If you’re here, it means cold-plunging is already part of your routine — and you’re ready to take the next step and keep experimenting with your body and mind.

In this article, we’ll share a few cold plunge exercises and protocols you can use to elevate your practice.

First things first

It’s always worth remembering the four golden rules of this practice:

• Don’t overdo it: not with time, temperature, or weekly frequency.

• Listen to your body at all times.

• Focus on your breathing.

• It’s not about freezing. This should be an enjoyable tool that helps you — not something that makes you suffer or harms you.

Cold plunge protocols

Dr. Andrew Huberman, neuroscientist, PhD, and leading figure in the world of wellness and science, recommends several science-based protocols. Here are two of them:

Søeberg’s Protocol

The goal is to activate shivering to release succinate, which triggers brown fat, boosting metabolism and promoting fat loss.

• Temperature: Adjust the water temperature so that you start shivering between 1–3 minutes of exposure.

• Immersion: Submerge up to your shoulders. Don’t fight the shivering; let it happen — even voluntarily if needed. Shiver for 60–120 seconds.

• Exit: Get out of the ice bath without drying off or crossing your arms. Allow yourself to keep shivering outside the water for another 60–120 seconds.

• Re-entry: Get back into the cold water.

• Repetition: Alternate between immersion and shivering for 2–5 rounds.

Note: The goal is to avoid adapting too quickly to the cold, so you continue reaping the fat-burning and metabolism benefits triggered by shivering.

Contrast Protocol

Contrast therapy involves alternating between cold and heat (water or sauna). There are two ways to do it — with hot water (jacuzzi or shower) or with a sauna.

With water:

1. Start with a warm shower and gradually lower the temperature to cold.

2. Stay in the cold water for a few minutes.

3. Go back to warm water for a few minutes.

4. Repeat the cycle several times, always finishing with cold.

With sauna:

1. Do a sauna session of 12–15 minutes.

2. Shower to rinse-off sweat and toxins in the skin.

3. Follow with a cold plunge for 1–3 minutes.

4. You can alternate 2–3 cycles, depending on comfort.

5. Always end with cold exposure.

Important Safety Notes for Both Protocols

• Start slow and don’t push your body too hard. Gradually increase exposure time and adjust temperature (for both sauna and cryotherapy) if you’re a beginner. 
• Listen to your body. If you feel dizzy, disoriented, or experience any unusual symptoms, leave the sauna or tub immediately. Safety always comes first.
• Stay hydrated with water or electrolytes before and after each session.
• Never deliberately hyperventilate before or during a cold immersion. Breathing should be calm, deep, and steady — inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.

Tips to Level Up Your Cold Plunge

These aren’t protocols, but rather fun ways to upgrade and spice up your plunges:

• Break the barrier: When you stay still in the water, your body creates a thin “thermal barrier” between your skin and the water. To make your session more challenging, move around to break that barrier. Feel the cold in its entirety.

• Full immersion: At the end of your session, do a full-body dip (head under water) for a few seconds. You’ll feel a rush of energy and adrenaline. Remember to pinch your nose!

• The Crocodile: This challenge is from a member of the Humans Club: lower your body so the water covers up to your mouth (including it!) and take deep breaths through your nose. This one’s elite-level.

Do you have any cold plunge tips, challenges, or hacks of your own? We’d love to hear them! Send us a DM on Instagram.

(*) Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor — especially if you have heart issues or high blood pressure — before starting cryotherapy or trying these protocols.

We invite you to explore cold-plunging and experience the incredible benefits Alfa Humans can bring to your daily life.