Guide · Ice bathing
Ice Bathing for Beginners: How to Start Safely and Do It Right
As a beginner you start at 10 to 15 °C, stay in the water for one to two minutes and bathe two to three times a week. You get in slowly, keep breathing calmly, keep your head above water and never go in alone the first time. If you feel short of breath, dizzy or have chest pain, you get out immediately. The cold shock is a strain on the heart and circulation even for healthy people; the rules in this guide keep the risk small, but not zero. Everything else – temperature, duration, time of day, breathing, equipment – this guide explains step by step.
Contents (13 sections)
- 01Is ice bathing healthy?
- 02Preparation: what you need for your first ice bath
- 03Breathing correctly
- 04How long? The duration table
- 05How often?
- 06Morning or evening? Before or after training?
- 07Your first ice bath, step by step
- 08The three most common beginner mistakes
- 09After the ice bath: warming up
- 10Calories burned
- 11When you should not ice bathe
- 12Ice bathing at home: tub, barrel or bath?
- 13Frequently asked questions
I have been bathing at 5 °C three to four mornings a week for years, two minutes each time. What I have learned doing that, and in hundreds of conversations with customers, is in this text. It is written for everyone who has never been in cold water, or only a few times.
Why I go into the ice bath in the morning: Afterwards you feel like new. Your skin turns red, your whole body feels warm and alive, everything feels light and fresh. You are clearer, more awake, full of energy and start the day really well. That is the main reason for me. On top of that, I have been ill far less often for years; whether that is down to the ice bathing I cannot prove, but I would not give it up.
At a glance
Your first ice bath in four steps
- 1PrepareNever alone. Check the water at 10–15 °C, set a timer for 60 seconds, neoprene socks and hat on.
- 2Get in slowlyBreathe out deeply three times, then get in slowly – do not jump. Breathe out as you get in.
- 3Stay calmFour in, six out. Sit still. Out slowly after 60 seconds at most – immediately if you are short of breath, dizzy, have chest pain or panic.
- 4Warm upDry off, get dressed warmly, drink something warm. No hot water afterwards.
Is ice bathing healthy? What it does and what it does not
For healthy adults, ice bathing in short, controlled sessions is well tolerated, and several effects have been observed in studies. It is not without risk: the cold shock on entering the water can trigger strong reactions of the heart and circulation even in young, healthy people. That is why the rules in this guide – get in slowly, have someone with you the first time, get out immediately if something feels wrong – are not optional extras but the basis. To be honest: many of these studies are small, and for some effects the data is thinner than the enthusiasm on social media suggests. These are the effects with evidence behind them:
- Alertness and mood. The cold stimulus releases noradrenaline and dopamine. That is why most people feel clear, calm and refreshed after the bath. It is the effect almost everyone notices first.
- Stress regulation. Anyone who regularly practises a controlled cold stimulus trains the ability to breathe calmly in a stressful situation. You take that ability into everyday life.
- Recovery after sport. Cold water reduces swelling and the feeling of sore muscles. When that makes sense and when it does not is covered in the section on time of day.
- Circulation training. Blood vessels contract in the cold and widen again afterwards. That is training for the regulation of your vessels, not a therapy.
- Brown fat. Cold activates brown fat tissue, which produces heat. The effect is real, but small. Ice bathing is no use for losing weight – more on that below.
What ice bathing cannot do: It replaces neither sleep nor exercise nor treatment. If you are ill, take a break. And the effects depend on regularity, not on toughness: a two-minute bath three times a week does more than a single heroic dip at 1 °C.
In more detail: Is ice bathing healthy? What the studies really show.
Preparation: what you need for your first ice bath
You do not need weeks of preparation. At 15 °C you can get straight into the tub. In my experience a cold shower is often more unpleasant than an ice bath: in the shower the water only ever hits individual spots, and the body never reaches the state where it is fully immersed and settles down. The feeling afterwards, warm, awake and fresh from head to toe, is something I do not get from the shower the way I get it from the bath. So if the cold shower puts you off, do not let it stop you.
Cold showers as an optional way to get used to it: If you want to approach the cold stimulus gradually, end a few showers with 30 to 60 seconds of cold water and concentrate on one thing only: keep breathing calmly. There are indications from research that repeated cold showers can reduce the breathing reaction when you later immerse yourself. It is not necessary for starting at 15 °C.
Check first: If you have cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, a respiratory condition or are pregnant, talk to your doctor first. No exceptions. The cold shock pushes pulse and blood pressure up sharply in the first seconds.
Equipment for the first time:
- A large towel and warm, loose clothing to put on afterwards (layers, a hat, thick socks).
- Neoprene socks. At the beginning the feet hurt most; that is the reason many people give up on the first attempt. With neoprene socks you stay relaxed in the water until the rest of the body has settled. Arctic Socks neoprene socks
- A clock or timer within sight, so you do not go by feel.
- A warm drink for afterwards.
What you do not need: ice. For the first bath, tap water is enough. Measure the temperature with a thermometer: in winter, tap water often comes out at 8 to 12 °C, which is already too cold for the first bath. If it is below 10 °C, add warm water until you are at 10 to 15 °C.
Breathing correctly in the ice bath
Breathing decides whether your first ice bath is a good experience. On immersion the cold triggers a reflex: fast, shallow inhaling, the so-called gasp reflex. It is normal, and it passes if you do not fight it but breathe through it.
This is how it goes:
- Before you get in, breathe out slowly and deeply three times. Longer out than in.
- As you get in, breathe out deliberately, not in. Breathing out relaxes.
- In the water you count: four seconds in, six seconds out. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
- Once your breathing is calm, usually after 20 to 40 seconds, the cold shock is behind you.
That is also the first thing I tell everyone who gets into the tub with us for the first time: keep breathing calmly, do not fall into gasping. If you master that, you do not need any special technique.
On the Wim Hof method: Its breathing exercise (fast deep breathing, then holding the breath) has nothing to do with the ice bath itself, and this guide does not recommend it for beginners. If you want to practise it, do so only sitting or lying down in a safe place, never in the water, never at the edge of the tub and never just before getting in: hyperventilating can lead to loss of consciousness, and in water that is life-threatening. For the ice bath only one thing applies: breathe calmly and evenly.
How long? The duration table
In short: as a beginner, one to two minutes at 10 to 15 °C. Longer is not necessary for starting out and mainly means more cooling down.
| Experience | Water temperature | Recommended duration | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first 4 weeks) | 10–15 °C | 1–2 minutes | Better short and regular than long and rare |
| Intermediate | 5–10 °C | 2 minutes, maximum 5 | In my experience, longer adds nothing but more cooling |
| Experienced | 3–5 °C | 2 minutes | Colder does not make it better, only riskier |
These values are practical values from years of my own bathing and from what our customers report, deliberately chosen on the cautious side. Research has not established an "optimal" duration to this day; which combination of temperature and time produces which effect best is an open question. What I can say from experience: after about two minutes I feel everything I expect from the bath – alertness, calm, the feeling afterwards. Anyone who stays five minutes at 5 °C gains nothing noticeable but increases the risk of hypothermia and of the so-called afterdrop, the further fall in core temperature after getting out.
Two rules that always apply:
- Get out if you shiver uncontrollably, your fingers go stiff or you feel dizzy. Whatever the clock says.
- Head above water. The body loses a lot of heat through the head, and submerging it intensifies the cold shock.
Temperature in detail, including settings for chillers: Ice bath temperature: the perfect degrees for beginners and pros.
How often?
Two to three times a week is enough to feel the effects and keep them. More is allowed if you feel good; I bathe three to four times a week.
| Phase | Frequency | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First 4 weeks | 2× per week, at least one day off in between | The body learns the cold, the nervous system adapts |
| From week 5 | 2–4× per week | You can test shorter intervals; watch your sleep and recovery |
| Daily | possible for experienced bathers | Not necessary for the effect; if you feel tired or irritable, take a day off |
A sign that it is too much: you feel the cold more easily during the day, sleep worse or lose the desire. Then take a week off, then get back in.
In detail, with a weekly plan: Ice bathing in everyday life.
Morning or evening? Before or after training?
Morning is the better time of day for most people. The cold stimulus wakes you up, lifts your mood and you have the whole day to get warm again. I always bathe in the morning. In the evening the bath can activate some people so much that they fall asleep less easily; if you bathe in the evening, keep two to three hours between the bath and going to bed.
Before or after training depends on your goal:
- After endurance training or with sore muscles: yes, the cold bath helps recovery and reduces the heavy feeling in the legs.
- After strength training, if you want to build muscle: not directly afterwards. Cold dampens the inflammatory response the muscle needs to grow; that is well documented for the bath immediately after training. Whether a bath a few hours later still slows growth is not settled. The cautious solution: bathe on rest days.
- Before training: a short bath can wake you up but cools the muscles. Warm up thoroughly afterwards, otherwise the risk of injury rises.
Your first ice bath, step by step
- Never alone. The first time, someone is there who can see you and help if needed.
- Check the water. 10 to 15 °C. A thermometer takes the guesswork out of it.
- Set a timer. 60 seconds. No longer, however good it feels.
- Neoprene socks on, hat on. Hands stay out; they are as sensitive to pain as the feet.
- Breathe out deeply three times, then get in slowly, do not jump. Legs, hips, stomach, shoulders. Breathe out as you get in.
- Keep breathing calmly. Four in, six out. The urge to gasp for air passes after half a minute.
- Sit still. Movement in the water carries heat away. Sit relaxed, look ahead.
- Out after 60 seconds. Stand up slowly, stand still for a moment, then out of the tub.
- Dry off, get dressed, drink something warm. Upper body first, then legs, then dry warm clothes. No hot water afterwards.
After the bath you will probably shiver; that is the body's normal reaction. Plan about half an hour for warming up: dry off immediately, put on dry warm clothes, drink something warm; light movement only if you feel good doing it. The body keeps cooling down after you get out, so the first time someone stays with you until the shivering subsides. If it gets stronger instead of weaker, if your condition worsens or you become confused or drowsy, that is an emergency: keep warm and get help.
The three most common beginner mistakes
From hundreds of conversations with customers on the phone and in the showroom, I keep seeing the same three mistakes:
1. Too long the first time. Ambition drives many people to three or four minutes on their first bath. The result: violent shivering, a bad experience, no second bath. One minute is enough.
2. Not starting slowly and building up. Anyone who starts straight at 5 °C the first time experiences the full cold shock without any acclimatisation. Start at 15 °C – that is cold enough for a beginner – and go colder step by step over weeks. Temperature is the dial, not duration.
3. Getting out too early. This is the mistake hardly anyone knows: the first 20 to 40 seconds are the most unpleasant, because the cold shock speeds up your breathing. Anyone who gets out exactly then, although otherwise fine, misses the moment when breathing calms down and the calm arrives. Unpleasant is not the same as dangerous. But the exit rule always applies: if you are short of breath, dizzy, have chest pain or panic, get out immediately, no matter how many seconds have passed. The time is a guide, not a target you have to reach.
After the ice bath: warming up and aftercare
After the bath you warm up slowly, in this order: dry off, put on dry warm clothes (hat, socks, several layers), drink something warm. No hot shower and no hot bath straight afterwards: the cold blood from arms and legs flows back to the trunk when you warm up quickly and lowers the core temperature further – the afterdrop. Vigorous movement immediately after getting out also drives cold blood into the circulation; a calm walk is fine if you feel good, strength exercises or sprints are not. The shivering is your body's heating – let it work.
In detail: Ice bath: warming up and optimal aftercare.
Calories burned by ice bathing
Honestly: few. A two-minute ice bath burns only a few calories during the bath itself. The shivering afterwards and the activation of brown fat raise energy expenditure for a while, but not by an amount that matters for losing weight. Anyone who recommends ice bathing for weight loss is selling you something. The benefit lies in mood, stress and recovery, not on the scales.
More on this: Ice bathing and nutrition.
When you should not ice bathe
Talk to your doctor before the first bath if any of these applies to you:
- Heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure
- Circulatory disorders, Raynaud's syndrome
- Asthma or other respiratory conditions
- Pregnancy
- Epilepsy
- Acute infection, fever, a cold: pause until you are well
And never after alcohol. Alcohol widens the blood vessels and undermines the body's protective mechanism against cold.
Ice bathing at home: tub, barrel or bath?
If you want to ice bathe at home, you need a tub you can immerse yourself in up to the chest. For a start, a foldable tub with ice or winter water is enough; if you bathe regularly, a chiller saves you the ice and gives you constantly cold water every morning. Which type suits a balcony, garden or flat is explained on the page Ice barrels & ice tubs; the sets with a chiller are under Complete sets with cooling system.
Ice barrels & ice tubsFrequently asked questions about ice bathing for beginners
How long should a beginner stay in an ice bath?
One to two minutes at 10 to 15 °C. That is a cautious practical value for starting out; longer is not necessary at the beginning. Get out as soon as you shiver uncontrollably or feel unwell, regardless of the clock.
How often should you ice bathe?
Two to three times a week is enough for the effect. Experienced bathers also bathe daily; it is not necessary.
Which temperature is right for beginners?
10 to 15 °C. Only after four weeks lower it slowly to 5 to 10 °C. Below 5 °C only with experience, and even then two minutes is enough.
Ice bathing in the morning or evening?
Morning. The cold stimulus wakes you up; in the evening it can disturb falling asleep. If you bathe in the evening, keep two to three hours before bedtime.
Ice bathing before or after training?
After endurance training for recovery, yes. After strength training with the goal of building muscle, not directly afterwards; the cautious solution is the bath on rest days.
Is ice bathing healthy?
For healthy adults in short, regular sessions, yes: better mood, stress regulation, recovery. With cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or during pregnancy, check with a doctor first.
How many calories does ice bathing burn?
Few. Energy expenditure rises briefly, but not by an amount that matters for losing weight.
Can I ice bathe alone?
No, not even later. Anyone who loses consciousness in cold water can neither call out nor get out on their own; someone in the next room will not notice. That is why even experienced bathers should have someone present who can see them and help immediately. In open water this applies without exception.
About the author: Thomas Cronenberg is the founder of Arctic Tub in Cologne and has been bathing at 5 °C in the morning for years. Arctic Tub designs ice tubs and chillers in Cologne and delivers throughout the EU.