Ice Bath becomes a trending cold recovery tool in New Zealand

A leading New Zealand sports gear retailer announces that their ice bath (cold plunge pool) is trending in the country.

With the cold recovery tool currently trending in New Zealand (NZ), Musclegun Limited wanted to offer its customers a premium product that would still provide relief from aches, pains and sports injuries.

An ice bath is used to submerge the body into a bath of ice for a limited duration to help athletes and the general population with their overall well-being. The ice bath offered doesn’t require any plumbing, is portable and can be used indoors and outdoors with a lid to keep the water clean between uses.

Cold plunge pool commonly asked questions

On their website, Musclegun has a useful question-and-answer section that addresses the common concerns customers have about an ice bath and how to use the product for the best results. An extract of this has been included below:

Are ice baths effective in NZ?

Taking ice baths can be helpful, as long as you don't have health problems like heart disease. If your body is strong enough to handle the cold, there are many good things for your body and mind that can come from doing ice baths often, like one or two times every week.

Here are some good things that can happen:

1. More happiness chemicals - A study in 2000 by Šrámek and others discovered that ice baths can make a lot more happiness chemicals, called dopamine, flow in your blood (250% more than usual).

2. Feeling awake and sharp - A newer study in 2022 by Schwabe and others found that a quick ice bath can make your body produce adrenaline, which helps you feel awake and focused.

How long should individuals ice bath for?

According to Higgins and their team in 2017, a good way to do ice baths is to dip yourself in cold water two times for 5 minutes each. The water should be around 10 degrees Celsius. After each dip, sit and rest for 2 minutes.

But remember, there are other things to think about too. Like how warm or cold the place around you is, what you like, and how safe you want to be. It also depends on what you want to get from the ice bath – like if you're doing it for your body or mind.

Should individuals take a hot shower after an ice bath?

If your goal is to maximize the enduring advantages associated with ice baths, it is advisable to avoid taking a hot shower after an ice bath. This recommendation stems from the understanding that a substantial portion of the beneficial outcomes attributed to cold exposure therapy are a result of the intricate physiological responses provoked by the cold stimulus. Allowing the body to naturally re-warm without the aid of external heat sources preserves the intricate interplay of biochemical and vascular processes that contribute to the observed benefits.

Can you use instant ice packs for ice baths?

Yes, ice packs can serve the purpose within an ice bath context. However, when considering the utilization of instant ice packs, there exist more optimal methods to effectively cool your immersion vessel that are both economically prudent and less cumbersome, minimizing unnecessary resource consumption.

Where in New Zealand can I buy an ice bath?

Ice baths can be purchased online and delivered anywhere in NZ, including the major cities of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. As well as smaller cities and rural towns in the North Island and South Island.

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