How It Works - Passion Ice Baths

Cold plunging is a powerful wellness practice rooted in science and centuries of tradition. By exposing the body to cold temperatures, you activate natural physiological responses that reduce inflammation, enhance circulation, and build mental and physical resilience. Here’s how ice bath therapy works, step by step, and why cold plunge benefits are so effective.

Step 1: Prepare Your Mind and Body

Before entering an ice bath, focus on controlled breathing, like Wim Hof breathing, to calm your mind and prepare your body for the cold. Deep, steady breaths help reduce initial shock and allow you to enter the ice bath or shower water with a sense of focus and intention.

Step 2: Cold Plunging Triggers a Natural Response

When you submerge your body in cold water, blood vessels constrict, redirecting blood flow to vital organs to preserve core body temperature. This cold plunge process reduces inflammation, minimizes swelling, and protects your body’s essential systems.

Step 3: Focus on Controlled Breathing

As your body adjusts to the cold, the continuation of slow, controlled breathing is key. Wim Hof breating not only helps you manage discomfort during your ice bath or shower session, but also calms the nervous system, shifting your focus from the initial shock to a state of calm resilience.

Step 4: Physiological Cold Plunge Benefits Take Hold

While you’re immersed in your ice bath tub or shower, the body begins its healing process. Reduced blood flow from cold water therapy decreases inflammation and soothes sore muscles, while the cold stimulates endorphins, reducing stress and improving mood.

Step 5: Exiting the Ice Bath Boosts Circulation

Once you step out of the ice bath, your blood vessels expand, allowing oxygen-rich blood to flow back into your muscles and tissues. This boost in circulation from a polar plunge flushes out metabolic waste, promotes recovery, and leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Step 6: The Nervous System Shifts into Balance

Cold therapy activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping your body transition into a “rest and digest” state. This recovery-focused mode supports nervous system balance, reduces stress, and leaves you feeling calm and centered.

Step 7: Build Mental Resilience Over Time

With repeated exposure to cold plunge therapy, your body and mind adapt to discomfort, helping you build greater mental toughness, improve stress management, and strengthen your mind-body connection.

Step 8: Reap the Long-Term Benefits of Cold Plunge Use

Regular ice bath tub and shower sessions support reduced inflammation, improved recovery, enhanced circulation, better sleep, and increased energy. By incorporating ice baths into your routine, you create a simple yet transformative wellness practice to support long-term physical and mental health.

Our Ice Bathing Pros sayit’s impressive

View all reviews

Jordi

Every day, you drag yourself to the ice bath— rain or shine, cold or warm. You stand above it, thinking, ‘Why am I doing this again?’ Then the cold bites, and afterward, you feel amazing.

Jasmijn

The great thing about the ice bath is that it stays at the same spot and the same temperature. It makes you feel more energetic throughout the day, and you sleep better. It’s the perfect ice bath.

Frauke

Costumer

I started cold training because of stress symptoms, and they have really decreased markedly. My chronic back pain has also improved, and I haven't had a cold for a year and a half.

Derek DeMike

Jiu Jitsu

I've tried a ton of different ice bath solutions, and this has by far been the best—minimal maintenance, clean water, and easy to use.

Alice van Nieuwehuizen

The breathing exercises and cold water therapy have been transformative—not just for my children’s health but also for their strength and resilience during chemotherapy.

Adam Burgess

Olympian Canoe Slalom Great Britain

Olympian Adam Burgess takes the plunge with the Revive Pro Ice Bath

Antoinette Rijpma - de Jong

Olympic Figure Skater

Using the Passion Ice Bath between sparing sessions has been a game changer for my recovery. It’s not just about training hard but recovering smart, and the cold plunge has made a huge difference for my performance and overall well-being.

Brandon Wallis

Muay Thai / K1 Fighter

Wim Hof

This fully insulated barrel is compact, affordable, and works amazingly—perfect for daily deep, powerful moments with yourself.

Don de Ruyter

This elegant ice bath is more than just a wellness tool—it’s the key to a stress-free life, better sleep, and unshakable health.

Arina

Gym Owner

Cold exposure began in lakes and the sea; now it’s a daily practice at home with my ice bath.

Herbert

The Revive Pro has completely transformed my mornings. Just three minutes a day gives me mental clarity, energy, and resilience. It’s the perfect product for my routine!

MakeCold Therapy Part of Your Routine

Consistency is key when it comes to unlocking the full benefits of cold plunge therapy. By integrating regular ice bath sessions into your wellness routine, you can experience lasting improvements in recovery, energy, and mental clarity. Whether you use an ice bath tub or shower to recover after intense workouts, manage stress, or boost overall resilience, routine polar plunge practice becomes more effective over time. Passion Ice Baths make it easy to create a cold plunge habit through products with user-friendly designs, advanced temperature control, and minimal maintenance. Even short, two- to five-minute ice bath, ice barrel, or cold shower sessions a few times a week can transform your health and well-being, helping you feel stronger, more focused, and ready to take on life’s challenges.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do to prepare for an ice bath?

Focus on controlled breathing before and during your cold plunge session to help calm your body and mind. Starting with shorter ice bath or shower sessions and warmer temperatures can make the transition to colder water more manageable over time.

What happens to my body during a polar plunge?

Cold plunge therapy triggers vasoconstriction, reducing blood flow to your extremities and decreasing inflammation. After exiting the ice bath or shower, vasodilation occurs, increasing blood flow to your muscles, flushing out contaminants, and speeding recovery.

Will I still see benefits if I don’t use ice baths every day?

Yes! You don’t require daily sessions for cold plunge or cold shower benefits to be effective. Even practicing a cold plunge near me a few times a week can provide significant improvements in recovery, circulation, and mental clarity.

Can cold plunge tub or shower therapy help with stress and anxiety?

Absolutely. Cold plunging activates the release of endorphins and promotes a calming shift in your nervous system. Many people find that regular ice baths help reduce stress, boost focus, and improve overall emotional well-being.

The Wim Hof Icebarrel M
The Wim Hof Icebarrel XL
The Wim Hof Therapist
Revive Pro Ice Bath

The Wim Hof Icebarrel

Standalone System
Sustainable made
Temperature Range
Uses Less Water
Fully Insulated and 100% Recyclable

The Wim Hof Icebarrel inspired by the legendary Wim Hof and his pioneering cold therapy techniques, integrates a high level of craftsmanship and technological innovation to deliver cold therapy at home.

discover more Shop Now