The Plunge : Maverick Swimmers, An Unlikely Quest, and The Transformative Power of Cold Water

A globe-spanning narrative adventure about how the euphoria of cold water can transform - and even extend - your life. Lifelong athlete and Sports Illustrated writer Chris Ballard worried his days of exercise were numbered.Then he received a fateful text message about a trend taking hold around the world: submerging in freezing cold water. It wasn’t only thrill seekers or wellness gurus extolling its power.Swimmers have long known that when paired with cold, their sport delivers extraordinary rewards; now, modern research has shown that just a few minutes in cold water can deliver remarkable benefits: heightened energy and focus, reduced inflammation, and relief from depression and anxiety. In The Plunge, Ballard travels to laboratories and swims in waters around the world, from Portsmouth to the Pacific, tracing the roots of cold water swimming in ancient practices largely lost in the modern world. He immerses himself in the growing tribe of cold-water junkies of all ages, shapes and