Shocking the CNS

Snow3y
Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

Replies

  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    The real reason to do it is to burn calories. Goes back to the story about Michael Phelps eating 12,000 calories a day. Someone tried to figure out how much he actually burned through exercise and it was far less than that.

    They then realized that the difference was that he was in the pool for hours a day, and that water will pull heat out of your body at a far faster rate than air.

    Here is a link

    http://blog.wellnessfx.com/2013/01/04/chilling-the-fat-away/

  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

    I have done this before... but it was because I was drunk and in a hot tub... and everyone thought doing snow angels was a great idea...
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    glevinso wrote: »
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

    I have done this before... but it was because I was drunk and in a hot tub... and everyone thought doing snow angels was a great idea...

    B)
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    bostonwolf wrote: »
    The real reason to do it is to burn calories. Goes back to the story about Michael Phelps eating 12,000 calories a day. Someone tried to figure out how much he actually burned through exercise and it was far less than that.

    They then realized that the difference was that he was in the pool for hours a day, and that water will pull heat out of your body at a far faster rate than air.

    Here is a link

    http://blog.wellnessfx.com/2013/01/04/chilling-the-fat-away/
    This is truly interesting... I'll definitely look into this, maybe even give it a shot.. No harm can be done in trying I guess! :)
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    Bumping for other sources of info, opinions and such :) really interesting topic
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    it'll shrivel yer bits
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Occasionally I turn the shower to cold and stick my head and body under it. For a few seconds only.

    Not everyday, but it appears to be the best cure for a hangover I know. I assume the cold helps constrict the blood vessels and stops the pain, but I'd be interested in the science behind it.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    girlinahat wrote: »
    Occasionally I turn the shower to cold and stick my head and body under it. For a few seconds only.

    Not everyday, but it appears to be the best cure for a hangover I know. I assume the cold helps constrict the blood vessels and stops the pain, but I'd be interested in the science behind it.

    Used to do this too.. Does it work the same though? It's not as cold as an ice-bath or naked snow angel..

  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
    glevinso wrote: »
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

    I have done this before... but it was because I was drunk and in a hot tub... and everyone thought doing snow angels was a great idea...
    I don't even have to be drunk to do this
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I'm from the frozen tundra and there is a great thrill to going from the sauna or hot tub straight into a snowbank. I've done it lots of times, but never for weight loss. It's just a jolt to the system.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    bostonwolf wrote: »
    The real reason to do it is to burn calories. Goes back to the story about Michael Phelps eating 12,000 calories a day. Someone tried to figure out how much he actually burned through exercise and it was far less than that.
    They then realized that the difference was that he was in the pool for hours a day, and that water will pull heat out of your body at a far faster rate than air.
    Here is a link
    http://blog.wellnessfx.com/2013/01/04/chilling-the-fat-away/

    They claim it reduces appetite, but this says people eat more after exercising in the cold:
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050504225732.htm
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,153 Member
    Sometimes my alarm clock does that for me.
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Could anyone tell me why they do this?

    Because they're stupid
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    it'll shrivel yer bits
    "I WAS IN THE POOL!!!!"


  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    yusaku02 wrote: »
    glevinso wrote: »
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

    I have done this before... but it was because I was drunk and in a hot tub... and everyone thought doing snow angels was a great idea...
    I don't even have to be drunk to do this
    Reminds me of the time a bunch of us did this. We decided to jump out of the hottub, race across the yard, then back to the hottub. My husband didn't realize there was a step, biffed face-first, white butt up in the air. From that day forward, he is known as Snowdrift.

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    cold thermongensis. I didn't know that also shocks the CNS. I never heard of that.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I don't know. But the Finns have done this for centuries. They claim there are proven health benefits, probably having to do with the way it effects circulation in your periphery, and that it is an excellent cleanse, since the heat causes you to sweat, which brings everything out, and the snow or cold lake washes it off. Finnish women used to give birth in the sauna.
  • mochapygmy
    mochapygmy Posts: 2,123 Member
    BinkyBonk wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    it'll shrivel yer bits
    "I WAS IN THE POOL!!!!"


    "It shrinks?!?! I don't know how you guys walk around with those things."

    I am curious about this too. I know some women who lift heavy that take ice baths the day after intense squats/deads. I remember all the photos and tweets from the last summer Olympics of the athletes in ice baths post competition. I thought the benefit wasn't too shock the nervous system but increase blood flow to aid recovery.

    Either way I am not looking forward to jumping in the ice pool at my next ocr. Pretty sure my nips are going to fall off or poke someone in the eye.
  • LovelyIvy466
    LovelyIvy466 Posts: 387 Member
    Pretty sure this was debunked by Phelps, who says he couldn't possibly ever eat that much.

    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/05/michael-phelps-12000-calorie-diet-just-a-myth/1#.VTlHPVxH1E4
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    TyronnePanaino wrote: »
    Hey guys, so I've come across people saying they every now and then take ice baths, jump naked into snow, have extreme cold showers, etc. to shock their CNS.. Could anyone tell me why they do this? what the benefits of it are? Is it worth the effort?

    Because it's fun! :smile:

  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    bostonwolf wrote: »
    The real reason to do it is to burn calories. Goes back to the story about Michael Phelps eating 12,000 calories a day. Someone tried to figure out how much he actually burned through exercise and it was far less than that.

    They then realized that the difference was that he was in the pool for hours a day, and that water will pull heat out of your body at a far faster rate than air.

    Here is a link

    http://blog.wellnessfx.com/2013/01/04/chilling-the-fat-away/

    Wow, I guess that explains why when I was on the swim team in high school I could eat whatever the heck I wanted and still lose weight. I think I need to get back in the pool....
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited April 2015
    bostonwolf wrote: »
    The real reason to do it is to burn calories. Goes back to the story about Michael Phelps eating 12,000 calories a day. Someone tried to figure out how much he actually burned through exercise and it was far less than that.

    They then realized that the difference was that he was in the pool for hours a day, and that water will pull heat out of your body at a far faster rate than air.

    Uh....no.

    What they found was that he lied about 12,000 calories to mess with his competitors and was in reality only eating about half that much.


  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    BinkyBonk wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    it'll shrivel yer bits
    "I WAS IN THE POOL!!!!"


    Classic
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