cold baths/showers

[Cameron]

Anyone else do this? It's something I really got into Korea. Where anywhere you go you can go to a spa for like $10 soak in a jacuzzi then jump into an ice cold bath. I really enjoy the feeling of finishing my shower with as cold as water as possible too and have read it has health benefits.

 

I just got back from Harbin where they have the polar bear club. Not man enough for that yet!

[Protector]

For a "while" I was washing in very cold shower with a sponge made out of STRAAAAAAW

Straw sponge helped me feel warmer but it was a lot of work so I'm not doing that anymore

It also helps to yell STRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW as you wash to add some battle spirit 'n stuff

[konchog uma]

hahahah i love finishing a hot hot shower with cold water!! yes battle cries too

[Cameron]

What sort of health benefits did you experience? I am reading about it online and some people claim they never got sick again after starting daily cold showers!

 

Supposedly taking ice baths are really good for workout recovery and for losing fat.

[Aetherous]

Cam, you may be interested to know that the originator of Aikido loved to do misogi.

 

There are health benefits listed in some older topics here...it does a LOT.

[yangluchan]

I used to do this every morning but then a lot of people said it drains your kidneys so I stopped, as I have weak kidneys...

 

Anyone want to comment? Perhaps this isn't so after all?

[Cameron]

Cam, you may be interested to know that the originator of Aikido loved to do misogi.

 

 

I know

[hagar]

According to peer-reviewed scientific studies cold showers and baths increases metabolism, raises testosterone, cleanses the lymphatic system and facilitates higher bone density.

 

I do it in, yet it's winter now so I just dress lightly.

 

h

[Sloppy Zhang]

Bardon recommended it in "Initiation Into Hermetics". Tried it for a bit. Found it pretty exhilarating.

 

Then I just got lazy

[RiverSnake]

Bardon recommended it in "Initiation Into Hermetics". Tried it for a bit. Found it pretty exhilarating.

 

Then I just got lazy

 

I picked up cold showers from Bardon as well...its a great practice, it wakes you up in the morning and gives you a boost for the rest of the day. He also suggests you use a natural bristle scrub brush which i found is very rejuvenating...its like getting a whole body rub down every single morning...if you know where the right acu-points on your body are it is it's own form of Chi-Gung. Very Refreshing!!

 

Highly Recommended!

[Cameron]

In Korea I would alternate several times. Hot tub, cold tub several times.

 

I often would be hungover and surrounded by naked Korean dudes..some of who would be passed out naked on the floor. I can't say I missed that part so much

 

Now I just start hot and finish cold inthe shower. After a few weeks my body almost craves the cold water.

Edited January 23, 2012 by Cameron

[hagar]

In Korea I would alternate several times. Hot tub, cold tub several times.

 

I often would be hungover and surrounded by naked Korean dudes..some of who would be passed out naked on the floor. I can't say I missed that part so much

 

Now I just start hot and finish cold inthe shower. After a few weeks my body almost craves the cold water.

 

[寒月 Hanyue]

I use and highly recommend contrast bathing for injury recovery. What I learned came from Japan. I was taught a natural way use hot/cold water utilsing towels or soaks, that is very different than current sports medicine approaches using sustained heat/cold packs. The latter not having the same affect. The body is always trying to stabilise (homeostasis), if the temp is sustained it quickly reaches a place of diminishing returns and becomes pretty much pointless. From a classical Chinese medicine perspective NEVER use ice on soft tissue trauma. Though it seems many TCM doctors have now adopted the R.I.C.E. approach which is a big shame.

 

I know many that use the 'quick cold shower' method. I have tried the Russian preference for cold water dowsing, ie throwing a bucket of cold water over your head. I have used both and again the experience is remarkable different (the latter is definately as much about psychological factors as physiological). It is not something I do regularly, I did it for a period to see what the fuss was about.

 

Kevin Secours wrote on the Russian cold water dowsing here;

 

http://www.montrealsystema.com/uploads/COLD_WATER_DOUSING.pdf

 

Best,

[Aetherous]

What are folks' favorite 'shower recipes?'

 

Get in the cold water until it feels tolerable. Preferrably in a calm flowing river...but usually just in the shower.

 

Then bundle up so that the toes and fingers are warm, and sip hot tea to 'release the exterior'.

[paulno]

In Korea I would alternate several times. Hot tub, cold tub several times.

 

I often would be hungover and surrounded by naked Korean dudes..some of who would be passed out naked on the floor. I can't say I missed that part so much

 

Now I just start hot and finish cold inthe shower. After a few weeks my body almost craves the cold water.

 

ROFL I was gonna say, really helpful for morning energy and hangovers.

[Cameron]

My hiking guru in Korea would jump into a cold river in the early morning. I wasn't up for it but a cold river dip out in nature surrounded by mountains, breathing fresh air after an intense hike looked awesome.

 

As mentioned O'Sensei the founder of aikido also did it. I recently watched a video of people going to the waterfall where he would practice.

[Dreamingawake]

I used to love finishing a shower by alternating hot and cold a few times. I don't do it too often anymore though as I usually finish showering before my girlfriend and she absolutely hates pretty much everything cold

[Cameron]

Apparently there is a polar bear club at one of my favorite hangouts in Beijing.

 

But I am not man enough for it will stick with my cold showers!

[Yuen Biao]

I use and highly recommend contrast bathing for injury recovery.

 

Interestingly Buster Keaton swore by alternating hot and cold showers to heal his many injuries gained from stunts on the movies he made.

[sifusufi]

Activates brown fat loss thru shivering

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=GhrtfDPkch0

 

[Dainin]

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I did the hot shower/cold rinse thing for a while after reading about the benefits obtained by Native Americans jumping in the lake after a sweat lodge.. year round

 

I may start to do that more often again though without as much heat since too much hot water causes eczema for me..

[oildrops]

I will sometimes blast myself with cold water right before I get out of the shower. I do this especially if my mind wanders off into any silly areas, so its sort of a punishment that and kicks me back into the present. . .

[Cat Pillar]

I was doing cold showers for a real short time (I also picked that up from Bardon.)

 

Been thinking about getting back into it though, I tried it again recently after reading this thread and I had forgotten how energizing it is. It actually feels really good.

 

Not to mention, there's the HUGE bonus of not freezing my bits off after I step out of the bathroom, as happens with hot showers.

[Cameron]

Cool, I have been wussing out on my cold showers lately. Need to get on that!