Cold shower after exercise: 4 tips for recovery
Taking a cold shower after a workout is often discussed among athletes: its benefits are praised and recommended for its beneficial and natural effects. But is it really effective? Here are four tips to turn your cold shower after a workout into a real recovery moment for your muscles.
What are the benefits of a cold shower?
A cold shower after exercise is primarily felt as a benefit because it has an anti-inflammatory effect . The cold will help your body regenerate its muscle fibers, and therefore reduce the risk of muscle aches. Taking a cold shower after exercise is therefore above all an act of comfort and prevention.
However, this isn't the only known beneficial effect. A cold shower after exercise will also have a vasoconstrictor effect , meaning it will promote blood circulation, giving you a feeling of lightness. Ideal if you have heavy legs after your workout!
Cold shower: for what types of sports?
There are no specific guidelines for what type of sport would benefit from a cold shower after each session . Any athlete can give it a try! However, athletes who participate in sports that cause muscle soreness will need more relief and comfort than others.
A cold shower after sport will therefore provide relief for cyclists, runners, but also team sports players and people who do bodybuilding: in reality, all activities linked to the repeated use of muscles over time.
Cold showers after sport criticized
It should be noted that the effects of a cold shower after exercise are actually limited : no scientific study definitively determines the superiority of a cold shower over a hot shower, as confirmed by this article , which reviews the various studies on the subject. It is more a question of sensation and mental well-being than of scientific consensus.
On the contrary, a cold shower after exercise can be risky when it's not properly regulated. Here are four essential tips to ensure ideal recovery.
Avoid thermal shock from a cold shower
We talk about a cold shower "after exercise," but it's actually better not to take one directly after your workout. When you stop training, your body is at its hottest stage after the effort you've made. Taking a cold shower immediately could cause thermal shock, which could lead to fainting.
If you want to take a cold shower after exercising, you need to give your body time to recover and stop sweating. Wait about twenty minutes. You can take this opportunity to do one or two sets of stretches or rehydrate, which will naturally lower your temperature.
Listen to your body while taking a cold shower
A cold shower after exercise doesn't mean an ice-cold shower ! Respect your body and the sensations it gives you. You can start with lukewarm water and gradually lower the temperature to reach your goal. Remember to target the muscles you want to relieve first, and don't hesitate to massage them to relax.
However, it is not necessary to go below 10 degrees in the case of a cold shower after sport : if you want to reach these temperatures, it is instead recommended to take an ice bath, but to wear a suitable swimsuit or wetsuit in this case.
Even when taking a shower, especially after a workout, the goal is to ensure your comfort. Alternating between hot and cold water will also be beneficial : don't hesitate to gradually adjust the temperature to stimulate your body.
How long should you take a cold shower after exercise?
A cold shower after exercise is not intended to last more than a few minutes . You can follow one or two minutes of cold with a warmer period, without exceeding five minutes of cold in total.
Don't just take a cold shower after exercise to recover
The benefit of a cold shower after exercise is that it's a natural way to regulate your body temperature and help you overcome the overheating caused by your workout. However, to avoid muscle soreness, there are other, more comfortable solutions whose effectiveness has been confirmed by studies.
For example, Blackbelt Punch shower gel was the first shower gel in the world to receive the anti-muscle pain label validated by an independent label. Rather than taking a cold shower or in addition to one, the product acts directly on the muscles to prevent the onset of muscle injuries.
With this in mind, there's no need to worry about the temperature of your shower after exercise : turn off the water and let the product sit for a minute while massaging your sore muscles. Rinse... and that's it!
If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of recovery , you can also focus on it at the end of your training session by stretching or massaging yourself if you feel any discomfort or pain.
In addition to a cold shower after exercise , good recovery also comes from diet and a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you have an adequate protein intake and that you eat a balanced diet. If this is not the case, you can use food supplements such as whey protein which will provide you with the dose adapted to your sporting practice.
In addition to taking a cold shower after exercise, make sure you are sufficiently hydrated, drink regularly and check that you are getting adequate sleep at night, both in terms of quality and quantity.
With these tips, whether you take a cold shower after exercise or not, your recovery is guaranteed: you're ready to devote yourself to a new training session!
