Where Does the Tradition of Cold Plunging Come From?

Ice bathing has been around for a long time, even if it sometimes feels like a trend that has only recently become fashionable.

Cold Plunge Traditions for Over 2,500 Years

The tradition of cold plunging dates back to the Scythians, a nomadic people who flourished from around 700 BC to 200 AD. Living across the vast Eurasian steppes, the Scythians built the largest empire of their time, stretching from modern-day Romania in the west across Ukraine and Russia, and deep into Asia to present-day China and Mongolia.

The Scythians are known for many innovations. They were the first great power to use horses to unite their huge empire and to bridge the great distances (approx. 10,000 km from west to east). They also advanced mining and metallurgy, including the development of the iron sword, which ushered in the Iron Age.

And what does this have to do with cold plunging? The Scythians immersed their children in icy water to help them adapt to harsh climates. Short plunges in cold water promoted circulation, built resilience, and were also practiced by adults. The Slavs are also known to have followed similar ice-cold rituals.

Russia: Deeply Rooted and Religious Traditions

In Russia, cold plunging has a strong religious background. Every year on January 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany (or Feast of the Three Kings, based on the Julian calendar). On this day, millions of believers plunge into icy rivers and lakes to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ and to symbolically wash away their sins.

Priests bless the water, and many people also take it home in bottles. In Saint Petersburg, ice holes are cut into the frozen Neva River in the shape of crosses, known as the “Jordan River.”

The event is massive. In January 2020, about 2 million people participated in more than 9,000 plunge sites across Russia, supervised by 40,000 security staff and medics. With Siberian temperatures dropping below –50°C, this could almost be called a national sport.

While the celebration is religious in origin, many non-believers and wellness enthusiasts also take part. Cold plunging is especially popular among young Russians as both a health tonic and a test of courage. Even Russian President Vladimir Putin has been spotted taking a plunge.

From Germanic Tribes to Goethe and Kneipp

Cold plunging has also been part of German history for centuries. The Germanic tribes were said to immerse their newborn children in ice-cold water to “toughen” them, though it’s questionable whether this was healthy at the time.

Charlemagne (748–814 AD), ruler of the Frankish Empire, is believed to have swum outdoors even in winter. Later, the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was known to break the ice on the River Ilm in Weimar so he could swim with friends.

Cold Therapy in Medicine Since the 18th Century

From the 18th century onwards, cold water was increasingly used in medicine for therapeutic purposes. The priest Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), a Bavarian priest, became famous for his naturopathic and hydrotherapy methods. Although treading water and cold-water therapies had existed earlier, Kneipp made them socially acceptable and popular among a broad audience.

By the 1960s, cold water swimming and cold plunging became especially popular in East Germany (GDR) and spread across the North and Baltic Seas. In 2003, there were already around 1,000 registered cold plungers in clubs, though the actual number is believed to be much higher since many people practice independently.