Should You Use a Cold Plunge Before or After Exercise?

Cold plunges were previously seen as a niche recovery technique used mainly by elite athletes. However, fitness lovers, wellness influencers, and people looking to start their mornings with an energy boost now embrace them. Despite this rising interest, some people have yet to determine whether to take a cold plunge before or after exercise.

To establish what works for you, it is vital first to understand how a cold plunge affects your nervous system, muscles, energy levels, and recovery time. Secondly, you must learn the pros and cons of using cold water immersion before and after a workout. Here is detailed information to help you decide the best time to immerse yourself in a cold plunge tub. 

Your Body’s Response to Cold Plunging

When you immerse yourself in cold water ranging from 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, vasoconstriction occurs. This process involves constriction of the blood vessels. During this process, blood flow to the extremities drops as the blood is directed towards your core. The body responds that way to preserve warmth and protect vital organs.

Meanwhile, the heart rate increases and breathing becomes rapid and shallow. Your body discharges norepinephrine and adrenaline, hormones associated with increased focus and alertness. These changes are part of the fight-or-flight response, which can help wake you up and energize you. Upon exiting the cold water, vasodilation occurs. Here, your blood vessels reopen, allowing fresh, oxygen-rich blood to flow back into your muscles. This enhances recovery by reducing inflammation, easing soreness, and flushing out waste products like lactic acid.

Cold Plunging Before Exercise

Cold plunging before exercise may not be fun, mainly because we often think of warming up, not cooling down, as the first step before a workout. But, did you know that cold water immersion can be surprisingly helpful for workouts that enhance mental clarity and reduce inflammation? 

One of the biggest reasons to use a cold plunge tub before a workout is the surge of energy and alertness it creates. The cold water stimulates your nervous system, wakes your brain, and gives you a jolt of adrenaline. Many people compare it to drinking a strong cup of coffee. If you feel sluggish before a training session, stepping into a cold plunge might shake off the tiredness faster than stretching or pre-workout supplements.

Another potential benefit is reduced stiffness in the joints. Cold water can numb pain and reduce joint swelling, which might help if you are coming into your workout sore from the previous day. It might allow you to move freely and with less discomfort during your warm-up.

Downsides of Cold Plunging Pre-Workout

Cold plunging before a workout can reduce muscle temperature, decrease flexibility, and make your muscles feel stiff. This could raise the risk of injury if you jump straight into intense movement. Also, some research suggests that cold plunges can slightly weaken muscle contraction strength in the short term. This may not be ideal if you are aiming for your personal best in strength training or sprinting.

One such study was published in 2017 in The Journal of Physiological Anthropology. It examined the effects of CWI on neuromuscular function during knee extension exercises. The researchers established that maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force was significantly reduced after immersion in 23°C water compared to a thermoneutral condition of 34°C. This suggests that pre-exercise cold exposure can impair maximal muscle strength, likely due to reduced muscle temperature, which affects contractile properties.

If your workout is light and focused on cardio, or you need a mental lift to get moving, a cold plunge beforehand might give you that extra edge. However, a post-workout plunge would be ideal if you plan a heavy lifting session or a performance-focused workout.

Cold Plunging Post-Exercise

Using the best cold plunge after working out is the more traditional approach. Many athletes appreciate it for reduced soreness, muscle recovery, and faster healing. This method has been scientifically proven to manage inflammation and aid in long-term training goals. 

After a workout, the muscles often experience tiny tears, especially if you've been lifting weights or doing high-impact activities like jumping or running. This leads to several days of muscle soreness, often called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Cold plunges help reduce this by slowing blood flow, which limits inflammation and swelling. Once you get out of the cold water, the blood flows back in, helping to flush out waste products and deliver fresh oxygen to your tired muscles. 

Many studies have shown that athletes who use cold plunges after intense workouts report less soreness and recover faster for their next session. A 2023 meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Physiology examined 20 studies on the effects of cold exposure on fatigue recovery and exercise performance. The analysis revealed that cold exposure significantly decreased delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and perceived exertion immediately after exercise.

Additionally, it reduced markers of muscle damage, such as creatine kinase levels, at 24 hours post-exercise. These findings suggest that cold immersion alleviates muscle soreness and enhances recovery following high-intensity exercise. This recovery boost can be a game-changer for people training multiple times a week. It can help prevent overtraining and allow you to maintain better consistency in your workouts. 

Another significant benefit of cold exposure is the mental reset it provides. After pushing your body hard, using the best cold plunge tubs can help reduce stress levels. The shock of the cold can shift your mind from a state of fatigue to one of focus. It’s a refreshing way to end a workout, both physically and mentally. However, there is a catch.

Some researchers argue that cold plunges are ideal for short-term recovery but might slow long-term muscle growth. That is because inflammation is part of the muscle-building process. If you reduce it too quickly, you might interfere with your body’s natural adaptation. One study was conducted in 2015 and published in The Journal of Physiology.

It investigated the effects of post-exercise cold immersion on muscle adaptations, with researchers establishing that researchers found that participants who engaged in regular cold plunging after strength training sessions exhibited diminished anabolic signaling pathways, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which are crucial for muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy. 

Over a 12-week training period, these participants experienced smaller muscle mass and strength increases compared to those who utilized active recovery methods. If muscle growth is your primary goal, using a cold plunge after every workout may not be the best idea. Saving it for your hardest training days could be a smart approach.

Finally

Whether you cold plunge before or after a workout depends on what you want to achieve from your exercise. If you seek mental clarity, increased energy, or relief from muscle soreness, a cold plunge pre-workout could set you up for success. However, post-workout cold water immersion would be the best bet to recover faster, ease inflammation, or unwind after a strenuous workout.

People focused on building muscle should avoid cold plunging immediately after lifting weights. Instead, waiting a few hours or reserving cold plunges for cardio or recovery days would be ideal. On the other hand, if your goal is injury prevention, endurance, or general well-being, the post-exercise plunge could become an essential part of your routine. Always listen to your body during cold plunging and consult your healthcare provider before cold exposure if you have underlying health complications.