Hello, I'm Jono James, the proud founder of Odin Ice Baths. What started as a personal journey to heal a health condition through hot/cold therapy quickly evolved into a thriving business providing ice baths and saunas to both private and commercial customers. In this article, I aim to shed light on the growing trend of ice baths, their benefits, and the commercial opportunities they present.
Ice baths are trending
In the world of health and fitness, few things have ignited in popularity like ice baths. The trend started with Wim Hof and has taken the world by storm, with celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Hemsworth, Joe Rogan and a myriad of other well-known figures jumping into the freezing cold to experience the benefits.
But why do people immerse themselves in freezing cold water, and what makes it so compelling?
Technically speaking, an “ice bath” is any body of water which is 10 degrees C or less. These can take any number of forms, from a wheelie bin or inflatable tub which is filled regularly with bags of ice, to a proper ice bath which plugs in and maintains cold, clean water on its own. In a business, the only feasible option is the latter – which doesn’t involve spending time/ money on buying ice several times a day.
What's the benefits of ice baths
The benefits of ice baths may sound unconventional to the uninitiated, but those who swear by them will tell you they're life-changing. If an ice bath is used before a workout it can help with building muscle, if used afterwards it can help with recovery. Some people use it for pain management, others for mental health and resilience, some use it instead of coffee to stay alert, awake and set themselves up for the day. Studies have shown that ice baths can reduce inflammation, trigger the release of "happy hormones," and boost recovery, among numerous other advantages. All of these explain the rapid rise in popularity for ice baths – people feel the benefits immediately and are hooked for life.
Demand for ice baths has skyrocketed
The explosive growth of interest in ice baths over the past few years is undeniable, as indicated by Google Trends data. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the demand for ice baths is a need and not a want in a commercial facility. Providing ice baths to your customers is no longer a luxury—it's a strategic move to stay ahead of competitors and retain loyal clientele.
How to choose the right ice bath
Selecting the right ice bath for your commercial facility can be a daunting task with numerous companies offering their products. Here are a few things to consider:
Is the company well established and can they provide reliability and confidence in their product? There is a lot that goes into the design of an ice bath and much of this is crucial in a commercial facility.
Has the filtration and cooling system been designed to handle the increased use? Is it wifi controlled for easy monitoring and control? Is it compatible with chlorine which is required by law for commerical facilities?
Does it suit the aesthetics of your premises?
Is the ice bath made of durable materials?
Does the company stand by their warranty?
Understanding the two types of ice baths Many people don’t realise that there are two types of ice baths on the market: "Cold Plunges" and "True Ice Baths." The difference lies in their cooling methods, which affects their temperature, electricity consumption, and reliability.
A Cold Plunge is cooled down externally from a chiller. The water circulates out of the bath, through the chiller, then back into the bath. These chillers are easier to make but they tend to use more electricity.
A True Ice Bath uses copper coils wrapped around the tub to provide cooling. The tub
effectively becomes a chiller and because of this it tends to use less electricity and is more reliable.
The biggest difference between the two is how cold they get. A Cold Plunge will struggle
to get lower than 4 degrees Celsius. True Ice Baths can get to a temperature of 0 degrees, even producing their own ice, making them more authentic, shareable on social media and attractive to clients.
How to monetise your ice bath
Integrating an ice bath into your facility not only improves customer satisfaction but also offers several ways to generate a solid return on investment:
By increasing the number of services you provide:
You can increase membership prices, offer single sessions, attract more members at the same price as before and/or have multiple tiered memberships. For example: A more expensive membership which offers access to a sauna/ice bath.
2. Offer breath workshops:
Breath workshops are becoming increasingly popular and are a great way to get more people to experience cold water therapy for the first time. Which will lead to more members organically.
3. Drive organic memberships:
I touched on this above, but ice baths are inherently very interesting to watch someone do. It’s also a personal achievement that people like to share. Taken together, this means members are more inclined to share their ice bath experience on social media and therefore can generate more business organically. In addition to this, ice baths impart the user with a natural “high” that stays around for hours afterwards. It’s natural to associate this high with the facility which provided it. So an ice bath will improve customer satisfaction and brand reputation.
We’ve done casual surveys of our commercial customers and the responses have been overwhelmingly positive for their members and therefore the business's bottom line. With an ice bath being a relatively low-cost addition to the facility's offerings, the ROI is very strong. Plus it’s becoming increasingly common for customers to search out facilities that provide some version of cold water therapy. So not providing this service risks losing customers to facilities that do jump on this earlier.
How to implement an ice bath
To successfully implement ice baths in your facility, consider factors such as regulatory compliance, complementary services like saunas and hot tubs, tub size, available space, expected traffic, and temperature options. Providing different temperature ranges caters to both beginners and experienced users, ensuring a positive experience for all.
Consideration should be given to providing two different temperature options for ice bathing: a higher temperature (8-10 degrees Celsius) for beginners and then they can drop down the temperature as they get better at it. Ideally, multiple ice baths at varying temperatures would be best, but if this is not an option then designating "cold days" (around 0 degrees) and "warmer days" (approximately 10 degrees) can be an alternative solution. This accommodates both beginners and pros based on their comfort and skill levels.
Get started with Odin Ice Baths
I've provided a glimpse of the value ice baths can add to your commercial facility. But there's so much more to explore! At Odin Ice Baths, we are committed to helping you
make an informed decision. We offer a comprehensive commercial information pack covering all aspects you need to know, including installation, maintenance, sizing options and maximising customer engagement. For more info go to: odinplunge.com/commercial-pack.
Our team is eager to collaborate with you, ensuring a seamless integration of our ice baths into your health and fitness facility. We can take your facility to new heights, create a better customer experience, more organic traffic and help drive your bottom line.
Jono James, Founder of Odin Ice Baths.
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