“People Think I’m Crazy”: 60-YO Former IFBB Pro Explains the Hidden Benefits of a Discomforting Activity

The Cold Plunge challenge has been a trend on social media, with over 500 million views on TikTok. The method is known for its healing benefits, and many fitness influencers, celebrities, and bodybuilders have tried the popular fitness challenge. Rich Gaspari recently did a 5-minute cold plunge and detailed the advantages.
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It is not unknown that bodybuilding rituals involve intense training sessions at the gym, which can cause muscle soreness, and research suggests cold plunges can help in post-exercise recovery. So, the 60-year-old bodybuilder who still trains tried the relaxing activity.
Rich Gaspari once again tries the TikTok famous fitness challenge
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The Dragon Slayer made his mark in the bodybuilding arena with his ripped physique. He stood second to Lee Haney on the Mr. Olympia stage multiple times, and his contributions to the sport fetched him Hall of Fame induction. Even after retiring from the competitive stage the 60-year-old bodybuilding icon continues to train.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richard Gaspari (@richgaspari)
On Instagram, Gaspari advocates various training rituals he practices, and the latest post has been about the TikTok popular Cold Plunge. The Hall of Famer recently did a 5-minute cold plunge. It was his first time after a three-week break from cold therapy. “I’m doing this every week and it’s getting much easier. Right now it’s been four minutes and it’s really, really hard,” Gaspari said while being immersed in the cold water up to the neck.
“Now people think I’m crazy doing this but the benefits far out way the discomfort for the 5 minutes doing it. The water was 42 degrees which was extremely cold,” the bodybuilding icon wrote in the caption. Inflammation reduction, the release of brown fat, a decrease in anxiety, and increased relaxation are some of the advantages Gaspari listed in his post. “I’ll definitely be doing more Cold Plunges,” he asserted. However, the first-time experience was a disaster for the iconic bodybuilder.
Watch this story | From Lou Ferrigno to Jay Cutler, here are the retired bodybuilders who are still ripped.
The first time Cold Plunging experience of Dragon Slayer
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The Hollywood fitness enthusiast Mark Wahlberg and 7x Mr. Olympia champion, Phil Heath aced the cold plunge trend earlier. Despite the initial nervousness, Heath took up the challenge and was amazed by the effect. Gaspari also took up the challenge, but the first-time experience was almost a disaster.
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Sharing his experience on social media, one of the richest bodybuilders wrote, “When you first get your body totally in the water, you feel like you can’t breathe.” Pinpointing the exact feeling, he wrote, “Your skin actually burns with pins and needles.”
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Cold Plunge is endorsed by many fitness enthusiasts online, including Phil Heath. Rich Gaspari also joined the list, given its numerous benefits. Have you ever tried the popular trend? If yes, let us know how the experience was in the comments below!