I've taken a couple ice baths now, both between tourney days, and I think the only way to describe them is "excruciatingly good." Immersion sucks, but it does wonders for next-day soreness. While still painful, my last approach for getting in worked well enough that I think I'll stick with it from now on:
- Put a little ice in the empty tub and sit in it. Position the rest of the ice within reach of the tub.
- Start filling the tub with cold water and let it cover you gradually. I know this sounds awful, but it beats the hell out of filling the tub with ice water and jumping in. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because with my approach it's more like something that's happening to you rather than something you're doing to yourself.
- After you've filled the tub, grab the rest of the ice and pour it in. The temperature will drop significantly, and it's no fun, but by this point the worst is already over.
- Soak. I go for about 10 minutes but I have no idea what the optimal time is.
After the first three minutes of agony the last seven are relatively okay, I guess. A teammate brings reading material, but I don't really feel like I ever get to a level of comfort where I'd be able to concentrate or enjoy whatever I'm reading. Maybe after a few more and I'm better acclimated to the practice.
Anyway, definitely worth it. It's like having a new set of legs.
UPDATE: Or maybe it's just a placebo effect.
