What do rugby players Gareth Davies, Rob Evans, Rhys Webb, Lloyd Ashley, Wales U20's captain Alex Mann and Scottish captain Stuart Hogg all have in common?
They all use reclaimed whisky barrels converted into ice baths by a Pembrokeshire company for physical and mental recovery.
Celtic Timber, based between Camrose and Roch, has been importing and exporting used barrels for more than 15 years.
Noticing a trend in using barrels for ice baths in the States, the company started converting whisky and wine barrels into watertight ice baths that can be easily shipped throughout the UK.
The benefits of cold-water immersion for physical recovery are growing in popularity but have been common knowledge since the 1960s.
The cold is said to reduce inflammation, help clear metabolic waste post-workout and increase blood flow.
Ospreys player, Lloyd Ashley said that cold water therapy in his Celtic Timber Ice bath barrel did so much for his wellbeing and recovery.
“The fact that you get through it. The fact that I manage to get my 10 or 12 minutes done, it makes me feel a lot better,” he said.
“I would say the biggest thing about cold water therapy to me is the boost to my mood. It makes me feel so much better.
“Whatever my routine looks like through the week, whatever my schedule looks like, I make sure to fit time to get in the barrel. That’s something that is really important to me.”
He added that the cold water therapy also tied in with his work with the work he does around mental health and wellbeing.
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A spokesperson for Celtic Timber said that its ice bath barrels were an affordable way to experience cold water therapy from the comfort of home.
New wooden ice baths can cost thousands of pounds. By reclaiming barrels, the cost is reduced significantly.
“The barrels are a cost-effective way to recover in cold water at home and in a confined space,” he said.
“Reusing them in this way also gives new life to a vessel that is at the end of its use for distilling.”
For more information visit celtictimber.co.uk/product/barrels-for-ice-baths.
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