Does anyone use cold baths or similar technique to reduce aches & pains at end of LP?

[jack.haefner]

I'm doing SSOC and nearing the end of my LP. My online coach has several clients now approaching LP and is trying to educate us all about what to "expect" as we approach this phase in our training. As I have been working through my grind, I'm now finding that sleep is becoming more difficult. The general aches and pain interfere with sleep...and if I get less sleep, recovery is compromised and I'm looking at ending LP earlier than if I could get good sleep and nutrition throughout.

I take an NSAID before going to bed, but I'm reluctant to do much more. It was thinking of taking cold baths--something--anything--to bring some releif and get to sleep. For additional context, I am a 49 yr old male, so sleep is already becoming more difficult as I age.

Suggestions from the group are appreciated.

[MBasic]

If those symptoms are in fact due to you nearing the end of your LP...you should switch to intermediate programming despite what your SSOC says.

As I said ... IF

Grinding out that last little bit just isn't worth it.

My n=1 for contrast baths was unfruitful.

[Bryan Dobson]

I have gotten temporary reinvigoration in the past, it doesn’t really help for recovery. It just helps mask some fatigue. I think you should instead Try Epsom salt hot baths. Really hot, stay In for 30 minutes as the water cools. It will help a little with the sleep if you do it 60-90mintes before bed. If you are having to take nsaids just to sleep without injury then I can’t see anyone advising you to tough it out @49.

[Royce Nichols]

Food and sleep are your best tools.
Dr Mike Israetel wrote this article which may be of some value to you

Everything You Need to Know About Recovering - Juggernaut

[Dalton Clark]

How much of the NSAID are you taking? Simply taking a single 100-200mg tablet of ibuprofen isn't really going to do much if anything for you. This really comes down to a quality of life question between you and your SSOC - and I think you should try to get a conversation with them about how this is impacting you. To continue on with the train of thought MBasic started, the end of the novice progression can be brutal even for someone my age (24) and unless you have some pressing need and desire to get as strong as possible as quickly as possible (competitive inclinations and that meet isn't getting any further away), it probably isn't worth it to keep throwing yourself at it and get continuously more beat up. If your coach is not aware of this - since they don't live in your head - I would definitely start squawking at them about not being able to sleep.

[JLB105]

I recently started taking ice cold showers. It’s brutally hard, but the benefits I feel so far are worth it. My skin feels tighter, I swear it has helped with my sleep a bit, I feel wide awake all day (no walking around like a zombie in the morning). I’m only been doing this for a week now. I’ll report back after a full 30 days.

[Ryan Arnold]

Seems like standard end of LP discomfort. I don't believe there is yet any research that shows benefit to cold exposure, at least not with regards to recovery. I took cold showers for a couple months and while they can be invigorating and give you temporary energy and focus, that tends to fade after a while, at least it did for me. And I just got sick of being cold all the time. I didn't notice any recovery benefits. You're SSOC coach is likely to be helpful here

[Cheesepuff]

I'm 63 and my LP has been slow, partially because I wasn't even walking well (knee and back injuries). And a generous dose of NDTP and new injuries. I've never hit your same situation.

I invested in a whirlpool well before finding starting strength. It gave me a lot of pain relief then and now. I don't use it quite as often, because my level of "normal pain" is way down.

But if I get sick or something, and have a lot of pain, 30 to 45 minutes of hot as I can stand. I have been advised by many that this is a bad idea. There may be some truth in their advice. But I take a half gallon of water with me and drink it. Even doing this I find myself dehydrated by the process. YMMV.

Perhaps why I have continued with this, despite serious sounding warnings, is that it helps me sleep.

I've also had decent results with Epsom salt baths. A lot easier to do. I don't get the same benefits of a whirlpool though.

Bubblers do not equal whirlpools, I wouldn't go there. You can get a whirlpool jet that goes over the side of a normal tub. I used one for a long time. Much easier to do, not nearly as good as a "real whirlpool".

[TommyGun]

I am 51, have 12 year old twins, and a wife who works the third (overnight) shift. I have a physically demanding job. Coach my kids teams, help care for my dad with Alzheimer’s. My training is advanced novice. Squats at 275 and DL mid 300’s. It takes a toll on middle aged lifters. So...I know what you are going through.
Some days I think I should stop training, who needs or wants to feel like this on the bad days?

But once I eat a lot, get three good nights sleep in a row, and remember to be grateful that at our age we can train. Just take a look around, there aren’t many guys our age who can do this. The easier softer way always beckons.

But no. Easier and softer never works. Just remember tht strength is the most important thing in life. But you have to earn it. This stuff is easily for the kids in their 20’s. But we don’t settle for easy.