Before I jump into the details, I recommend joining my Fire & Ice Contrast Therapy (Hot-Cold) facebook group.
Daily 3-5 minute cold plunges have been the single biggest impact on my mood, productivity and health. I don’t miss a day.
But in order to do it daily, you have to have cold water consistently available. Filling a stock tub full of ice is time consuming, expensive and temporary. Cold showers are a great entry into cold therapy but to maximize the benefits, you need it colder.
The best option is to either buy a premade plunge like The Cold Plunge (use code TROY150 for $150 off) or build one yourself.
But before I jump into building one…
If you’ve found this article, you probably already know the many benefits of cold plunges. If you don’t, here’s a quick rundown —
Cold water therapy — whether it’s a quick swim in an icy lake, a post-workout ice bath, or a brisk shower — can benefit your health in several ways.
It may help you:
- cut down on muscle soreness
- cool down after a sweaty workout
- get into a better mood
- aid your immune system
- boost your metabolism and calorie burning
- increase insulin sensitivity and help control blood glucose levels
It can also convert belly fat into metabolically active brown adipose tissue, which will increase your fat-burning capacity.
Some advocates say it can also decrease inflammation, improve your sleep and recovery, sharpen your mental focus and potentially fight certain types of cancer as well as promote overall longevity. But more research needs to be done to determine if these benefits are supported by science.
A chest freezer ice bath allows you to avoid having to continuously purchase ice and have access to a desired temperature at all times.
Now, the details to getting started with a chest freezer ice bath.
Required Equipment & Material
- Freezer: Frigidaire 14.8 CuFt (you can go even larger with a 19 CuFt if you’re over 6’5″)
- Food-grade Silicone sealant or JB Water Weld
- The Ultimate Chest Freezer Cold Plunge DIY Guide (e-Book) – If you want a step-by-step guide to build your cold plunge the RIGHT way, I highly recommend this book.
- My ebook Exposure 101 Heat & Cold Guidebook
Cleaning/Sanitizing
- Marineland Magnum Filter
- Evob Skimmer net
- Hydrogen peroxide or a much better option is an ozone generator
- 8 lbs Epsom salt – keeps the water clean and prevents ice from forming
Temperature
- Inkbird Digital Thermostat – controls the preset temperature automatically
- Etekcity Lasergrip digital thermostat
- Polar bear thermometer
Other Stuff
- Clear Water Fun garden hose filter – filters out the chemicals in treated water
- Gooseneck iPhone Holder
- BINO Collapsible Basin – to clean feet in before going in
- Rubber Ducky – for nostalgia 🙂
- Personal Harmonizer for native EMFs
- Magnesium flakes – I add this for the health benefits of soaking in magnesium salts. If you really want to revitalize and optimize your cold plunge solution, I recommend grabbing a back of Max Vitality Magnesium Salts (use code TROY for 10% off). In addition to magnesium, the sodium ascorbate in the blend will totally neutralize any toxic chemicals like chlorine or fluoride that may be in your cold plunge water, within just five minutes! Every bag of their salt is also blasted with powerful heart opening, grounding and magnesium healing frequencies to accelerate healing and sensations of peace during and post-plunge.
- My favorite supplement stack for maximizing the benefits of cold thermogenesis – contains 1) select from coffee of green tea for a bit of caffeine which can upregulate mitochondrial biogenesis even more when stacked with cold therapy and 2) Meriva (curcumin) which can activate brown adipose tissue, enhancing the energy expenditure through heat production to burn more fat.
- JED 303 Ozone Generator – Not mentioned in this video but I did end up getting this to sanitize the water. I discuss it in more detail in this video: Upgrades to My Chest Freezer Ice Bath
Instructions
- Place you freezer in a location that you will be able to drain it and have access to water, like a hose.
- Place boards under your freezer to support the bottom (see picture below).
- Seal all seems with the proper caulk or JB Water Weld.
- Let the seal dry for at least 24 hours.
- OPTIONAL: Place a pond liner in your freezer for extra leak protection
- Install your ozone generator, thermometer and water filter.
- Add hydrogen peroxide and Epsom salt.
- Fill with water. Be sure to mix the Epsom salt a little.
- Dump 100-200 lbs of ice to speed of the cooling process, otherwise the freezer will have to run for several days. NOTE: The chest freezer will get pretty warm from running.
- Prior to jumping in, UNPLUG THE FREEZER.
- Take the plunge!
A great resource is my Fire & Ice Contrast Therapy (Hot-Cold) facebook group.
Upgrades
Related Articles
- Upgrades to My Chest Freezer Ice Bath
- How to Properly Clean a Chest Freezer Cold Plunge, Step-by-Step
- How to Enhance the Benefits of Cold Thermogenesis
- My Review of the Jacuzzi Clearlight Sanctuary Y Infrared Sauna
- How to Hack Your Sauna Experience for Increased Benefits
- The Ultimate Chest Freezer Cold Plunge DIY Guide (e-Book) – If you want a step-by-step guide to build your cold plunge the RIGHT way, I highly recommend this book.
- My ebook Exposure 101 Heat & Cold Guidebook
Here’s a list of studies if you’d like to take a deeper dive into the benefits of cold thermogenesis.
- Cold exposure increases adiponectin levels
- Adiponectin burns fat
- Cold exposure increases powerful anti-oxidant glutathione
- Adiponectin, obesity, insulin resistance, and fat-burning
- Adiponectin resistance in obesity
- Intermittent fasting likely produces new BAT
- BAT and food digestion
- Women and BAT levels
- Capsinoids increases BAT activity
- Sleep, light-cycles, melatonin and BAT in humans
- Cold exposure, blood glucose, and BAT in rats
- Glucose utilization, BAT, and intermittent fasting in rats
- Carb and fat burning ratios vary during shivering
- Cold exposure and longevity in mice
- Cold exposure boosts the immune system
- Low adiponectin related to inflammatory heart disease
- BAT burns glucose and boosts metabolism in humans
- BAT therapy to combat obesity
- BAT burns fat in the blood stream
- BAT, glucose, insulin, and cold stimulus
- BAT activity in humans inversely correlate to obesity
- BAT-disabled mice become obese
- Rising environmental temperatures linked to obesity?
- Brown Fat (BAT) detected in subjects after cold exposure
- Age, gender, insulin sensitivity, and other factors in BAT activity
- Exercise in humans and mice can create new BAT (backup)
- BAT in various age groups
- Exercise increases adiponectin levels in obese men
- Cold therapy, but not ephedrine, activate BAT
- BAT, thermogenesis, and bone density
- The sympathetic nervous system and fat-burning during cold exposure
- Skeletal muscle uncoupling after thermal loading
- Adiponectin as a treatment for obesity and heart disease
- Adiponectin, fasting, and circadian rhythms
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Oftentimes, I’ve worked out a discount for you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these products, and I only recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.