The Plunge cover art

The Plunge

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

By: Chris Ballard
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

It seems everywhere you look someone is dunking themselves in ice-cold water. Lizzo plunges to help with inflammation, Amy Poehler swears by her daily dunk, and Bradley Cooper even posed for a magazine shoot at his favourite dipping hole.

In THE PLUNGE, intrepid journalist Chris Ballard immerses himself in this growing tribe of cold-water junkies of all ages, shapes and nationalities, meeting social circles and those trying to create a new Olympic sport. He travels to laboratories and swims in waters around the world, from Portsmouth to the Pacific, exploring evolutionary principles and ancient practices largely lost in the modern world.

From cold plunge to open water swimming to ice swimming, he tests his limits in this extreme sport, eventually becoming a US national champion in the Ice Mile -- a mile-long swim in freezing water, a test of body and mind.

Along the way, he explores the cutting-edge science of the benefits of cold water: how it helps with muscle recovery and soothes chronic pain, boosts feelings of alertness, contentment and energy, and can even help to treat depression and anxiety.

THE PLUNGE is a rollicking, eye-opening adventure about the cure that’s freely available to all and as old as the planet itself: cold water.

© Chris Ballard 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Alternative & Complementary Medicine Sports Psychology Water Sports

Critic reviews

An immersive look at the most immersive sport of them all - ice water swimming. Chris Ballard is the perfect companion as he takes the reader through the history, the science, the psychology, the personalities, the dangers and - most of all - the benefits of taking The Plunge. And after reading, don't be surprised if you find yourself tempted to join him. (Glenn Stout, author of Young Woman and the Sea)
The Plunge isn't just about cold swims, but rather an honest look at what happens when you step into cold water and learn to stay calm, training your nervous system so no matter where you are you show up steadier - in work, in training, in relationships. Simple practice. Real strength. (Laird Hamilton, Big Wave Surfer)
A deeply human book that shows us when we breathe through the shock and embrace the discomfort, we change our relationship to fear, to pain, and to ourselves. Ballard knows what it means to be alive. (Jim Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inner Excellence)
A Brrrillant book! Ballard artfully explores the culture, physiology, and utter beauty of cold water swimming, a journey of exploration, joy, and enduring friendships. So warm in the utter cold. I couldn't put the book down!
Before reading 'The Plunge,' I'd have rather sawed off a leg than submerged myself in 30-degree waters. But Chris Ballard's book is—like an icy plunge—inspiring and invigorating. It also happens to be engrossing, masterful and life-affirming, all the hallmarks of one of America's best writers.
Mesmerizing. Chris Ballard does a deep dive into one of the most controversial health, fitness, and athletic crazes of our time. I still loathe cold water, but I loved this book.
Loads of vicarious chills and thrills
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