Not Convinced You Really Need an Ice Bath? Here's Why You're Wrong.
The global wellness economy just hit $6.3 trillion, and ice baths are leading the charge. Here's why smart business owners are getting on board.
Most business owners in the health and fitness industry know that cold water therapy is booming. They see gyms and wellness studios investing in ice baths everywhere. But many still aren't convinced they actually need one. They think it's just another trend that will fade like countless others.
The data tells a different story.
This year, the global wellness economy reached $6.3 trillion. By 2028, that figure will hit $9 trillion. Household names like David Lloyd, Village Gyms, and Virgin Active are investing heavily in wellness upgrades, and ice baths are at the centre of their recovery offerings.
There's a reason for this shift, and it's not going away.
Why Your Members Are Desperate for Cold Therapy
Today's world is a relentless stream of micro-stresses: notifications pinging constantly, overflowing inboxes, financial pressures, work demands, family schedules, poor sleep, and an endless feed of bad news.
A recent UK-wide survey found that 74% of adults felt so overwhelmed by stress they couldn't cope at some point in the past year.
Our nervous systems are overloaded. Spending too much time in fight-or-flight mode creates chronic inflammation that over time can lead to injury and disease. This constant stress suppresses immune function, making us more susceptible to illness. It disrupts sleep and our ability to focus and perform in our day-to-day lives.
Your health-conscious members are actively seeking ways to counter this stress. They want to fully reset and recover, not just work out. And nothing resets the nervous system like controlled cold exposure.
Each stress point is a connection opportunity with your members. When you offer ice bath therapy, you're not just providing another amenity, you're positioning yourself as the solution to their daily struggles and life’s stresses.
3 Reasons Why Investing in an Ice Bath is Smart Business
1. A Powerful New Revenue Stream
The right ice bath, deployed strategically, can transform your business financials. Depending on your business type, there are many ways an ice bath experience can be sold. These are some examples.
Multiple revenue models:
-
Create a premium membership tiers (£30-50 monthly add-on)
-
Pay-per-use sessions (£15-25 per dip)
-
Contrast therapy packages combining sauna and ice
-
Layering into premium personal training programmes
-
Corporate wellness programmes
-
Community events and challenges
Ice baths are member magnets, attracting premium clientele willing to pay premium prices. They become advocates, driving word-of-mouth marketing that money can't buy.
2. A Proven Retention Driver
Members who use ice baths develop an emotional connection to your facility that goes beyond typical gym loyalty:
-
Higher engagement rates: Ice bath users tend to visit significantly more frequently than standard members
-
Stronger community bonds: Cold exposure creates shared experiences and natural support groups
-
Reduced churn: The unique offering makes switching to competitors much harder
-
Upgraded memberships: Members consistently upgrade to access ice bath privileges
When members see tangible benefits—better sleep, reduced stress, faster recovery—they associate those improvements directly with your facility, and they want more.
3. A Future-Proof Investment
Unlike fitness fads that come and go, cold water therapy is built on centuries of practice and rock-solid science:
The biology doesn't change
Cold exposure triggers measurable physiological responses that remain consistent over time. The benefits don't diminish. Members feel incredible from their first session to their 100th. What does change is the science, the ever growing understanding of how good the cold is for us. Revealing more reasons to dip and more reasons your members will look to you for the cold.
Endless applications
Ice baths can be marketed for stress relief, injury prevention, athletic recovery, mental health, immune boosting, sleep improvement, and more. As your business evolves, so can your ice bath programming. Flex the reason to appeal to your members and create programmes that truly make a difference to their daily lives.
And, with stress levels rising globally and wellness awareness expanding, demand will only increase.
The Science: Why Elite Athletes and Everyday People Both Benefit
Recent studies show cold exposure:
-
Reduces inflammation
-
Increases norepinephrine and dopamine levels for improved focus and mood
-
Boosts metabolism and fat burning
-
Enhances immune system function
-
Improves sleep quality and stress resilience
Thanks to advocates like Wim Hof, Joe Rogan, and Joe Wicks, millions have awakened to cold therapy's potential. Your members are already curious—you just need to provide the safe, professional environment to explore it.
Cold water therapy isn't new, it's ancient wisdom backed by modern research:
-
Spartan warriors used cold exposure to build mental toughness
-
Ancient Greeks used cold-water for therapies as well as socialising
-
Navy SEALs use cold training mental resilience
-
Professional athletes and teams use ice baths for faster recovery and pre cooling
-
Everyday people can benefit from all of the above and often discover it's the missing piece in their wellness puzzle
Success Stories: Businesses Already Winning
David Lloyd Manchester saw substantial membership upgrades to premium tiers after installing their ice bath suite.
1Rebel created contrast therapy experiences across their estate that compliments their existing offering and commands premium pricing.
Salus Ice built their entire brand differentiation around cold therapy following the success of ice baths in their original facility, becoming the go-to recovery destination in their market.
Arc Created their business model around recovery and nervous system health to cater to the stressed out work-force in central London, with ice baths as the centrepiece.
Making It Simple: What You Actually Need
Installing an ice bath isn't as complex as you might think:
Space requirements: Minimum 3x3 meters with access to drainage and electrical
Placement options: Near changing rooms, by pools, in dedicated recovery zones Maintenance: Modern commercial systems require just 10 minutes daily upkeep
Safety: Built-in temperature controls and safety features eliminate risk
Support: Professional installation, staff training, and ongoing technical support included
The biggest mistake we see?
Choosing cheap residential units that can't handle commercial demands. Other ice bath brands and even resellers are positioning home units as commercial units, making unsafe claims about their user load and maintenance requirements. The truth is, an ice bath built for home use cannot cope with a commercial setting. It leads to equipment breakdowns, hygiene issues, lost revenue and frustrated customers. Invest in proper commercial equipment from day one.
The Bottom Line
Ice baths aren't a trend, they're the evolution of fitness into true wellness. The global market is voting with their wallets, and smart business owners are capitalizing on this massive opportunity.
Your members are already looking for cold therapy. The question is: will they find it at your facility or your competitor's?
Ready to explore how an ice bath could transform your business?
Book a consultation with our team. We'll assess your space, model your ROI potential, and show you exactly why successful facilities are choosing cold therapy as their next growth driver Because in a $6.3 trillion wellness economy, you can't afford to stay lukewarm.
Free Ice Bath Comparison - See the Real Differences
Shopping around for ice baths? Most suppliers won't reveal the critical differences until it's too late—like daily water refills vs. our 3-day cycles, or basic filtration vs. PWTAG-compliant systems. Send us any quote and we'll show you the real comparison: true running costs, performance specs, and total 5-year ownership costs. No sales pressure, just facts. Comparison ready in 24 hours.
Get in touch with an expert now.
References:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/news/survey-stressed-nation-UK-overwhelmed-unable-to-cope
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/how-inflammation-affects-your-health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24798553/
https://nata.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/attr/47/6/article-p664.xml
https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(99)00127-4/abstract
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7730683/
Dr Huberman podcast: https://hubermanlab.com/using-deliberate-cold-exposure-for-health-and-performance/
