Steal Mark Wahlberg’s Trick to Turn Your Tub Into a DIY Cold Plunge

Here’s how you can get the same benefits at home—just without room service.

By Rebekah Harding
January 26, 2024

t 52 years old, Ted leading man and Municipal sportswear co-founder Mark Wahlberg is obsessed with longevity. His intense daily routine includes waking up before the sun for a 4 a.m. workout, a daily cold plunge, and an 18-hour intermittent fasting schedule.

And you better believe he’s not skipping out on any part of his longevity routine when he’s traveling. While hotels are usually decked out with an on-site gym, figuring out his daily ice bath ritual isn’t as simple. He took to Instagram to show how he brings his at-home cold plunge tub on the go with a DIY ice bath setup.

In the clip, Wahlberg strolls shirtless into a ritzy hotel bathroom, saying, “we don’t miss that ice bath.” He then pours twelve buckets of ice, wheeled up by room service, into the bathtub for his morning cold plunge.

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In an interview last month on the talk show LIVE with Kelly & Mark, Wahlberg calls his daily cold plunge “the best way to start the day” for longevity. He’s right: Research shows that cold exposure therapy has a slew of longevity-boosting benefits like reduced inflammation, boosted blood flow, improved immunity, and pain management (1). The practice may even reduce cortisol levels, the stress hormone (2).

About the Expert:

Dr. Elizabeth Stroot, D.P.T., is the CEO and founder of Core Wellness Leadership, and Core Wellness & Physical Therapy. She specializes in functional exercise, injury rehabilitation, and treating orthopedic conditions.

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How to Cold Plunge at Home

Even if you aren’t posted up at five-star hotels on the regular, you can still get the benefits of a DIY cold plunge—just without the perks of room service to get you set up.

How much ice you need to add will depend on the size of the pool or tub you’re using to cold plunge, but physical therapist Elizabeth Stroot, D.P.T., recommends a couple of guidelines to help you measure.

“A general goal is to have it cold enough that it elicits a shiver response,” Stroot says. “If you have a proper thermometer for a hot tub or pool, use it. Start with 58 degrees or lower.”

Not keen on the idea of hauling buckets of ice into your bathroom? There’s an easier way to try cold exposure therapy, according to Stroot.

“Most people can ease their way into this practice by turning their morning shower into a cold shower for the last 30 seconds, gradually adding time as tolerable,” says Stroot. This is less expensive and time consuming than filling your tub with water and ice all the time—especially if you don’t have room service to help you out.