Cold and fever have become synonymous at this point. On the contrary, football legend Cristiano Ronaldo believes it can be a great fitness routine to boost health.

The Portuguese footballer has broken through ranks with his professionalism, and his distinguished love for cold plunges, even at temperatures reaching a teeth-clattering -20°C.

In a recent June 5 clip, posted by the Instagram user @ballermindmedia, Ronaldo shared the real reason behind this freezing discipline.

"They call showers or if you do an ice bath, that you're gonna be with a fever, which is completely wrong," Ronaldo began. "It's the opposite. The more often you do that, the less sick you will be."

As Ronaldo explained, common sense often betrays you when it comes to topics of cold, especially ice baths.

Even scientific, empirical data show that the cold routine can accelerate muscle recovery by decreasing metabolism. It also helps with reducing joint inflammation and flushing out lactic acid after punishing training sessions.

No surprise ice baths and cold plunges form such a huge part of Ronaldo's recovery routine, often dipping in freezing, negative temperatures. Even 3 am sessions can't scare him away!

 Ronaldo's Coach, Carlo Ancelotti, shares a bizarre 3 Am Ice Bath Incident

Carlo Ancelotti has coached some of the best players in AC Milan, Juventus, and Chelsea, including Zinedine Zidane, Kaká, and Ronaldo Nazário. However, none has shown a greater level of professionalism than Ronaldo.

Speaking to the Daily Mail about Ronaldo's dedication, Ancelotti remarked, "Truly, the most. I watched the film (Ronaldo's documentary), and it was good, but it did not show how professional he is."

Even when their team returned from a European game at 3 in the morning, Ronaldo would be the only one heading straight to the training ground for his ice bath recovery session. In fact, Ronaldo installed a cryotherapy chamber at his house in 2013 to support his recovery routine.

But this discipline goes beyond just ice baths. In another interview with The Guardian, Ancelotti's assistant, Paul Clement, shared that the footballer had a physio session at 6 am after returning from Istanbul.

Ronaldo's dedication to recovery shows that consistency is key to long-term fitness and performance. Would you try ice baths as part of your recovery routine?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil