Andrew “Cotty” Cotton and his multi-sport high-performance trainer and breath science practitioner, Andrew “Blakey” Blake, recently taught Red Bull athletes and cold plunge virgins how to survive (and thrive) for 5 minutes in 4-degree water in an Austrian lake. But what’s the science, and can ice baths really change your life?  

“I remember our first cold water experience about ten years ago. Cotty and I sat in an ice tub, in front of a crowd at Nazare and stared at each other for 10 minutes,” laughed Andrew “Blakey” Blake. “It became an ego thing. 20 minutes after I got out, my hands started shaking, and I dropped my cup of tea. We’ve both learned a lot since then.” 

This month, Blakey, Cotty’s trainer, who also works with professional rugby players, big wave surfers, mountain bikers, and runs online and IRL breathwork courses, took a two-day cold water cold immersion session in Austria. The plan was to see if a mixed group of Red Bull-sponsored HYROX athletes, cyclists, surfers, and skaters could handle five minutes in four-degree water. 

Unlike most of the group, Cotty has been using ice baths for muscle recovery “after getting physically assaulted at Nazare” and as a mental reset tool for a while now. “The first 30 to 45 seconds are still horrible, and you want to get out,” Cotty told SURFER. “But the guided breathing takes your mind off it. By 90 seconds, it has evolved from torture to almost being enjoyable. Not long after, the body starts to feel really nice.”

“It's stressful for the nervous system, that’s kinda the point,” says Blakey. “But you can train it, and then you can become resilient. It’s called systematic desensitization. Then you can use those techniques in other stressful situations in life.” 

Blakey calls your breath the ultimate truth teller. Any success and healthy side effects, both on the mental and physical side, from cold plunges will stem from how you regulate your breathing. In Austria, the aim was to have the athletes reduce breaths down to just six breaths per minute, from the average standard of between 15 and 20. The breathing plan is set out below.

“Breathing six times a minute is shown to bring coherence between the heart, the breath, and the mind,” he says. “That can take your body to what's called homeostasis, when all the systems in your body go into balance.” Cotty can get his breathing down to just three inhales/exhales per minute, a state known  as super coherence, which can be extremely useful when under immense stress or pain. Say, like when a 100-foot wall of the Atlantic Ocean lands on his head. 

“Just by doing that can make a massive physiological, biochemical, and psychological difference than if breathing 20 times a minute,” he says. “It's a really good way of managing pain and dilating time. You're conditioning your system to excel and thrive under stress. That threat allows you to cultivate a calmness.” 

“Look, the last 45 seconds become uncomfortable again, and this is no miracle cure,” said Cotty. “Immediately afterwards, however, you feel amazing. The body gets a nice tingling, and there’s a sense of euphoria. It’s such an easy win to feel good.”

Blakey explained the science behind that feeling. Initially, noradrenaline is produced, which is a critical neurotransmitter and hormone that functions as a chemical messenger to boost alertness, focus, and arousal. It’s one of the key components of the sympathetic nervous system's "fight-or-flight" response, which increases heart rate and blood pressure under stress. This is also a precursor to a hit of dopamine, the hormone which creates purpose and drive. 

“All this takes time. Studies have shown that after extended cold plunges, people receive a parasympathetic rebound up to six hours later. They were much calmer, yet with dopamine’s effects of added motivation, pleasure and focus.” Said Blakey

And while most of the Red Bull athletes did manage to get to five minutes in the 4 degrees deepwater Austrian tub, both Cotty and Blakey say the key is not trying to set times and goals, or let ego into the process. First-timers should ease their way into it, ideally in a group with more experienced friends.

“If you resist stress, it grows,” finished Blakey, “but if you sit with it and go to the edges, you can soften rather than force it. That’s where you get the benefits. Cold plunges aren’t an answer to life problems, but if you can make them part of your routine and develop your breathing, they sure can add to it.”