Why does Chris Bumstead include ice baths?

The current top competitor in the classic physique division, Chris Bumstead, is in a long preparation that should culminate December 6-18, 2022 Las Vegas. That's when the biggest bodybuilding competition - Mr. Olympia - will be held. Chris has already dominated his category at this show three times and will definitely be looking to add another win this year.

Although Bumstead had a covid earlier in the year, after recovering he was surprised to find he was 28lbs lighter than his usual off-season weight! However, Chris said that his body fat percentage was normal and so he had only lost muscle mass which was a burden on his body.

Chris is including sauna and ice baths in his preparation for the Olympics, which he says is to help with recovery and overall health.

I haven't always loved the extreme heat, but the sauna always feels damn good. It helps facilitate stretching, relieves tension headaches and is a great way to detox. I haven't always liked colds either, but I've definitely learned to love ice baths because they help reduce overall inflammation, which is great for my autoimmune and overall health. When used alone they are both amazing, but together their benefits just stack on top of each other, such as aiding circulation/blood flow leading to better heart health, reducing stress in the body, muscle recovery, and more.

Bumstead incorporates ice baths so he can better fight inflammation and get a quick dopamine hit in the morning. According to medical hypotheses, ice baths are good for the following reason:

"Because of the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower is expected to send a tremendous amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which could have an antidepressant effect. (1) Cold water swimming has positive effects on the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, immune system, and psyche."

So, who among you will also incorporate ice baths into your daily routine?