Kelsey HigginsonSports Nutrition Coach and Founder at Clutch Day Coaching

Athletes should not cold plunge

5 Jul 2025 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:30

In this brief YouTube segment, the speaker argues that ice baths are not optimal for athletic recovery because the cold reduces blood flow, limiting oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles. While ice can be useful for acute pain relief, such as a rolled ankle, it hinders the recovery process. The speaker advocates for heat-based recovery—saunas or a 20‑minute very hot bath—as a superior method that increases circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to muscles and thereby speeding up recovery. For athletes without sauna access, a long, super‑hot evening bath is recommended.

Chapters

Ice baths are actually not the best form of recovery for athletes. The issue with ice baths is ice slows down blood flow. Ice baths can be awesome for managing pain if you roll an ankle, but it is not great for recovery because of that reduced blood flow. In order for your muscles to recover faster, it needs increased blood flow. So heat is going to be so much better because it increases the blood flow in your body, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that get to your muscles at one time, which speeds up recovery. So athletes, if you don't have access to a sauna, start by taking a 20-minute super hot bath in the evenings.