• What are the best protocols for cold exposure?

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    To maximize the benefits of deliberate cold exposure, recommends several protocols depending on your goals:

    1. General Cold Exposure:

      • Aim for a temperature that is safe yet challenging, allowing you to stay in for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. This can be around 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, but will vary based on individual cold tolerance 1.
      • Begin with brief exposure and gradually increase duration as you build tolerance. Safety and consistency are key 1.
    2. Mental Resilience and Performance:

    3. Physical Performance:

      • Deliberate cold exposure can reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery. However, avoid cold water immersion immediately after strength training, as it might inhibit hypertrophy. If your goal is muscle growth, wait at least 4 hours post-training before using cold exposure 4.
      • Cold exposure after high-intensity exercise can reduce muscle inflammation and soreness, improving perceived recovery compared to passive methods 5.
    4. Metabolism:

      • To maximize metabolic benefits, follow the Søberg principle: end your cold exposure without reheating immediately (e.g., transition from cold to room temperature). This must be repeated a few times to induce shivering, which activates brown fat thermogenesis and boosts metabolism 6.
    5. Practical Protocols:

      • collaborates with The Cold Plunge and offers a fat-loss protocol focused on inducing shivers through repeated cold and rewarming cycles. It doesn't matter how cold exposure is accessed (plunge, shower, rivers) as long as shivering occurs 7.

    To summarize, choose a protocol based on your specific goals—whether building mental resilience, enhancing physical recovery, or boosting metabolism. Ensure safety and gradually adapt to increased exposure durations for optimal outcomes.

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