Cold Plunge After Workout: Does It Hurt Your Muscle Gains?

It can. A cold plunge after lifting reduces soreness, but in two training trials, men who took cold water baths after every session gained less muscle than those who didn't. If your goal is size, skip the plunge right after lifting. Cold water still makes sense after hard conditioning, sport or competition, when quick recovery matters more than growth.

That trade-off surprises a lot of people, since cold plunges are marketed as a recovery upgrade. Below is what the research found about muscle growth and strength, how well cold water eases soreness, the best temperature and time if you do plunge, and how to fit it around your training.

Does a Cold Plunge Reduce Muscle Growth?

Yes, when used regularly straight after lifting. Two trials found cold water immersion after each session reduced muscle growth over weeks of training. The cold appears to dampen the signals that muscles use to rebuild and grow after a workout, which adds up over time.

In a 2015 study in the Journal of Physiology, 21 active men strength trained twice a week for 12 weeks, followed by either 10 minutes of cold water immersion or active recovery on a bike. Strength and muscle mass increased more in the active recovery group. Type II muscle fibre size rose 17% and the number of nuclei per fibre rose 26% in that group, but not in the cold water group.

The authors concluded that cold water attenuated the acute signals that regulate muscle growth, and that its use "as a regular post-exercise recovery strategy should be reconsidered." A follow-up biopsy study in the same paper found smaller increases in muscle stem cells and growth signalling after cold water than after active recovery.

Does a Cold Plunge Reduce Strength Gains?

The evidence is mixed. One trial found smaller strength gains with regular cold water immersion; another found strength improved just as much, even though muscle growth was blunted. Either way, there's no evidence that cold plunges after lifting make you stronger, so they bring no strength benefit to offset the cost.

The 2015 Journal of Physiology trial found strength increased more without the cold water. A 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology had 16 men lift three days a week for seven weeks, each session followed by 15 minutes in 10°C water or 15 minutes of passive recovery at room temperature.

In that study, leg press strength improved similarly in both groups. But growth of type II muscle fibres was attenuated with cold water, and the researchers found blunted post-exercise growth signalling and higher markers of protein breakdown. They concluded cold water "blunted resistance training-induced muscle fiber hypertrophy, but not maximal strength."

Does a Cold Plunge Help With Muscle Soreness?

Yes, modestly. Meta-analyses find cold water immersion reduces soreness a little more than resting, and compares well with other recovery methods. That's useful when you need to perform again soon, such as during a tournament, a double session or a hard week of sport.

A 2016 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine of nine randomized trials found cold water immersion was slightly better than passive recovery for both immediate and delayed muscle soreness. A 2023 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine of 28 studies found it was superior to other recovery methods for soreness and similar for recovering power and flexibility.

A 2018 meta-analysis in Frontiers in Physiology of 99 studies ranked massage as the most effective technique for soreness and fatigue, with cold exposure among the best for reducing inflammation markers. Soreness itself isn't a sign of a good or bad workout; our guide on working out while sore explains what it does and doesn't mean.

How Cold and How Long Should a Cold Plunge Be?

About 11 to 15°C (52 to 59°F) for 11 to 15 minutes gave the best soreness results in one meta-analysis. Colder or longer isn't clearly better. If you're new to cold water, start warmer and shorter, and get out if you feel dizzy, numb or unwell.

The 2016 Sports Medicine meta-analysis found a dose-response relationship, with water between 11 and 15°C and immersion times of 11 to 15 minutes providing the best results for soreness. Note that the muscle growth trials used similar doses: 10 minutes in the 2015 study and 15 minutes at 10°C in the 2019 study.

Use	Temperature	Time
Soreness relief (research range)	About 11 to 15°C (52 to 59°F)	About 11 to 15 minutes
Beginners	Start a few degrees warmer	Start with a few minutes
After lifting for muscle growth	Skip, or move to a separate day	Not recommended

If you have heart problems, high blood pressure or another medical condition, check with your doctor before using cold plunges, since sudden cold exposure is a strong stress on the body.

When Should You Use a Cold Plunge?

When recovering quickly matters more than building muscle. That includes sport seasons, tournaments, hard conditioning sessions and days when you need to perform again within hours. During a phase focused on muscle growth, keep cold water away from your lifting sessions, or skip it altogether.

Here's a simple way to decide:

1. Goal is muscle size: avoid cold plunges after lifting.
2. Goal is performing again soon: a plunge after hard sessions can reduce soreness.
3. You enjoy it for its own sake: use it on rest days or after cardio, away from your lifting.

Research on spacing cold water hours away from lifting is limited, since the trials applied it straight after training. If you want the habit without the risk, the safest option is to keep it to non-lifting days. For heat instead of cold, our guide on sauna for muscle recovery covers what the research shows.

What Works Better Than a Cold Plunge for Muscle Growth?

The basics: enough protein, enough sleep, sensible training volume and time between hard sessions for the same muscles. Active recovery, like an easy bike ride, was the comparison group that grew more in the 2015 trial. None of these blunt the growth signals that make your training pay off.

For food, our guide on what to eat after a workout covers protein and carbs after training. For soreness, light movement and simply training regularly help, since the repeated bout effect means the same workout causes less soreness over time.

If you like recovery tools, look at the evidence for each one before relying on it. Our guides on tart cherry juice and red light therapy look at what the evidence says for each.