Ice baths are nothing new in the fitness realm, but there are some benefits that people may not be aware of. From muscle soreness to inflammation reduction, here are some reasons why you should consider taking an ice bath following your workout.
Alleviate Pain
When you’re done with a workout, the last thing you want to do is to get back into another one. Taking an ice bath after working out alleviates pain because it reduces inflammation.
Taking an ice bath after a workout helps in alleviating post-exercise pain because the cold temperature restricts blood flow and slows down metabolic activity providing a temporary analgesic effect.
Reduce Inflammation
Ice baths are usually taken immediately after a strenuous workout with the objective of shortening the duration of erythema (redness) and post-exercise muscle soreness.
The cold temperature constricts blood vessels near the surface of the skin, which decreases blood flow to the muscles therefore reducing the inflammation in your body.
Increased Blood Flow
There are many benefits of using an ice bath after a workout. It will help you recover faster and get back to your next workout stronger. If your goal is to increase blood flow after a workout, then taking an ice bath is a great way to do it as they cause vasoconstriction, which increases blood flow to working muscles.
Faster Recovery
When your muscles are injured, they release a protein called myoglobin. Myoglobin can be toxic and can cause muscle cell death and inflammation.
Myoglobin is also released when you work out, which is why we recommend an ice bath to reduce inflammation and prevent muscle damage.
An ice bath will reduce the amount of myoglobin in the blood as well as the amount of lactic acid that is released into your bloodstream, which can also cause pain or soreness therefore leading to a faster recovery time.
Improved Flexibility
Flexibility is a measure of the range of motion a person can achieve around a given joint. It’s always a good idea to keep your muscles stretched and loose, but taking an ice bath after working out provides an excellent opportunity to do so.
The cold water is going to cause your body’s blood vessels to shrink and as a result, it will limit how much blood flows into that area.
When this happens, the muscle tissue will become more flexible because the muscle fibers have been deprived of oxygen which makes them more pliable.
How to Have an Effective Ice Bath
To have an effective ice bath, you need to know the right container for it.
If you use a container that is not made for ice baths, the water will be too cold. The container needs to have insulation, so that the water doesn’t get too cold and stays at a comfortable temperature.There are many companies that have specific ice bath containers for your needs. Check them out today if you are ready to crush your goals in a shorter period of time.
