Effect of body cooling on subsequent aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance: a systematic review.

Summary: Athletes often use body cooling techniques—like ice vests or cold baths—before or during competition to beat the heat and improve results. A review of 13 scientific studies confirms that this strategy works, but the benefits depend heavily on the type of exercise. Cooling the body significantly boosted performance in aerobic endurance events (like running or cycling) by an average of 4.25%. However, for anaerobic activities requiring short bursts of power (like sprinting or weightlifting), the cooling effect was negligible, offering less than a 1% improvement. While chilling out helps you go the distance, it likely won't add much power to your punch.