Five mistakes you can make during ice bathing

Building new habits, especially when it comes to sports and health, needs caution and comes with challenges. This, of course, is the case with ice bathing as well. You sometimes work out unnecessary or incorrect methods, which do not help at all, even at a more advanced level. We’re showing you five common mistakes to avoid on your journey.

People around the world choose ice bathing to regenerate, let them be athletes, entertainers and people who just want to lose their extra weight, or want to soothe their nerves tormented by stress. If you’re up to some icy adventures, we won’t hold you back, but let us tell you about the five things you really need to pay attention to when sitting in a tub full of ice.

1. Starting too cold

If you are not experienced enough, don’t start by jumping into water at 4 degrees Celsius. Build it up gradually, starting at 15 degrees, and set your goal to stay in the water for 2 minutes. If you jump out of the water a minute too early, raise the temperature a little. You don’t have to torture yourself in order to bathe in icy water, it’s enough to do things thoughtfully and consciously. If you manage to stay in the water for two minutes at a higher temperature, you can cool it down a bit. And if you’re a complete beginner, read our article on What You Need To Know Before Your First Ice Bathing.

2. Staying in for too long

Don’t try to set personal records or to take upon private challenges as a beginner ice diver. We keep on reminding you of the two-minute-rule, because this is the time period in which benefits prevail. However, these benefits decrease in number after five minutes, or may even backfire on you, if you stay in the water for too long. Just think of it as at the gym: no trainer would let you lift unrealistically heavy weighs, as you could harm yourself. This is exactly the case with ice bath tubs as well, as they are not harmful on their own, but may be counterproductive without discipline.

3. Lack of consistency

Studies show that it is more efficient to ice bathe on a regular basis than having an occasional dive. It is more efficient, for example, to spend two minutes in the ice tub five times a week than spending five minutes two times a week. You can, however, test this yourself. We have mentioned earlier that you should be smart when challenging yourself, but it is a completely acceptable tryout to sit in the ice tub for two minutes on as many consecutive days as you can bare. Try to set your own bathing routine, and find those two minutes in your days which you can devote to your own health.

4. Breathing too fast

We’re not saying that this is super easy, but the right control of breathing is key when it comes to ice bathing. This may seem a little more difficult at the first few moments, but by concentrating, you can slow down your respiration to reach the optimal level, which is about five to eight inhales and exhales per minute.You might have encountered some breathing techniques during your singing, sports or swimming classes as a child, and this is of course a bit different, but they all have discipline and concentration as common traits.

5. Water covering you on a too small surface

It is important that most of your body be under water. When you sit down, try to slide down as much as you can, resting your head, just as if you were relaxing in the thermal tub at a wellness center. This will help your body start the cold shock response, stimulating the release of noradrenaline, which has anti-inflammatory and mood stabilizer effects. Keeping your hands under water is the most difficult task, so if you feel that it is too cold to handle, you may take them out and put them back in during the session.

If you stick to these guidelines, you may experience phenomenal things, such as the rise of your energy level, improvement of your mental health, healthier skin, faster regeneration, decreasing pain and increasing metabolism. If you’re ready to take an ice bath, take a look at our ice bath tubs and cooling units, and contact us for further details.