General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ice Bath anyone? Rss Feed  
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2014-10-26 8:24 PM


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Subject: Ice Bath anyone?
Has anyone had any success/experience with 10-15min ice baths as a recovery method?


2014-10-26 9:38 PM
in reply to: #5063080

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
Search it. We just talked about it. Mostly negative reviews. Have you ever done it? Its miserable.
2014-10-27 2:39 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena


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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
I do it for any run over 15 miles.

Love to hate it. I feel noticeably less sore the next day. Maybe its a placebo...? But I like it so I will do one most weekends
2014-10-27 5:05 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?

I have an ongoing back problem (after a car crash a long time ago)

It can be bad enough that I need to resort to using sticks to help walk. I find lying in really cold water helps quicken the route to recovery. More often for me it is the cold North Sea rather than an ice bath ... but same principles ... and to tell the truth the pain relief  feels amazing 

2014-10-27 6:12 AM
in reply to: WildWill

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?

I use them and definitely benefit.  I struggle getting into a cold bath though so I sit in the empty bath with a hot drink and put the cold tap on.  Then after the cold bath I have a hot one which is heaven.  You definitely build a resistance to it - after a few weeks of doing it once a week (after my long run) - it's not that bad really. Apparently the science is inconclusive but to be conclusive it just means it works for everyone.  Ice baths, like compression clothing work for some - guess I'm just 'lucky' I'm one of the some.

 

2014-10-27 6:52 AM
in reply to: #5063086


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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
I think you should not do the hotbath directly afterwards. Do you space them out?

Generally the pool I swim at has cold water. I found that after swims my body felt great. I started doing ice baths a couple of weeks ago, just 10min. I did find it beneficial.


2014-10-27 7:31 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?

Prefer to pass on things like ice baths or other "recovery" tools. Instead adjust the workload somehow so that these aren't needed. Simply recovering from the workout isn't necessarily the goal, improved adaptation is. The science is muddled at best on this, so prefer to avoid them and know I'm getting something out of it.

Having said that, there are times when things like this can be more beneficial, like when you don't care about the adaptations so much. Like in right before or after a race. Some like harder workouts there for sharpening and use a recovery tool to feel better more quickly (others still skip them and do less hard work). Races tend to be very hard, bringing on a lot of stress. Another time is after (accidentally) doing too much and recovery is going to take longer than desired. This just happened to me a couple weeks ago. Hadn't used the socks in a couple years, but calf/achilles area was taking too long to get over a workout, so I used them once to get through things more quickly. Then I adjusted the subsequent workouts so that I wouldn't become that sore again.

2014-10-27 7:36 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
I am a total cold water wimp and have never been able to stay in an ice bath long enough to feel any benefit! Tried it in college a few times and it actually made me cramp up. What does work for me is swimming, especially if the water is a little cool. Better yet if it is salt water. I normally do a longish swim workout in the afternoon after I do my long run (simply because that's when I have the longest time availale at the pool to do it) and I find it always helps me recover. I really miss it if I can't swim after a long run or race. After a tri, I always try to get back into the water and swim for a while, if feasible. If it's not (like it would involve getting back into a soaked wetsuit) then swim at the pool later, or at least stand in the water for a while.
2014-10-27 7:56 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
I really like them. I definitely feel better after a long workout.
I'm going to start marathon training in a few months, and I'm thinking about not doing them after long runs so that I can better let my body adapt to the training. But I'll still do them after a running race or very long bike ride (over 50 miles is long for me).
I wear a hoodie and drink something warm. Get it the tub then start the cold tap, once it's covering my legs add a bag of ice.
2014-10-27 8:06 AM
in reply to: FrankMilena

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
Use to do them all the time after football practice/games in college. Diff help with the recovery process. Haven't done them since tho.
2014-10-27 9:09 AM
in reply to: coyote39

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
I use them on all long runs over 12 miles. They definitely help me recover and with soreness. I only stay in for 10 minutes, but it makes a world of difference. Plan on continuing this as my runs get long with Ironman training.


2014-10-27 1:55 PM
in reply to: brigby1

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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?

Originally posted by brigby1

Prefer to pass on things like ice baths or other "recovery" tools. Instead adjust the workload somehow so that these aren't needed. Simply recovering from the workout isn't necessarily the goal, improved adaptation is. The science is muddled at best on this, so prefer to avoid them and know I'm getting something out of it.

Having said that, there are times when things like this can be more beneficial, like when you don't care about the adaptations so much. Like in right before or after a race. Some like harder workouts there for sharpening and use a recovery tool to feel better more quickly (others still skip them and do less hard work). Races tend to be very hard, bringing on a lot of stress. Another time is after (accidentally) doing too much and recovery is going to take longer than desired. This just happened to me a couple weeks ago. Hadn't used the socks in a couple years, but calf/achilles area was taking too long to get over a workout, so I used them once to get through things more quickly. Then I adjusted the subsequent workouts so that I wouldn't become that sore again.

I've never thought about this approach, but it makes sense.  When I first started running 5+ years ago, training for my first marathon, I was doing ice baths after long runs and I thought they helped.  This was also the time where I was probably running too much considering where I started from, as I would be stiff and sore for about 36 hours after my long runs.  Trouble walking up and down stairs, etc.  But after putting in a couple years of decent run mileage, I was no longer sore the day after long runs.  Maybe a little stiff, but stairs were not a problem at all except after races.  Looking back...if I slowed down my run training and wasn't so aggressive at chasing a marathon so soon after starting running, I probably wouldn't have needed those ice baths to begin with.

2014-10-28 10:02 AM
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Subject: RE: Ice Bath anyone?
Cold therapy works wonders and definitely speed recovery, the biggest downside is getting submerged in a bath tub without getting your delicate parts wet. My solution buy a plastic barrel and brace it well so it doesn't fall over finding the right size barrel is the trick here , attach a seat to the side and added a drain to the bottom add water and ice and stand in the barrel or sit on the seat and dangle lower legs in. using the barrel when correctly filled allows you to stand in the Ice water with out getting your private parts covered, Wonderful compared to trying to have an Ice bath using a bath tub. This set up can be made for Basically the cost of the plastic barrel and the drain tap, throw in a bit of lumber and the total cost will Be less the $50 bucks well worth it.

I got the idea from a guy that was using one of those plastic rain water barrels that you can buy to collect rain water off your roof for his ice bath works great, but they are not strong enough to mount a seat on and are too large to fill up every time, my Barrel is strong enough to support a seat and it is also much smaller and doesn't take anywhere near the same amount of water to fill up. I would post a Pic but I sold it when I bought My Game Ready cold therapy machine 2 years ago.


Edited by RRH_88 2014-10-28 10:29 AM
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