Cold Showers Are Killing Your Gains?!?

When you are a natural lifter, the number one thing you can do to increase muscle growth is prioritize your recovery. This comes in the form of improved nutrition, better sleep, following a proper training split and even the right form of supplementation. Having high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, is something that you may not even be aware of unless you have bloodwork that shows the issue.

The use of cold showers at a time not immediately following your workouts has been shown in a 2021 study to significantly blunt the levels of cortisol. Lower baseline levels of cortisol will likely lead to increased anabolic signaling and an easier time for building muscle. I always recommend, if you are doing everything right with your recovery right now but don’t seem to be building muscle as quickly as you should from your hard work, try incorporating cold showers into your daily routine.

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Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

[TheAmericanAmerican]

But I don't wanna take cold showers Jeff! 😭

[StrangeShroomIII]

Hey jeff? If the issues are cortisol levels, guess what makes me stress tf out ? Cold f*cking showers do, jeff.

[randybrim]

I do 30 minutes in the sauna after my workout then a 5 minute cold plunge. I am not a fan of cold (water or air) but that combo feels so refreshing

[MattMurdock]

You will actually see a decrease in gains if you take a cold shower or ice bath within 4 hours of training but it’s not necessarily a huge decrease

[am..]

When I was on holiday, in a country where temps were commonly 30+C, I literally could not live without cold only showers, but when I came back home, it was like I lost the adaption lmao. As soon as I came back I physically couldn’t stand a cold shower, yet abroad it was completely fine the first time and every other time I did it, now I simply can’t get used to it again

[JO-pzuf]

Didn’t Ronald Reagan say “any man who says he likes taking cold showers will also lie about other things”. Even if he didn’t it’s a an accurate statement.

[Antonio_Dude]

Used to taking cold showers every morning

[matthewclark]

I was under the impression cold showers can actually inhibit hypertrophy to some extent because they lower inflammation and you need that as part of the growing process.

[Sparky_D]

It's currently the middle of summer here in Western Australia and I couldn't survive without purely cold showers, its the only way to cool down after a gym session.

[XenosFiles]

I have chronically low cortisol levels.

This also results in reduced muscle gain, but with low blood pressure and dizziness.

[AbrahamAboodyVaproSupply]

I've been doing cold plunges an hour before weight training and I feel like I am having muscle growth. I'm gonna do a dexa soon to see if I've actually gained. My physique has definitely improved.

[ethanaldridge]

Doesn't cold water immersion interfere with muscle hypertrophy though?

[danw]

Can someone explain to me how cortisol, which is associated with long term exposure to stress is helped by more stress and less relaxation?

Warm shower is like the only relaxing part of the day bro

[chayblay]

How long to stay under the cold water for?

[beowulfbeowulf]

I'll continue to enjoy my hot showers even if it means one or two percent less gains.

[justmyself]

I do have a question....If cold exposure hurts gains, then why do Eddie Hall, Hafthor Bjornsson and Brian Shaw do it? Alastair Overheem does them and so does Renzo Gracie. Would this imply that people who live in cold climates don't have gains?

[TheBatmanBruceWayne]

At first your cold but after you get into your clothes afterwards you'll feel a heating warmth and sometimes even a light burning from the blood which goes into your muscles - Works for me! But do my muscles get bigger??? Feels good though

[jamief]

I think i have chronically high cortisol but I don't know how to lower it :(

[TheMasterMakarov]

wasn't there something about heat protein response ?
don't get cold after working out before during or after your workout no matter what etc.

[DanBlabbers]

How serious is having chronic high stress and heavy drinking? Like daily drinking 5-10 beers.