Celebrity Endorsements: Who Swears by Cold Plunging?

You've probably seen it by now. Some A-list celebrity posts a video of themselves sitting in a tub of ice water, looking weirdly calm, and your first reaction is some version of "absolutely not." But then it keeps showing up. Different celebrities. Different platforms. And suddenly you're wondering whether there's something to it, and more importantly, where you'd even go to try it yourself.

That's exactly what this article is for. Cold plunging has gone from a niche endurance athlete thing to something your coworker is talking about on Monday morning, and celebrity endorsements are a big reason why. We'll break down who's actually doing it, what they say about it, and how to find a legitimate cold plunge facility near you, using real data on where the industry stands right now.

1. Wim Hof: The One Who Started the Conversation

Wim Hof didn't just try cold plunging. He built an entire method around it, completed a marathon above the Arctic Circle in shorts, and then convinced millions of people to take cold showers and sit in ice baths through sheer force of personality and some genuinely impressive physiological data. His influence on the modern cold water therapy center scene is hard to overstate.

Hof typically advocates for cold exposure in the range of 35 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, often for sessions between 2 and 10 minutes depending on the individual's experience level. He's talked about this in hundreds of interviews and his own books. What's interesting is that Hof doesn't frame it as a luxury. He frames it as something anyone can do, which is part of why his message landed so broadly and pushed everyday people toward actually looking for a local cold immersion center rather than just watching YouTube videos about it.

And yes, the man has done things with cold exposure that scientists have actually studied in peer-reviewed settings. That credibility matters when you're trying to get normal people to sit in 40-degree water voluntarily.

2. Joe Rogan: The Podcast Effect in Action

Joe Rogan may be the single most effective amplifier of cold plunge culture in the United States. He's discussed cold plunging and sauna use on his podcast dozens of times, often alongside neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, whose appearances on the show probably sent more people searching for a cryotherapy studio than any single piece of marketing ever could.

Rogan keeps a cold plunge and a sauna at his home. He's described his routine publicly as alternating between heat and cold, which is what's called contrast therapy, and he does it several times a week. He's mentioned water temperatures in the 37 to 45 degree range. The Joe Rogan Experience routinely pulls tens of millions of downloads per episode, so when he spends 20 minutes talking about how cold exposure affects dopamine levels and mood, people listen.

Contrast therapy studios, the kind that offer both hot and cold treatments in one session, have seen especially strong growth. That's not a coincidence. Rogan and Huberman made the protocol sound scientific and accessible at the same time, which is a difficult balance to strike.

3. LeBron James: Cold Plunging at the Highest Level

LeBron James spends reportedly $1.5 million per year on his body. Cold water therapy is a documented part of that investment. He's posted about ice baths and recovery routines on social media for years, and his trainers have confirmed that cold immersion is part of his standard recovery protocol after games and intense training sessions.

At 39 years old (at the time of writing), LeBron is still competing at an elite NBA level. People notice that. When fans and aspiring athletes see what his recovery stack looks like, a lot of them start wondering whether a plunge pool spa session twice a week might explain a portion of his longevity. Probably not the whole story. But the interest it generates is real.

Sports medicine professionals will tell you that cold immersion's effects on muscle recovery and inflammation reduction are backed by legitimate research, though the optimal protocols are still being studied. LeBron's public commitment to the practice gives those findings cultural weight that a journal article simply cannot.

4. Lady Gaga and Harry Styles: Cold Plunging Goes Pop

Lady Gaga has spoken publicly about using cold water therapy as part of managing chronic pain from fibromyalgia. That context matters. She's not just doing it for performance gains. She's doing it because conventional options weren't enough, and she's been vocal about that. Her openness brought cold plunging into conversations about chronic illness and everyday pain management, which broadened the audience considerably beyond fitness enthusiasts.

Harry Styles, meanwhile, has been photographed and discussed in connection with cold plunge routines during his tours. Styles's wellness habits get enormous media attention. When outlets report that he's using an ice bath facility as part of his pre-show routine, that story gets picked up across entertainment and wellness media simultaneously, reaching audiences who might never have read a fitness publication in their lives.

Both of them illustrate something the data tells us pretty clearly: cold plunging's appeal is not limited to athletes or biohackers anymore. It has crossed into entertainment and lifestyle, and that crossover is driving foot traffic to cold therapy studios that would not have existed five years ago.

5. Lizzo: Making Cold Plunging Accessible and Body-Positive

Lizzo has posted cold plunge content that went viral specifically because of how she framed it. Not as punishment. Not as elite performance optimization. Just as something she was trying, reacting to honestly, and finding value in. That framing reached people who felt excluded from typical wellness culture, and it worked.

Her videos got millions of views. And here's the thing worth noting: a lot of those viewers were people who had never considered going to a recovery wellness center before because the marketing around these facilities has historically skewed toward a very specific type of customer. Lizzo's posts shifted that perception, at least a little.

Okay, maybe "shifted" is too strong a word for one viral video. But the direction of travel is clear.

6. The Science Behind What Celebrities Are Saying

Cold exposure at temperatures between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit for sessions of 2 to 15 minutes has been studied for effects on inflammation markers, muscle soreness after exercise, norepinephrine release (which affects mood and focus), and metabolic function. Multiple studies support the claim that cold immersion reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness by measurable amounts, though the effect sizes vary.

The mental clarity piece is interesting. Norepinephrine levels can increase by 200 to 300 percent following cold water immersion, according to research cited by Huberman and others. That's not a minor effect. Whether it translates to the kind of sustained focus celebrities describe in interviews is harder to pin down in controlled conditions, but the mechanism is real.

Professional sports teams have taken notice. NBA, NFL, and Premier League clubs have cold immersion protocols baked into their official training programs. When that happens at the organizational level, it's not just because players asked for it. Team medical and performance staff signed off. That's a different kind of validation than a podcast recommendation, and both matter.

Want to support your cold plunge recovery routine with clean, affordable nutrition? Salvage grocery stores often carry discounted protein products, electrolyte drinks, and recovery supplements that pair well with regular cold water therapy sessions, at a fraction of typical retail prices.

7. The Cold Plunge Industry by the Numbers

Here's where things get genuinely interesting from a business perspective. Cold Plunge Pal currently lists 1,934 cold plunge facilities, cryotherapy spas, and related wellness businesses across major U.S. cities. That number reflects remarkable geographic spread. This is not just a coastal phenomenon anymore.

Average customer rating across all listed businesses sits at 4.9 stars. For context, that's extraordinarily high. Most service industries would kill for an average rating above 4.5. It suggests that people who are going to these places are coming out satisfied, which makes sense given that the experience is novel and the staff-to-customer ratio at most cold therapy studios is high.

Top Cities by Number of Cold Plunge Listings:

• New York, NY: 30 listings
• Anchorage, AK: 25 listings
• Omaha, NE: 20 listings
• Las Vegas, NV: 19 listings
• Albuquerque, NM: 19 listings

Anchorage at number two is surprising, honestly. But cold-climate cities have a culture of outdoor cold exposure that predates the wellness industry trend by decades. Makes sense when you think about it for a second.

Business Name	Location	Rating	Reviews
Rock and Armor	Meridian, ID	5.0 ★	1,448
Pain Center of Rhode Island	Cranston, RI	5.0 ★	1,207
Fire & Ice Wellness	Bristol, England	5.0 ★	1,199
Next Health	New York, NY	5.0 ★	1,142
Remède IV Therapy + Aesthetics	Jackson, WY	5.0 ★	948

Rock and Armor in Meridian, Idaho leads with 1,448 reviews at a perfect 5.0. That volume of reviews at that rating level is rare. It suggests consistent execution over a long period, not just a few happy customers who happened to leave feedback. Pain Center of Rhode Island is interesting because the name signals a clinical approach rather than a luxury spa one, and it's still pulling 1,207 reviews at 5.0. Different positioning, same quality signal.

8. From Celebrity Influence to Finding a Place Near You

Celebrity endorsements create awareness but not access. You can watch LeBron's recovery routine videos all day and still not know where to actually go in your city. That gap is exactly what directories like Cold Plunge Pal are built to close.

Cold plunge facilities come in several distinct types now, and it's worth knowing the difference before you book. Dedicated cold immersion centers focus almost entirely on cold water therapy, usually offering timed sessions in temperature-controlled tanks with staff on hand. Contrast therapy studios pair cold plunges with sauna or steam, often in alternating circuits. Full-service recovery wellness centers layer in additional modalities like compression therapy, red light, or IV drips alongside the cold exposure.

First-time visitors should ask a few specific questions before booking. What's the water temperature range and how is it maintained? Do staff members have any certification in cold water safety or sports recovery? What's the cleaning protocol between sessions? Transparent pricing upfront is also a good sign. Places that bury session costs or push hard on membership before you've tried a single session deserve some skepticism.

Walking into a good cold plunge facility for the first time can feel a little clinical, kind of like a physical therapy office crossed with a spa. Some places have you sign a waiver, do a quick health intake, and then walk you through the process. The better ones don't just throw you in at 38 degrees and wish you luck. They start you at a manageable temperature, usually around 55 to 60 degrees, and let you build tolerance across multiple sessions.

Cold immersion at 50 degrees for three minutes beats an hour of reading about it. You will know pretty quickly whether this is something your body responds well to. Most people report some version of "I hated the first 60 seconds and felt great for the next four hours" as their first experience summary.

9. What to Expect at a Professional Cold Plunge Session

A typical session at a professional cryotherapy studio or cold plunge facility runs between 3 and 15 minutes in the water, depending on temperature and your experience level. Facilities usually recommend starting at 2 to 3 minutes for your first time. Some places offer guided breathing instruction, drawing from Wim Hof-style techniques, to help you stay calm during the initial shock response.

Pricing varies widely. A single session at a standalone cold water therapy center typically runs $25 to $60. Membership packages can drop that cost significantly, often to $15 to $30 per session. Some recovery wellness centers bundle cold plunge access into broader memberships that include sauna, compression, and other services. Next Health in New York, one of the top-rated places in the directory, offers exactly this kind of multi-modality setup.

After your session, most good facilities have a warm-up area. Do not skip it. Your core temperature drops during cold immersion, and warming up gradually afterward is part of the protocol, not just a nice extra. Facilities that rush you out the door right after your plunge are cutting corners on the experience.

One more practical note: wear something you don't mind getting wet and cold. Sounds obvious. You'd be surprised how many first-timers show up in their nicest gym clothes and then feel awkward about it.

The Bottom Line

Cold plunging is not a celebrity fad that'll disappear next year. With 1,934 businesses listed in the Cold Plunge Pal directory, a 4.9-star average rating, and top facilities stacking thousands of verified reviews, the market data does not support that conclusion. Celebrity endorsements from Hof, Rogan, LeBron, Gaga, Styles, and Lizzo have moved this from fringe to familiar, but the industry's staying power comes from people actually trying it, liking it, and going back.

Find something near you. Go once. Form your own opinion based on that, not on what someone famous said on a podcast.

FAQ: How cold does the water need to be for benefits?

Most research and practitioner recommendations point to 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit as the effective range for most people. Some facilities go lower, around 38 to 45 degrees, for experienced users. Starting in the 55 to 60 degree range is smart for first-timers.

FAQ: How often should I cold plunge?

2 to 4 sessions per week is a commonly cited target for ongoing benefits. Daily cold exposure is practiced by some enthusiasts, but most sports medicine guidance suggests giving your nervous system some recovery days, especially early on.

FAQ: Is cold plunging safe for everyone?

Not necessarily. People with cardiovascular conditions, Raynaud's disease, or certain autoimmune conditions should talk to a doctor before starting. A good cold plunge facility will ask about your health history before your first session. If they do not, that's a red flag.

FAQ: What's the difference between a cold plunge and cryotherapy?

Cold plunging involves immersion in cold water. Whole-body cryotherapy uses extremely cold air (often around minus 200 to minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit) in a cryo chamber for very short durations, usually 2 to 4 minutes. Both are available at many recovery wellness centers, though the research base for water immersion is currently stronger.