Ice Baths for Recovery: Are They Hurting or Helping Your Performance?

Written by Tim Madden - Athlete Performance Coach at Athlete's Edge Albury

Are Ice Baths Hurting Your Recovery? Here’s What You Need to Know

For years, ice baths have been a go-to recovery method for athletes, believed to reduce soreness, speed up recovery, and improve performance. But what if they’re actually doing more harm than good?

Some AFL clubs have even banned ice baths—and for a good reason. New research suggests they might not be as effective as once thought and could even slow down muscle adaptation and progress.

So, are ice baths still worth it, or is there a better way to recover?

In this blog, we’ll cover:

• How ice baths work and why athletes use them

• Why some AFL clubs are moving away from them

• The hidden downsides of ice baths (and how they could hurt your gains)

• The best recovery methods that actually work (like sleep, nutrition, and active recovery)

• When ice baths might still be useful

If you want to recover faster, train smarter, and perform at your best, keep reading!

How Do Ice Baths Work?

Ice baths involve sitting in cold water (10-15°C) for 5-15 minutes. The idea is that cold temperatures shrink blood vessels, reduce swelling, and slow down muscle inflammation. Once you step out, blood flow rebounds, flushing out waste products like lactic acid.

Many athletes say they feel less sore afterward. But does that actually mean better recovery?

Why Do Athletes Use Ice Baths?

Athletes use ice baths because they’re believed to:
✅ Reduce muscle soreness (DOMS)
✅ Minimise inflammation
✅ Speed up recovery between games or training sessions
✅ Make them feel “fresher” after intense workouts

But just because something feels good doesn’t mean it’s actually making you better.

Do Ice Baths Actually Help?

Recent studies suggest that ice baths don’t improve recovery or performance as much as other methods like sleep, nutrition, and active recovery. In fact, they might actually slow down important training adaptations.

🚨 Here’s why ice baths might not be as great as you think:
❌ They blunt inflammation—slowing adaptation. Inflammation is part of how muscles repair and grow stronger. Constantly shutting this down can limit strength gains.
❌ They reduce muscle protein synthesis. This is essential for muscle growth and recovery. Ice baths can interfere with this process, especially after strength training.
❌ They don’t significantly speed up recovery. Research shows that active recovery, proper sleep, and good nutrition work just as well—if not better—without the downsides.

This is why many elite teams, including some AFL clubs, are moving away from ice baths.

Why Are Some AFL Clubs Banning Ice Baths?

Several AFL clubs have started phasing out ice baths as a regular recovery tool. The main reasons?

🛑 They don’t provide long-term benefits. While they might make you feel better short-term, they don’t actually improve performance.
🛑 They can interfere with training adaptations. Strength and speed training require your body to adapt, and ice baths can slow this down—especially in pre-season.
🛑 Better recovery strategies exist. Sleep, nutrition, and movement-based recovery offer superior results.

So, instead of relying on ice baths, many AFL clubs focus on smarter recovery methods.

Game Recovery vs. Training Recovery: What’s the Difference?

One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is treating all recovery the same. But recovering from a game is very different from recovering from training.

🏉 After Games: The Goal is Readiness

• The priority is feeling fresh for the next session.

• Quick soreness relief might help in certain cases (like back-to-back games).

• In this case, an ice bath might be useful.

🏋️‍♂️ After Training: The Goal is Adaptation

• Strength and speed training are meant to stress the body.

• Recovery helps the body adapt and improve—not just reduce fatigue.

• Ice baths can actually slow this process down.

This is why timing matters. Using ice baths too often—especially in pre-season—can limit long-term gains.

What Are the Best Recovery Methods Instead?

If ice baths aren’t the magic solution, what is? The best recovery tools are simple—but extremely effective.

🔑 1. Sleep – The Ultimate Recovery Tool

• 7-9 hours of quality sleep helps muscle repair, hormone balance, and brain function.

• Poor sleep = slower recovery, lower performance, and increased injury risk.

🥩 2. Nutrition – Fuel for Recovery

• Protein repairs muscle damage.

• Carbs replenish energy stores.

• Hydration keeps muscles functioning properly.

🏃‍♂️ 3. Active Recovery – Move to Recover

• Light movement (walking, cycling, swimming) helps flush out waste products and keeps muscles loose.

• Better than just sitting in a cold tub doing nothing!

💧 4. Hydration – The Overlooked Secret

• Dehydration increases muscle fatigue and slows down recovery.

• Drink water consistently—not just after training.

These methods are scientifically proven to work better than ice baths without any downsides.

When Might Ice Baths Help?

Ice baths aren’t completely useless—they just need to be used strategically.

✅ During intense competition periods (e.g., short turnarounds between games).
✅ For athletes who feel they personally benefit from them.
✅ If the focus is short-term relief rather than long-term adaptation.

However, most athletes don’t need them regularly, and for strength training, they may actually hurt progress.

Final Takeaway: Should You Use Ice Baths?

🚨 If your goal is to build strength, speed, or endurance—skip the ice baths. They can limit adaptation and slow muscle growth.
🚨 If you need to recover quickly for another game—ice baths might be useful. But they’re not essential.

The best athletes don’t just do what feels good—they do what actually works. Train smart, recover smarter, and perform at your best. 🔥🚀

Want to Train Smarter?

At Athlete’s Edge, we help athletes build strength, speed, and resilience using science-backed training methods. No gimmicks—just results.

Train smart. Recover smarter. Perform better. 💪🔥