5 Tips For Ice Bathing

February 4th, 2012 by Brandon

Several elite and recreational athletes ice bath religiously. I was first introduced to ice bathing when I was a student-athlete at Western University. It did not matter if I was training in Mammoth Lakes or competing in Japan, most of the elite athletes were ‘enjoying’ an ice bath post-run. Here are a few tips for making the best of a cold situation.

The best part of an ice bath is that you are immersing more than just the sore area. You might be icing an inflamed achilles tendon you didn’t even know was inflamed.

Mo Farah Enjoying an Ice Bath Photo Credit: Simon Freeman

1) Wear Neoprene Booties
2) Phone a Friend
3) Eat your Picky Bar
4) Drink your Chocolate Milk
5) Wear your toque (beanie for the non-Canadians)

Check out 110% Train Harder for the latest in compression gear

The ice bath should be between 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit and you should stay in the ice bath anywhere from 8 minutes to 15 minutes.

Learn more about cold therapy

If you are looking for an excuse not to ice bath…

Some highly respected folks in the running community including Mark Remy, the executive editor for Runner’s World, and Camille Herron, Olympic Trials Qualifier believe that ice baths are not necessary. Remy believes it is a practical joke being played on runners, while Herron has not found enough scientific research to elicit sitting in a tub of ice for 15 minutes.

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