Using Cold After Exercise Hampers Muscle Gains — Now We Know Why

The downsides of this popular recovery modality.

There’s a war on ice baths — and ice baths are losing.

In the last few years, we’ve seen pretty damning evidence against the use of post-exercise cold water immersion (CWI). Even though its role as a recovery strategy is supported by the fact that it appears to reduce soreness and support psychological recovery, CWI may blunt the physiological adaptations typically associated with some types of training — primarily strength training.

Several studies have reported attenuated gains in muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength following repeated post-exercise CWI exposure. Meta-analyses suggest small to moderate reductions in key strength-related measures like one-repetition maximum and muscle cross-sectional area (size) among individuals consistently using CWI after resistance training sessions. While the magnitude of these effects is modest, they become increasingly relevant for people seeking maximal muscle gains.

In contrast to its effects on resistance training, CWI does not appear to impair, and may even support, endurance-related adaptations. For example, some studies have shown enhanced activation of signaling pathways involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, particularly through…