Recovery guide

Should you cold plunge after a workout?

Cold water immersion can affect soreness and some recovery measures, but the result depends on the exercise, timing and outcome you care about.

What the research suggests

Soreness

Systematic reviews report reductions in delayed muscle soreness in some post exercise settings.

Performance recovery

Effects vary by the type of performance and the time between immersion and the next effort.

Immediate power

Some research reports temporary reductions in explosive performance soon after cold water immersion.

Use the goal to guide timing

Need to perform again soon?

Immediate cooling may not help every performance measure, so timing deserves more thought when another high power effort is close.

Managing soreness?

This is one area where the research is more supportive, though effects vary between studies.

Training adaptation?

Recovery comfort and long term training adaptation are separate questions. Avoid assuming that feeling better means every training outcome improves.

Related reading

Benefits

Separate supported effects from popular claims.

Read more

Temperature

Understand how temperature changes the exposure.

Read more

Safety

Review precautions before using cold water.

Read more