[Chauncey]

(03-06-2016 09:02 PM)Chowder Head Wrote:  

Does anyone start their showers warm then go cold?

I did this last summer for a week when my AC was broken. It helps you cool down but I doubt if provides all of the same health benefits of full cold showers.

When I was in college I had a sales job and one of the things they taught us to do was take cold showers in the morning. It was strictly a mental toughness thing. Nobody likes cold water, especially first thing in the morning.

If you could hop in the shower, stare at that cold water knob, turn it on full blast knowing what you were about to be hit with, and take it like a man.... then dealing with rejection all day long would be a piece of cake. All of our fears and procrastination are in our head and starting your day off by squashing those weak thoughts would build momentum for whatever else you were about to face. It was a cult mentality but it worked. They also wake you the fuck up in a hurry.

I took cold showers for 10 straight weeks every summer in college and those were some of my most focused and fearless times. It is time for me to get back on Team Cold Showers.

[evilhei]

I enjoy taking cold shower after gym and after being in sauna. I usually do like 5 minutes sauna, cold shower, 5 minutes sauna and cold shower. Really good feeling afterwards. Not sure about the dangers of changing the temperature that tremendously though.

[shy]

After taking cold showers for 2 months, I noticed how my back muscles got tensed more and more. The tensed Feeling remained during the whole day which really sucked. I tried to take only warm showers for 1 week again and finally my back muscles relaxed.

However I always like to take cold showers since, it gets me alert, strengthens my immune System and burns a lot of calories. There are numerous more benefits of Course.
Right now I take a cold shower every second day. Since mixing it up like that, I never had Problems with my back again.

[Hannibal]

I've been taking cold showers lately because I'm doing a variant of "30 Days of Discipline" by Victor Pride. Great book, by the way.

It's been a week of cold showers so far. I usually start warm then dial it down and try to stay in the shower for 60 counts (so probably a minute and a half, I count slow). Over time I want to build up to 10 or 15 minute cold showers.

I'm starting to enjoy them. My hair and skin is starting to look a lot better (I'm blond and white as fuck).

My original intent is to do cold showers for weight loss, since fighting the cold burns calories. Apparently the amount of calories burned varies a lot between individuals, so I'm mostly doing the cold showers to prevent depression and harden the fuck up for next winter.

[puckerman]

After reading about this on the board, I'm going to give the cold shower thing a shot. I do remember as a young child, I actually preferred cold water. For some reason, I changed my mind about it around the age of five.

[Guriko]

I do the Mike Cernovich style of Cold shower i.e. I switch between warm and cold. Three cycles where I start with lukewarm, mild cold and then go to hot and SJW attitude towards life cold.

It's supposedly good for your blood and lymphatic circulation. Have not verified this yet but I can attest the feelings of vigor when I get out off the shower and feel crisp at 4 AM in the morning when I go to the gym. It is really worth it and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

[Frank Underwood]

(03-06-2016 09:02 PM)Chowder Head Wrote:  

Does anyone start their showers warm then go cold?

I always do this in summer. Once the outside temp goes below 70F though I'm usually fully on Team Hot Shower.

Just as an experiment, I turned my shower's hot water dial completely off and stood in it for maybe 5-7 seconds before I got out. I timed around six counts in my head, not sure exactly where that put me because I sure as shit am not going to be dicking around with my phone or watch in the shower. Didn't feel as bad as I thought. And my shave was great.

I'm gonna try doing this regularly, and see how it feels.

[Razgriz]

I was on board the cold shower train for most of last year but I moved to Idaho in the winter and I just couldn't leave the house right after my shower when it was in the teens. Can continue to add it certainly does help especially with the mental side felt like my
Brain was ready to go to work faster.

Hoping to get a job back in Socal and then back to the cold showers.

[Caravaggio]

(06-05-2016 12:06 PM)Guriko Wrote:  

I do the Mike Cernovich style of Cold shower i.e. I switch between warm and cold. Three cycles where I start with lukewarm, mild cold and then go to hot and SJW attitude towards life cold.

It's supposedly good for your blood and lymphatic circulation. Have not verified this yet but I can attest the feelings of vigor when I get out off the shower and feel crisp at 4 AM in the morning when I go to the gym. It is really worth it and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I do the same. Contrast showers are supposed to be the most effective ones.
It is important though to shower as hot and as cold as you can stand and to last at least a couple of minutes for each interval.

Quote:

The way in which contrast water therapy works is through its ability to increase the body’s circulation of blood and lymph fluid. When you immerse yourself in cold water this causes the vasoconstriction of your blood and lymph vessels. By then immediately immersing yourself in warm water you cause the vasodilation of your body’s blood and lymph vessels. These two actions work back and forth as you switch from cold water to warm water, causing the body to pump or circulate stagnant blood and lymph around the body in order remove waste products. The only drawback to this particular method is that most people do not have a tub large enough to take an ice bath in. Fortunately, you can derive some of the same benefits by taking contrast showers. I recommend starting off with a 10 minute shower where you alternate between hot and cold for 1 minute at a time. Just make sure you always end off with cold!

Source: http://www.wellbuiltstyle.com/3-inexpens...-recovery/

[sonoran_]

i have been taking cold showers for a week now. During the shower it energizes you. After you step out and dry yourself it gives you a sense of calmness. This calmness is not the type you get from a hot shower in which you feel lazy afterwards. With the cold shower I feel calm ready to do things, whatever they may be.

I am def sticking to cold shower for as long as I can, but we will see my willpower during Alberta's winters.

[Hannibal]

I am now at two weeks of cold showers. After doing some research on the Wim Hof methods, I have been relaxing into the shower and breathing deep instead of flexing and sort of hyperventilating (ie trying to control that nervous response to the cold instead of fighting the cold).

My skin seems to be hotter to the touch and the cold water barely bothers me at all. I had a similar effect when I was lifting heavy weights for a ton of volume and eating a lot of food.

The strangest thing is that after a week and a half, the water didn't even feel cold. Has anyone else noticed this, or are cold showers always hell for you?

[BackFromTheBrink]

I took cold showers for 30 days and found that whilst I was able to tolerate the cold better (in exactly the same way as you have described) they never actually got easier (or at the very least the apprehension beforehand and that initial shock remained).

I started late autumn (or fall for those on the other side of the pond) and noticed that as the weather became colder so did the temperature of the mains water. If I were to start again I would ease myself in during the summer to see how long I could stick with it.

Can relate to many of the benefits that people have described. Whilst doing it I read that the best place to focus the cold water on is your upper back and chest (as this is where brown fat is located). Anyway, best of luck and am interested to hear how things go for everyone.

[HectorLavoe]

I was in the habit of ending all my showers with ice cold water for years, it really helps calm down any irritation from the morning shave. Now I won't even allow myself hot water in the shower unless it's after a night workout before bed. My showers now start at medium cold and end on ice cold. Add in mentholated shave soap to the mix and the fresh feeling is unbeatable.

[puckerman]

I'm already feeling better after only three days. I'm going to keep doing this.

[GetRichOrdie]

i love cold showers, they seem to wake me up better than a coffee, not to mention cold water having more 'chi' or 'orgone' energy, which researchers like Wilhelm Reich and others used to pioneer some pretty advanced 'cloudbuster' technology.

If you do hot cold showers with rapid changes, you pump the blood throughout your body which is very beneficial and can even heal various diseases and problems, check out what markus rothkranz says about it, and not to mention that iceman guy from some nordic country Wim Hof I believe is his name, does courses and so on discussing the many benefits.

[sonoran_]

getting harder to do cold showers now with the weather going below 0 celcius, but i am still managing to do semi cold showers ( having a little bit of hot water running to take away the ice factor).

That ice water makes my sac shrink like crazy lol

[AtyourCervix]

(10-13-2016 11:16 AM)sonoran_ Wrote:  

getting harder to do cold showers now with the weather going below 0 celcius, but i am still managing to do semi cold showers ( having a little bit of hot water running to take away the ice factor).

That ice water makes my sac shrink like crazy lol

you ain't the only one brother!

[britchard]

Started cold showers (or cold baths) this evening. Sat (legs and crotch area submerged) in lukewarm water then emptied some of the water whilst adding cold water so I acclimatised to it. Serious scrotum shrinkage, and once I was at a cold enough temperature I splashed a bit of water over me.

Was having thoughts of chickening out, but used some motivational techniques to push my upper body under. It's fine once you get used to it.

[ElFlaco]

I took cold showers for 18 months TO SAVE MONEY. Should I be cross-posting this to the thread about English teachers earning a living wage abroad?

Taking cold showers also saved time, since no one lingers in a cold shower. It was a good experience and I'm glad to know that I can forgo luxuries and withstand minor discomfort when needed. I'm less broke now so I've gotten out of the habit.

[Celestial]

Been running cold ass showers for about 3 weeks now, some of the effects I've noticed :

Skin is much smoother and vibrant, probably because it isn't as dried out.
Makes you feel like a badass in the time after
Wakes you up really fast, which is super helpful since I am caffeine detoxing at the moment and my dopamine levels are down.
Acts as an antidepressant of sorts, don't really understand the mechanism behind it but I'm all for it.

These benefits are totally worth the discomfort of taking the shower. They don't really get easier in my experience but so far I'm loving them and wish I started earlier.

[ball dont lie]

I love cold showers when Im at the sauna. Go as hot as possible, as long as possible in the sauna, drink water, take a shower and scrub my skin and then take a long cold shower. Sometimes I go a few rounds like this until I feel tired. It can exhaust the body for sure.

[Cr33pin]

I didn't know what cold showers were until I took one in Ukraine in the fall.....

I usually get in a luke warm shower an towards the end switch it to cold. I like to say my mental mantra before switching the water to cold.. I say out loud "OHHHH the Macho Man is coming for ya!!" then switch the water all the way to the cold side. The other morning I was a little distracted an said my mantra then switched the water all the way to hot by accident... damn near melted my face off

[roberto]

(10-30-2016 05:04 PM)britchard Wrote:  

Started cold showers (or cold baths) this evening. Sat (legs and crotch area submerged) in lukewarm water then emptied some of the water whilst adding cold water so I acclimatised to it. Serious scrotum shrinkage, and once I was at a cold enough temperature I splashed a bit of water over me.

Was having thoughts of chickening out, but used some motivational techniques to push my upper body under. It's fine once you get used to it.

That's not cold bro. A cold shower is just that- cold tap only and get under it. I'd say your 'cold enough' temperature is what others would call tepid.

It's so bloody good for you. I love doing it here in the winter- let it run for a minute or so to get it as cold as possible. When I have a hangover a cold shower in the morning is the best thing in the world.

@balls don't lie- yeah, I've noticed that. Went to the gym the other day and only had half an hour. Decided I'd just have a sauna and cold shower. Felt like I'd worked out after.

[roberto]

(06-07-2016 10:28 AM)HectorLavoe Wrote:  

I was in the habit of ending all my showers with ice cold water for years, it really helps calm down any irritation from the morning shave. Now I won't even allow myself hot water in the shower unless it's after a night workout before bed. My showers now start at medium cold and end on ice cold. Add in mentholated shave soap to the mix and the fresh feeling is unbeatable.

Tea tree shower gel also provides a similar feeling. Its the dogs bollocks.

Good to see so many RVF bros appreciating the benefits. And, like el gostro says, it saves money.

[britchard]

(10-31-2016 12:08 PM)roberto Wrote:  

(10-30-2016 05:04 PM)britchard Wrote:  

snip

That's not cold bro. A cold shower is just that- cold tap only and get under it. I'd say your 'cold enough' temperature is what others would call tepid.

It's so bloody good for you. I love doing it here in the winter- let it run for a minute or so to get it as cold as possible. When I have a hangover a cold shower in the morning is the best thing in the world.

@balls don't lie- yeah, I've noticed that. Went to the gym the other day and only had half an hour. Decided I'd just have a sauna and cold shower. Felt like I'd worked out after.

No it was cold, I promise you. I just started off lukewarm, then made it fully cold. It was cold enough to get the shock you feel when you put your upper body suddenly, along with the gasp of air. Apparently this is lessened if you put your face in first because of something called the Mammalian reflex?