What Every Swimmer Needs To Know About Cold Tubs
What Every Swimmer Needs To Know About Cold Tubs
By Dan McCarthy, USA Swimming High Performance Consultant
Some teams fill a hotel bathtub with ice water, others use a kiddie-pool. The USA Swimming National Team has a mobile ice bath system which circulates and cools the water. Using an ice bath for recovery (or Cold Water Immersion as it is known in the literature) is one of those practices with vocal supporters and critics. There are things Cold Water Immersion can do and things that it cannot. The key to perhaps gaining an advantage from Cold Water Immersion is knowing the best way to use it.
Research suggests that Cold Water Immersion may help reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after intense exercise, and in turn may improve sleep quality as well. Cold Water Immersion cannot reverse muscle tissue damage; nor can it increase red blood cell count or speed the synthetization of protein into muscle tissue. Its best use is to help decrease the discomfort and pain associated with muscle-damaging training and competition.
There are only two guidelines for using Cold Water Immersion:
Research suggests that Cold Water Immersion may help reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after intense exercise, and in turn may improve sleep quality as well. Cold Water Immersion cannot reverse muscle tissue damage; nor can it increase red blood cell count or speed the synthetization of protein into muscle tissue. Its best use is to help decrease the discomfort and pain associated with muscle-damaging training and competition.
There are only two guidelines for using Cold Water Immersion:
