How to use the online timer
Three minutes in cold water is a manageable target and a long time when you are in it. In a climate where tap water runs warm for half the year, cold immersion usually means a dedicated tub with a chiller or a gym that has one, which makes it a deliberate arrangement rather than something that happens by turning a tap.
Decide the length before getting in, because negotiating with yourself at ninety seconds never ends well. Get the breathing under control in the first thirty seconds rather than gasping through them, keep the shoulders down, and come out when the time is up instead of extending it to prove something. The count runs in this tab, so leave the page open somewhere you can hear it.
Build up rather than starting at three minutes and a very low temperature at the same time. Warming up afterwards should happen gradually and by moving about rather than by getting straight into a hot shower. Cold water is genuinely demanding, so anyone with a heart condition or any other reason for caution should ask a doctor before taking it up.
Common questions
How should I breathe when I get in?
Slowly and deliberately, getting control in the first thirty seconds rather than gasping through them. Deciding the length beforehand also removes the negotiation that otherwise starts at about ninety seconds.
Is it safe for everyone?
No. Cold immersion is demanding, and anyone with a heart condition or any other reason for caution should ask a doctor before taking it up. Build up gradually rather than starting cold and long at once.
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