A 10-minute cold shower at 68 F significantly reduced exercise and recovery heart rates during submaximal exercise even after a 20-minute interval, with greater reductions the sooner exercise began.
RCT (n=10)
randomized complete blocks
Does a 10-minute cold shower reduce exercise and recovery heart rates when taken 10, 20, or 30 minutes before submaximal exercise in male subjects?
A 10-minute cold shower taken up to 20 minutes prior to submaximal exercise significantly lowers both exercise and recovery heart rates.
Abstract This study investigated the duration of the cold shower effect on circulatory response to exercise in order to determine how long a performer may wait before beginning exercise after a cold shower and still receive benefit from it. In addition to a control condition of exercise without a shower, the time intervals between the shower and exercise were 10, 20, and 30 minutes. The showers were 10 minutes at an average temperature of 68 F. Each of 10 male subjects followed each experimental condition on separate days. Heart rates were recorded during a five-minute walk at four miles per hour and six percent grade on a motor driven treadmill. Heart rates during the first five minutes of recovery were also recorded. Analysis of variance for a randomized complete blocks design and the Student-Newman-Keuls Test were used in analysis of the data. Results indicated that even after a 20-minute interval before exercise begins, the 10-minute cold shower at 68 F will significantly reduce the exercise and recovery heart rates associated with a submaximal exercise. However, it appears that the sooner the exercise follows the shower, the greater is the reduction in circulatory costs.
Harold B. Falls (Sat,) conducted a rct in Healthy volunteers (n=10). Cold shower before exercise vs. Exercise without a shower was evaluated on Heart rates during exercise and recovery. A 10-minute cold shower at 68 F significantly reduced exercise and recovery heart rates during submaximal exercise even after a 20-minute interval, with greater reductions the sooner exercise began.