a doubt, the best time to do it is after a long and hard training or a competition.
It is also a good idea to wear pants and slippers during the bath, to protect the most sensitive areas. Once we are ready to get into the bathtub, we should only get half of the body in since the contrast with the cold water can cause your body to go into shock so we need to get in carefully.
Later on, we submerge the rest of our body once it has adapted to the temperature of the water. You may not feel comfortable to insert your arms or torso because of the cold. But don’t worry, because it’s normal. It is best to introduce what you can and what you feel comfortable with.
What the experts recommend is that you relax in the bathtub for six or eight minutes, although you could stay up to 15. Under no circumstances is it advisable to exceed the time as it can be dangerous.