Ice baths

Flip · Feb 27, 2008

1) Who has them? 
Me 
2) When do you have them? 
Usually 1 or 2 a week, at the end of a particularly gruelling 2 or 3-a-days. 
3) How cold do you make the water? 
Cold enough that it HURTS. 
4) Do you follow them with a hot shower? 
Always. 
5) How do you make the time pass? 
I sit in a sweatshirt with just my legs/lower back in the cold water. I take a stopwatch and time 8 minutes. Sometimes I try to read, but I'm usually shivering too much <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> 
-- Sometimes I add epsom salts to the water, and then drink about a litre of water while having my ice bath. It sucks, but it sure works. 
Let's hear your ice bath stories!!

Doug33 · Feb 27, 2008

Where do you get all of the ice to make an ice bath?

niemsco · Feb 27, 2008

My massage therapist said heat before cold, which does make sense. You can get in the tub with luke warm water and then start putting the ice in. This will make it more tolerable. I use to just get in the cold water and it sucked.

Stitcher · Feb 27, 2008

yeah.... 
I take a giant bowl and empty my ice maker into it.... 
then, start with tolerable but cool water, and go down in temp from there. 
I did them when I did my long runs over 3 hours for my 'thon training, and was really surprised at how much better I felt AFTERWARD. DURING....Ack! Same thing....not very deep water....just enough to sit in and barely cover thighs. Sweat shirt...kept my hat on too. 
Sometimes, I'd make hot chocolate, even in summer.

Flip · Feb 27, 2008

Mmmmmm. Hot chocolate and Ice bath? That sounds *almost* heavenly <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> I'll have to try that. <img alt="banana.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif"> 
If I have time I do a contrast shower instead, but I don't like the cold part of the shower. I'd rather get the ice bath over with and then enjoy my hot shower. 
I usually just buy bags of ice from the grocery store, store them in the freezer, and empty half a bag into the tub when it's bath time. I have been known to go and get a bucket of snow outside in the winter and dump that into the bath instead <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> 
Yes, Canadians are crazy. <img alt="roll_eyes.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/roll_eyes.gif"> 
Meg

merigayle · Feb 27, 2008

I do ice baths after long races, 50 and 100 miles. A wise person told me to start in an empty tub and fill it waist high with cold water, then dump the ice. Every time i have done it, i was at a hotel for a race and got the ice there. At home i do cold epsom salt baths. For the ice bath, it is best to wear a sweatshirt!!!

Stitcher · Feb 27, 2008

hey...using the ice/snow that God gave you isn't crazy, it's economical!! 
My timing for the bath is as long as it takes for most of the ice cubes to melt to slivers. However long that ends up being. As I get more used to the water, too...I'll take some of the ice and massage it on my thighs sometimes. (they melt quicker that way). 
I haven't done one in a loooooooooooooong time. I think the first is the worst.

BethR · Feb 27, 2008

I do them after long rides or runs. cold water with all the ice in the ice maker (we don't use it on a regular basis for drinks). I haven't had to do one in eons because I haven't been training long, but will start back this spring as my distances increase. - haven't thought of doing them after shorter workouts, even intense track workouts, but may be a good idea. 
Also, it's always a good idea to jump back into the water after a tri (if allowed) to cool off and get the blood circulating.

TriBob · Feb 27, 2008

I have done them once or twice. I usually use an ice gel pack after long runs. Less shrinkage. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

Boggs · Feb 27, 2008

When I lived in Miami I used to fill a big Rubbermaid type storage container (big enough that I could get my butt and thighs in) with ice from the ice maker and water from the hose, out on the back deck. I'd put my bathing suit on and it was actually quite tolerable. 
Haven't done an ice bath since living in VA, haven't been training with enough intensity. But I do always keep a spare water bottle in the freezer and I give myself ice bottle massages after hard workouts. You can do that in a warm shower and it's not bad at all.

Kate60 · Feb 28, 2008

Only after really long runs and sometimes just cold water. 
Always hot shower after. 
I use ice from the ice maker. 
I usually only mange 5 mins or so.

Tithers · Feb 28, 2008

I haven't taken an Ice Bath since October 11, 2005

kcwoodhead · Feb 28, 2008

I must have hot chocolate to enter an ice bath (usually the only time I have hot chocolate). I wear a sweatshirt and read a magazine or talk to someone on the phone. The real thing that gets me through is the small space heater I put on a stool to blow hot air on my face. 
Also, as someone else said, the trick is to get in, then run cold water to cover your legs, then add the ice. I try to stay in at least 10 minutes. 
I say all this and haven't taken one in forever. I probably should be over the next 4 weeks with my IMAZ training, but I'm never exactly motivated to do so.

Stitcher · Feb 28, 2008

The first time I did one it was sooo funny. 
The conversation between the brain and the feet. 
get in! 
no 
get in! 
no 
Get TF in!!! 
NO NO NO 
GET IN NOW...... 
lol 
Then, I remembered that I used tons of ice while diving and such, so there was no reason not to. AND, then once I did it, and felt so much better afterward.... 
the 2nd one was easier.

aquaflame · Feb 28, 2008

I also took to taking ice baths after long runs in marathon training, it helps my recovery immeasurably. 
Like many people who've already posted, I too wear a fleece sweater and hat into the tub and cannot do it without a cup of steaming hot chicken noodle soup or hot chocolate. I've been listening to books on tape while running long lately and keeping the story playing while I'm in the bath helps the time pass sooo much faster.

QuixoticNotions · Feb 28, 2008

I have occasionally 
2) after long or hard runs. 16+ miles 
3) I put in only cold water and a couple big bags of ice. Then I get in. Not sure how cold it is but I know once I put the water too high and started having trouble breathing and had to jump out. Now I'm careful it only JUST covers the legs and leaves my torso be.. 
4) I suppose so, but I never really thought about it-- just showered to get clean afterwards. 
5) I set a time while I'm in, sit there in a sweatshirt and a cup of hot cocoa. Sometimes I'll massage the muscle with blocks of ice if they are really tired-- or I'll flip through a magazine, or talk to DH while he laughs at me for torturing myself. <img alt="" src="http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/kriskelvin/heathericebath.jpg" style="border:0px solid;"> 
The ice had already melted here. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> (pay no attention to the background - old place, it was clean, really, there was just dirt behind the grout. Had to regrout it to make it go away)

Tithers · Feb 28, 2008

For a minute I thought this was gonna turn into another "What's Britney not Wearing" thread.

QuixoticNotions · Feb 28, 2008

I have bathing suit on under that. I'm more covered than you are in your tri-suit!

Tithers · Feb 28, 2008

jkaiser20 · Feb 28, 2008

I don't do ice baths. One big reason is I have no ice. Its a Germany thing. I doubt there is enough ice on my entire block to chill 3.78 liters (a single gallon) of water. 
After long runs I normally use cold water. Either in the tub or simply in the shower with the handheld sprayer (99% of showers in Germany I think have this, we have one in tube and one in shower) and run the cold water on my legs. I seems to really help.

Ice baths

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