Ice baths at home: The beginner's guide

This guide shows you what you need to get started, what temperatures and durations make sense, and what you should look out for regarding safety.

What do you need for an ice bath at home?

For an ice bath at home, all you need is a container where you can sit up to your shoulders, and water that is cold enough and stays cold. Everything else is for comfort.

• The container: your bathtub, a rain barrel, an outdoor tub, or an inflatable ice bath.
• The cold: ice cubes, cold tap water in winter, or a water chiller with a pump.
• A thermometer: so you know how cold the water really is.
• A timer: time feels longer than it is when you're in cold water.
• Towel and warm clothing: keep them within reach for afterward.

Ice cubes or water chiller: Which is better?

Ice cubes are the cheapest entry point for a single ice bath. For a standard bathtub, you need about 20 to 25 kg of ice to cool the water down significantly. At about €1 per kilo, that’s around €23 per bath. Anyone who bathes three times a week ends up with over 3,500 kg of ice per year that must be bought, transported, and stored.

A water chiller cools the water directly in your tub and maintains the temperature. The pool.down Tower, for example, takes about 60 minutes for your first ice bath and about 90 minutes to reach 3 °C. Cooling costs less than 49 cents in electricity.

You can read about how the costs add up over a year in our article Ice Bath Costs: Ice Cubes or Chiller?.

How cold and how long should an ice bath be?

For beginners, 10 to 15 °C and one to three minutes is a good framework. With some experience, many move to 3 to 10 °C and three to five minutes. Regularity is more important than records: In a frequently cited study by the University of Copenhagen, experienced winter swimmers accumulated a total of about 11 minutes of cold per week, spread over several sessions. You can find more details in the article Ice Bath: Temperature and Duration.

Your first ice bath in 6 steps

1. Prepare: Fill the tub and bring the water to the desired temperature. With the Tower: insert the hose and start or schedule it via the app.
2. Check temperature: for the first time, stick to 12 to 15 °C rather than 3 °C.
3. Enter calmly: slowly, feet first. Do not jump, do not submerge fully.
4. Breathe: In the first few seconds, your body will want to breathe rapidly. Consciously exhale slowly.
5. Limit the time: for the first time, one to two minutes. Get out sooner if it doesn't feel right.
6. Warm up: dry off, dress warmly, move around. A hot shower immediately afterward is a matter of preference.

When best to schedule your ice bath depends on your goal: in the morning to wake up, in the evening to wind down, after training, or after a sauna.

Safety: For whom is an ice bath not suitable?

Cold water triggers a strong cold-shock response in the first one to three minutes: breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure rise rapidly. For healthy people, this is manageable if they enter calmly. In the case of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, Raynaud's syndrome, pregnancy, or other pre-existing conditions, please consult your doctor beforehand. Never bathe alone in very cold water if you are unsure, and never under the influence of alcohol.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my normal bathtub as an ice bath?

Yes. Any bathtub is suitable as long as you can submerge up to your shoulders. With a water chiller like the pool.down Tower, it turns into an ice bath in about 60 minutes, with no renovation required.

How often per week should I take an ice bath?

Two to three times a week is a common rhythm. Listen to your body and increase gradually.

Morning or evening?

Both work. Many like the ice bath in the morning as a start to the day. In the evening, some find it too stimulating before sleeping. Try out what suits you.