Why Ice Might be Limiting your Growth

Huberman's cooling protocol, plus Peter on supplements & kids lifting

March 24, 2025

Why Ice might be limiting your growth

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM HUBS

In his Essentials episode, this week Hubs broke down some of the questions you all performance lunatics might have when it comes to cooling: does it make me recover better? Am I sacrificing performance with those loooong icey minutes post-workout?

It depends. It always depends. Here's what we've learned:

Immersing the whole body in cold/ice baths after training can block pathways that are involved in muscle growth

✓

The palms of hands, bottoms of feet, and face are most effective for cooling

In-session cooling can dramatically improve performance. In studies, subjects increased from 100 pull-ups to 180 pull-ups in a session using palm cooling between sets (wild!).

✅ WHAT TO DO

• Cool palms, feet, or face between exercise sets 🔗

• Pass a cold object between hands during endurance activities 🔗

• Cool palms, feet or face after workouts for faster recovery 🔗

⛔ WHAT TO AVOID

• Full-body ice baths after strength training 🔗

• Using non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs for temperature regulation

🎧 LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE

What to know about the golden trio of supplements

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM PETER

Creatine, Fish Oil, Vitamin D is the starter pack of supplements for those of you that want to get there without looking like a wreck.

In his AMA, this week, Peter didn't reveal any hidden truths but he did answer some questions you might have on the subject:

Does taking creatine lead to muscle growth or just water retention?

It's kind of a definition game here, but yeah, creatine contributes to muscle growth by increasing myofibril thickness and retaining water within the muscle, which is still considered lean mass.

Are all fish oil supplements equally effective?

Nope. Smaller fish = tends to be more effective. Watch out for poor quality. Does rancid fish sounds like a supplement to you? Exactly. Stay away from it.

Can vitamin D be obtained effectively through sun exposure?

Yes, about 20 minutes of sun exposure without a shirt can provide a significant amount of vitamin D, equivalent to supplementation. It's time to go topless, I guess.

🎧 LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE

Wait, my kid should lift?

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM ANDY

I spent 16 years of my life away from "the weights" cause my parents thought they would damage my growth. Well, they DO NOT. In this week's episode of his podcast, Andy Galpin broke down some of the most common myths when it comes to strength training for kids.

I know you have questions on this. And this week Andy came with the answers. Here some I found useful:

Is it safe for kids to lift weights, and can it stunt their growth?

No, strength training is safe for kids and does not stunt growth. In fact, it can enhance bone health and overall physical development.

What age is appropriate for kids to start strength training?

Kids can start strength training as early as 5 to 7 years old, as long as they can follow safety instructions and show interest.

How can parents determine if their child is ready for strength training?

If a child can pay attention, follow safety instructions, and express interest in lifting, they are likely ready for strength training.

⛔ WHAT TO AVOID

• Avoid allowing kids to specialise in one sport too early (I know he loooves basketball, but is there any chance he could get exposed to something else?). 🔗

• Do not push kids to high-intensity training without proper preparation (Just leaving this here for those worried about their husband's Lavar Ball tendencies). 🔗

🎧 LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE