The Study
Cold water immersion enhances recovery of submaximal muscle function after resistance exercise.
This study shows that after lifting weights, cold water baths might help young men lift heavier weights in later sets, but it doesn’t prove it’s the cold water that caused it. It’s like noticing ice cream sales go up when it’s hot — they’re linked, but we can’t say one causes the other.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Researchers tested if sitting in cold water helps muscles recover better than light cycling after a hard workout.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 554 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1It helps you handle more total work in a follow-up session, but doesn't restore peak strength faster.
- 2Cold water didn't help with max strength or jumping, but it helped people lift 38% more weight during the end of a workout 6 hours later.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology
Year
2014
Authors
L. Roberts, K. Nosaka, J. Coombes, J. Peake
Related Content
Claims (4)
Taking cold water baths after working out might make your muscles feel less sore, but it won’t help you recover faster and could actually slow muscle growth by blocking the body’s natural healing response.
Taking a 10-minute cold bath at 10°C after a hard strength workout doesn’t help young, active guys bounce back faster in terms of muscle power or strength within a few hours.
If young, active guys take a 10-minute cold bath at 10°C after a hard strength workout, they can lift way more weight in their next workout just six hours later—about 38% more—compared to just cooling down with light activity.
If young, active guys take a 10-minute cold bath at 10°C after lifting weights, their muscle temperature drops by about 7°C and stays low for over half an hour.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.