Cold bath after riding

[The Londoner]

Apart from helping to quell impure thoughts about Victora Pembeleton is there any merit in terms of reducing muscle soreness for the hobby rider to take a cold bath after a ride? I know professional sportsmen use ice baths after training so any benefits for the amateur?

[pdV6]

I find that having a normal "hot" shower, followed by spraying cooler (not cold) water onto my legs really refreshes the muscles. Not sure what science is behind it but was recommended this method many years ago (by whom, I forget) and it certainly seems to work.

[anonymous-user]

It's like most things health related....some swear by cold baths, others say they are a waste of time.

I find that a good warm down is very important. If riding purely for pleasure I tend to cruise for the last few miles, then when I get home I do a good selection of stretches then jump in a warm shower. If it's been a particularly long or tough ride then i'll have a hot bath and get the mrs to give me a rub while I drink a cold beer. Biggest mistake I made last year was after doing Oxford to Cambridge; the mrs picked me up and the end and I got straight in the car and we drove back home (near Dover)...I got out of the car and could barely walk..it was actually quite embarassing!

Oh and there's nothing wrong with thinking about Victoria Pendleton...

[mat205125]

Stuff the health benifts. After my ride through icy puddles/mud and -100 degree wind chills yesterday, my molten lava temperature bath felt soooooooo good

[Fourmotion]

A cold bath helps to constrict the blood vessels and force the blood to flow out of your legs. This includes the lactic acid that has built up in them. When you then have a warm shower afterwards, it opens up the vessels and allows fresh blood (minus lactic acid) to flow into them.

I tend to have a cold shower after a run/ride in the mornings so I can do another activity at lunch time or in the evening. If I'm only exercising once in a day then I don't bother, as I can usually recover in a day.

If your legs tend to ache for the following couple of days after a ride I would recommend at least giving it a go. You've got nothing to lose! (Well, except your hard on, but that’s for you to decide whether a benefit or hindrance)

[ewenm]

I'd make sure you are doing a decent warm down at the end of the ride before thinking about cold baths. Riding easily for 5-10 mins to get the crap out of your legs is a good idea and perhaps some stretching of any particularly tight or problematic muscles.

I train twice a day (running, morning and evening) most days and have no need of ice baths etc.

However, give it a go if you feel like it. When i have used ice baths I've found them particularly unpleasant.

[bigandclever]

http://www.training-conditioning.com/2007/08/ice_b...

I find a few ice cold beers works better