Why you should try an ice bath before your workout

Imagine stepping into an ice bath so cold it feels like breaking the surface of a frozen lake. For many, ice baths have become more than a recovery tool - they’re a strategic performance booster, whether for post-exercise muscle relief or pre-exercise endurance. From athletes to wellness enthusiasts, the huge benefits of ice baths are being discovered. In the world of sport, the most common use of an ice bath is after a workout to reduce inflammation and soreness, but emerging research highlights that using cold water immersion before a workout can offer unique benefits for specific types of training.

So, when is the best time to hop into an ice bath or cold plunge? And how can taking the cold plunge before a workout impact your performance?

An ice bath, typically set between 0°C and 15°C (32°F to 59°F), is a tool for full-body cold water immersion (CWI) that brings several mental and physiological effects. When you immerse yourself in an ice bath, your body’s blood vessels constrict, adrenaline spikes, and neurotransmitters like norepinephrine flood the brain. Most people view ice baths as purely post-workout therapy, but new science suggests that taking an ice bath before exercise could deliver key advantages, especially those focused on endurance or high-intensity training, especially in hot conditions. By using an ice bath at the right time, you can cool the body, sharpen mental focus, and reduce fatigue. Here’s a breakdown of when an ice bath before exercise might be just what you need.

Ice bath benefits for endurance

For athletes working out in high temperatures, an ice bath before exercise can be a game-changer. Lowering the body’s core temperature, known as pre-cooling, prepares you to perform at a high level for longer. Studies show that cooling the body in advance helps delay overheating, which can make endurance training far more comfortable.

A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that pre-cooling, like taking an ice bath before a workout, allowed athletes to perform longer in the heat without feeling overly fatigued (Kay et al., 1999). Essentially, a pre-exercise ice bath allows your body to reserve its natural cooling mechanisms, meaning you’ll overheat less quickly, allowing you to push longer and harder (Ross et al., 2011).

For endurance athletes, like long distance runners and cyclists, footballers, rugby players (the list goes on) an ice bath before training or a race in warm conditions helps maintain energy levels and core temperature. The science is clear. By starting with a lowered body temperature through an ice bath, your body’s cooling mechanisms have a had start, which may give you a competitive edge.

How an ice bath can enhance mental sharpness and alertness

Another ice bath benefit is its effect on mental alertness and focus. Ice baths trigger the release of norepinephrine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that improves mood, heightens attention, and focus. Research published in Frontiers in Physiology highlights that ice baths can increase norepinephrine up to 530%, which helps you feel more focused and energised (Jansky et al., 1996). For activities that require precision, mental engagement, or fast reaction times, an ice bath can provide that extra mental edge.

Norepinephrine is released in response to stress or excitement, so by taking an ice bath, you’re priming your brain for alertness and heightened focus. While the increase in norepinephrine isn’t exclusive to workouts, its mental benefits can be particularly helpful when approaching a high-stakes, high-performance exercise (Bouzigon et al., 2014). By incorporating an ice bath into your pre-exercise routine, you’re building not only physical resilience but mental readiness, too.

Fighting perceived muscle fatigue with a pre-workout ice bath

One of the most impactful benefits of an ice bath before a workout is its ability to reduce perceived fatigue. Cold exposure helps increase pain tolerance and resilience, both of which are essential for intense workouts. Studies show that an ice bath can reduce the feeling of exertion, allowing you to push a bit harder during training. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published a study demonstrating that pre-cooling, such as using an ice bath, helped athletes maintain peak performance in high-intensity activities with less perceived fatigue (Schlader et al., 2018).

Imagine getting through that last interval or final lap with less mental drain or pain. An ice bath affects pain receptors, which may make high-intensity workouts feel more manageable. For endurance or interval-based workouts, an ice bath can be the difference between stopping short and pushing through.

When not to use an ice bath if strength training

Though an ice bath offers many benefits, it isn’t suitable for every type of workout. Cold immersion before resistance or power exercises can actually reduce muscle contractility, which is essential for maximal force production. Ice baths may restrict blood flow to the muscles, lowering their responsiveness and ability to exert force fully.

According to research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, taking an ice bath before heavy strength or power training might diminish muscle function, making it harder to lift heavy or perform at your best in high-power movements (Halson et al., 2014). So, if your goals are centered on building muscle or power output, it’s best to reserve the ice bath for after your workout, where it can support recovery instead of inhibiting performance. Read on for the imporance of timing when it comes to strength work recovery.

Warning - using an ice bath for recovery if strength training

An ice bath can absolutely help you recover after a weights session, but timing is key. When you finish your last set, prioritise hydration and nutrition. Feeding your muscles with the right fuel will help repair and build your muscle. Although it might be tempting to jump in an ice bath with the idea of reducing muscle soreness (DOMS), using cold water immersion too soon can inhibit muscle growth. Growing muscle actively requires inflammation. So, if your exercise goals are muscle building-based, avoid CWI up to the neck for at least 4 hours after training. 

Optimal ice bath strategies for re-workout use

So, what’s the best way to use an ice bath before your workout to maximize benefits? Here are some tips backed by the latest research:

1. Limit duration and set the right temperature
   Short immersions of about 2–5 minutes in water at roughly 10°C (59°F) are ideal for a pre-workout ice bath. Extremely cold temperatures or long immersion times can stiffen muscles, which isn’t helpful if you’re about to exercise.
2. Take time to adjust before the workout
   Finish your ice bath around 10–20 minutes before starting your exercise. This gives your body time to reach a comfortable level of readiness without fully losing the benefits of the pre-cooling effect.
3. Match the ice bath to your workout type
   Pre-workout ice baths work best for endurance or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).  If your session involves heavy lifting or strength-building, save the ice bath for around 4 hours afterward.

Ice baths: Balancing performance and recovery

The rise of cold water immersion has introduced many athletes to the benefits of an ice bath, whether for pre-workout performance or post-workout recovery. As the research has shown, using an ice bath can help maximise endurance and focus when incorporated thoughtfully. With studies supporting its advantages in endurance sports and cognitive focus, an ice bath before specific workout types can yield both physical and mental benefits (Kay et al., 1999; Jansky et al., 1996). Meanwhile, strength-focused athletes may see better results from using an ice bath after their workout to aid recovery after the initial inflammation has served its purpose.

As science continues to explore CWI, it’s clear that the benefits of an ice bath go beyond just physical recovery. By using ice baths strategically, athletes and enthusiasts alike can harness cold exposure to achieve specific training goals.

By leveraging ice baths for the right workout context, you’re not just taking a plunge—you’re optimising your performance and recovery, one cold dip at a time.

References

1. Kay, D., et al. (1999). Effect of exercise intensity on body temperature regulation in the heat. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 31(1), 82-89.
2. Jansky, L., et al. (1996). Increase in norepinephrine plasma levels and decrease in heart rate variability in humans due to cold water immersion. Frontiers in Physiology, 4, 10-13.
3. Ross, M., et al. (2011). Effects of pre-cooling on athletic performance in the heat: A meta-analytic review. Sports Medicine, 41(3), 183-192.
4. Schlader, Z.J., et al. (2018). The impact of whole-body cooling on perceived exertion and performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(4), 1071-1080.