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Regenerate like Ronaldo!

The increasingly popular ice bath is used by hobby and professional athletes worldwide. Although ice baths don’t usually seem very appealing at first glance, we cannot ignore the fact that they play an important role in the performance of such legendary athletes as Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James.

Dr. Lance Dalleck, Professor of Exercise & Sport Science at the University of Western Colorado, and his team documented in a 2020 study that ice bathing can actually facilitate a speedy recovery following substantial physical exertion. Think of boot camps after a long break, or frequent, strenuous workouts before a tournament, or the exhaustion after a championship has ended. In such cases, there is immense demand for rapid regeneration, easing of pain, and recovery of the psychological state following the competitive push. This physical and mental recovery is significantly supported by ice baths, in which a tired physique and mind can regenerate, either alone or in the company of the whole team.

The theory behind the analgesic effect of the ice bath is that the cold environment slows down the messaging speed of the nerves, thus relieving the sensation of pain. Quantitatively, the feeling of pain can be reduced by about 20%, which is not negligible at all when the top athlete is preparing for his next workout or race, or the hobby athlete for his next half marathon. In addition to pain, the extent of muscle soreness can also be reduced with ice dives, as the frosty water impedes the progression of inflammation.

According to some research, such ice baths can reduce physical discomfort for up to 4 days, which undoubtedly contributes to Ronaldo’s incredible football- and LeBron’s legendary basketball skills.

Most studies recommend sitting in the ice bath of 12-15 degrees Celsius for up to 10-15 minutes at a time for optimal results.

Ice diving has positive effects not only on the body, but also on the mental state

Immersion in cold water stimulates the chemicals in our brains that determine our potential to focus and concentrate, as well as our current mood. Ice diving naturally (and effectively) creates mental balance by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters (such as noradrenaline and serotonin – of which the latter is responsible for our general emotional well-being). Additionally, the ice bath also reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines that are responsible for anxiety and depression, effectively helping us fights off stress and bad mood in general.

Why is iCOOL an ideal choice when it comes to ice baths?

iCOOL is the only product in its category on the market designed specifically for athletes. It is a high quality cooling system, specializing in rehabilitation and regeneration.

Since there are major differences in what is ideal for different sports, with different demands, there are numerous versions in our range of products to choose from. The IcePod  is designed specifically for one person or a small team, its primary concept is to save space.

The Team Recovery Pool is the first full-size plunge pool in the world, designed specifically for stadiums, sports clubs, associations, schools, universities, fitness-wellness clubs and hotels. They are the most widely installed therapeutic ice baths in the world.

There are some types of products that are capable of contrast therapy – aside from cooling, they can also heat the pool’s water. The desired temperature can be simply set via a touch screen panel.

iCOOL systems are able to maintain the temperature we set with great precision and consistency for as long as needed.

Fun fact:

iCOOL is used in all world competitions, Olympics, Paralympics, and in Tour de France.

You can find the products mentioned in the post in our webshop or visit the FitCollege Store, where our experts will be happy to help you. If you haven’t already, follow us on Instagram and Facebook too!