Post: #226

Stood outside for 5 minutes in just shorts in 10 degree weather this morning. Went on a 2 mile run last night with shorts and a very light sweater in 15 degrees last night.

Post: #227

Wim Hof is a mad genius. He knows his shit.

Post: #228

Cold bath submersion while exhaling and holding your breath is the next level after cold showers and takes a bit more will power. No need to change the water for a couple of days if you go in clean.

Very effective for taking care of lethargy after a long hard day or during hot weather.

Post: #229

Anybody done Wim Hof's course? Curious if it's worth the time; planning on doing Jordan Peterson's self-authoring in the new year and looking for one or two other projects.

Post: #230

I've tried several time to take up cold showers, but I always quit after a few days because it was so brutal. I started again two weeks ago, but I've stuck with it this time. There haven't been any noticeable benefits yet. But it's interesting that after getting past the first week, my body seems to have already adapted to taking cold showers. In the first few days I could only tolerate it for less than a minute, but two weeks on I can comfortably stand under a cold shower for five minutes or more. I'm surprised that my body has adapted so quickly. I don't see any reason to stop now.

Post: #231

A couple of professional athletes I talked to taught me about the hot&cold shower. It is allegedly the best for relaxing your muscles after a workout, plus for refreshing yourself and giving you all the benefits of cold showers.

Preferrably do it after a workout.

Wet yourself in as hot water as you can bear.

Apply soap, shampoo, whatever you use.

Then rinse yourself with as cold water as possible.

Over time, you'll be able to endure almost steaming hot and freezing cold water. Works wonders for building psycho-physical toughness.

I often tell myself than most of life's problems and anxiety go away after a hundred pushups and a hot&cold shower.

Try it out, I'm telling you!

Post: #232

(08-27-2018 02:23 PM)BlackHussar Wrote:  A couple of professional athletes I talked to taught me about the hot&cold shower.

Also referred to as "contrast showers" if you're researching benefits.

Post: #233

I used to do cold showers all the time in 2016. It was amazing when i found out about it. I did it primarily for the 3 benefits of "relieves depression, increases testosterone and helps fight acne" but having read up on it now, it's said to be bad after a workout. They say it reduces inflammation of the muscles, and inflammation is NEEDED for the muscle to grow optimal. That's why you don't see athletes do it every day, but rather only before an upcoming match/event to relax the muscles. There's absolutely no doubt about the benefits of cold showers, it completely helped me with a minor depression when i started it, but could it be good only once in a while rather than after workout?

Before workout, it's not recommended to cold shower since you would want your muscles to be warm and not stiff when you're about to lift heavy weights. So is the solution to all of this to cold shower in the morning and reap the benefits, then shower normally after every workout?

Cold showers are said to inhibit muscle protein synthesis via inhibiting the mTOR pathway. So it's said to be bad for muscle hypertrophy.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMObYA0n6As

"How does all this work? Athletes who do cold water immersion say that their exercise recovery is better. The better recovery probably comes about because the cold dampens inflammation.

The problem is, inflammation is necessary for muscle hypertrophy. Applying weights to muscles causes signals to be sent telling the muscles to grow, and inflammation is a part of these signals.

Cold showers have benefits, among them activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, better immune function, and an antidepressant effect. But done post-workout, they may very well decrease muscle growth. I continue to take them daily, but not after a gym session."

Source: http://roguehealthandfitness.com/could-c...le-growth/

Post: #234

(12-21-2017 09:27 PM)BadgerHut Wrote:  

(12-21-2017 09:37 AM)General Stalin Wrote:  Cold showers are snake oil if you ask me. Biggest benefit is that it shocks your nervouse system and triggers a biological response that causes you to feel awake and energized.

I don't understand the criticism?

Just my opinion on the subject. I've heard and read people discussing all these outrageous claims of broader and long-term benefits of it. It's like when people exaggerate the benefits of marijuana. Like, yeah it has some noticeable short-term benefits that some people may find helpful (like pain management with marijuana or energy/alertness from cold water showers) but you're not curing cancer or any other miraculous claims of health benefits that some proponents tote.

Unless all this thread is talking about is how cold showers wake you up/snap you out of lethargy. You can do the same thing going for a quick 15-20 second sprint, and in my opinion that is far less shitty than dowsing yourself with cold water. The mental component of making yourself accustomed to being uncomfortable I can understand though.

Post: #235

(12-21-2017 09:37 AM)General Stalin Wrote:  Cold showers are snake oil if you ask me. Biggest benefit is that it shocks your nervouse system and triggers a biological response that causes you to feel awake and energized.

It appears we have a nonbeliever in our midst boys....

Post: #236

So I did NoFap and contrast showers for about 6-8 weeks. Have to say I didn’t notice any significant benefits.

If anything there was detriments - I noticed my genitals shrinking due to the cold showers and my balls shrinking and going up into my body.

In addition, as I was doing NoFap, there was no circulation to my dick as I was no longer getting boners.

I went on dates during this period but didn’t get laid once.

I was working out and going for runs but didn’t notice any significant improvement in energy levels either.

I wanted to believe in the benefits of both NoFap and cold showers as they are fun (!) challenging things to do, but ultimately didn’t seem to provide any benefit.

Post: #237

Post: #238

(04-09-2012 10:44 AM)slubu Wrote:  

(04-09-2012 05:18 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  Increases fertility. Trying to become a dad? Cold showers are good for your little swimmers. Your testes aren’t meant to get too hot; that’s why they hang outside your body. Sperm counts decrease when the temperature of a man’s testes increases. Experiments done in the 1950s showed that hot baths were an effective contraceptive. Men who took a 30 minute hot bath every other day for 3 weeks were infertile for the next six months. More recently, the University of California at San Francisco did a study with men who were exposed to 30 minutes of “wet heat” (hot baths and such) a week. When the men cut this exposure out, their sperm count went up by 491%, and their sperm’s motility improved as well. While switching from a hot to cold shower may not have as dramatic an effect, if you’re trying to create some progeny, it surely won’t hurt.

Well there goes that. I want the least possible chance of impregnating a girl possible.

So if my girl has an IUD, do I just start using condoms to compensate for starting cold showers?

I think that's how the math works here...

Post: #239

I would like to add my name to the Cold Shower Crew.

I cold shower after mid day workouts . I find it energizing, and I like something about the psychology of it. The more you do it the longer and colder you turn the tap. Its pretty cool.

Still not doing them first thing in the morning.

Post: #240

Contrast showers are great before a night out to prep you for *literally* cold approaches.

Post: #241

I’ve been doing cold showers and/or some form of contrast shower for a few years now.

I can’t make any claims on health benefits or improvement to skin - just to hard to assess and I can’t be bothered trying to.

One benefit is that you start your day doing something that is somewhat uncomfortable. That’s a good start for the workday where, let’s face it, you may have to do stuff that you don’t want to do.

Cold showers also build discipline and save time. I used to be able to spend 20 minutes steaming away in a hot shower. Time is too valuable to waste in the shower.

Cold water also closes the pores after a shave so I see that as a benefit.

Anyway those are my observations. Thanks in advance for not making any assumptions about what I used to do for 20 minutes in the hot shower. Use search function to find the no fap thread.

Post: #242

Uncle Rattie is all the way with team cold showers.

Also, cold water swimming and wearing less clothes in very cold weather.

Makes a man of you, and expands your comfort zone.

JUST DO IT

Post: #243

I think it's fun and great in hot weather tho but in cold winter day... uhmm that need me to think twice. I just scared of cold guys. But it seems get many benefits.

Post: #244

I did take cold showers for about 2 weeks and I felt great. I honestly don’t even remember what happened but I stopped. I do however remember after a couple days, the shower temperature didnt seem as cold and it becomes somewhat pleasant.

Post: #245

I did cold showers for a few months a while ago, it was quite the experience. First week or so is pretty rough and unpleasant. After that though I started getting used to it. It felt so invigorating, much more than hot showers ever did. I also think there is something to be said about being or doing something "uncomfortable" once a day. And of course my shower times were much shorter than with warm or hot water.

Beyond that, I can't say I noticed any drastic effects, not even a hardening of my nerves or psychological discipline. I don't know why I stopped exactly. I think eventually I just got tired of every shower being a traumatic experience. And I started wondering if long term practice could damage my health somehow.

That said, been thinking of picking this up again, there's nothing quite like the rush of ice cold showers. I keep thinking about that feeling and I kind of miss it. Just wish there was a more practical or empirical health benefit to doing so.

Post: #246

Always glad to see the Cold Shower topic as it puts me back on the wagon. Super hot showers almost make me feel sick now. Lethargy and mental fog takes over and I sometimes just go to sleep.

Cold is the clear winner. The endorphin rush is undeniable and the effects last for hours on end. Mental sharpness and overall feelings of content as well as core relaxation. Better skin, hair and clear eyes. I recently discovered another trick, which is simply making your room cold at night (60 and below).

Overall, the cold shower wins but sometimes you feel like a giant pussy and mentally can't START the 2-3 minutes of discomfort. Once started though, going "SHHHHH" loudly while breathing seems to help. Also looking UP towards the ceiling and thinking of your goals.

Post: #247

It’s never easy to jump into a stream of cold water. You are shocking your system. But, it does get easier - kind of becomes like that “old familiar shock.”

My breathing becomes deeper and I tell myself “I can endure anything” or a similar corny mantra.

Good to hear more endorsements from Team Cold Shower.

Post: #248

I experienced something different in my usual cold rinse this morning. Normally, I am acutely aware of the discomfort of the cold water hitting my body and quite ready to get the ordeal finished. This morning, however, I was in this “Zen-like” state where I was totally at ease and “everything was okay.” Time almost stood still.

It was quite great and set a very positive note for embarking on the day ahead. I hope to get to that place again and regularly.

Shout out to Team Cold Shower!

Post: #249

(02-19-2019 01:48 AM)RatInTheWoods Wrote:  Uncle Rattie is all the way with team cold showers.

Also, cold water swimming and wearing less clothes in very cold weather.

Makes a man of you, and expands your comfort zone.

JUST DO IT

I did cold showers for a couple weeks last year. Might try again. I'm not hating the idea, but I didn't feel like I got nearly the benefits of jumping in a freezing cold lake.

This from a Drudge-linked Guardian article the other day...

Quote:...
Cold-water swimming has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity in recent years, with the Outdoor Swimming Society growing from 300 followers in 2006 to 27,000 members this year.
...

I swam in Lake Michigan a couple times last year when the temp was in the 40s. I recall getting out and walking back to the beach, standing there thinking, "this must be what heroine feels like". It was cold outside, I was soaking wet, and I couldn't feel a thing. Zen-like, as others have suggested and said.

As above, I went coat-less this winter at far lower temperatures. There's something manly about tolerating cold weather.

Sheesh I need to get back out to the lake.

Edit: I did buy a 7lb bag of ice and take an ice bath last week. BJJ soreness needs to be addressed. Next time I have to go 22lb bag. Still though, like cold showers, there's just nothing like jumping in a big lake of cold-ass water. Something brutally primal.