George's Story
George Correa is originally from Miami, Florida but moved to Utah to start college in 2015. Since graduating, he has been working at a local non-profit organization helping provide resources for immigrants and refugees in the community.
His friend, Renato, was the one who introduced George to cold plunging. Renato told George about his experience, and it sparked an interest in George – but he didn’t try it right away.
“At my jiu-jitsu gym, I noticed that a lot of people would go soak in an old dirty tub of ice water and thought to myself that there had to be a better way to do that,” George said. “Come to find out, there definitely is. I went to the PLUNJ in Provo for the first time in the beginning of 2023 and was blown away at how good I felt afterwards.”
At first, spending time in cold water was very hard for George. But after noticing how great he felt, over time he "drank the Kool-Aid." Now, he's a cold plunge regular.
As a Brazilian jiu-jitsu hobbyist and competitor, George is all about training hard. He often leaves intense training sessions with all sorts of bumps and bruises. He struggled with hurt shoulders, wrists and even a broken toe once. Before finding contrast therapy, he couldn’t ever find much relief for joint and muscle pains. But now, cold plunging eases the onset of discomfort and has sped up his recovery process.
As significant as is his enhanced physical recovery through cold plunging, the most important benefit from contrast therapy for George has been the mastery of his own mind. Having the ability to resist escape and focus for several minutes in 50 degree water is not something he ever thought he’d be able to do, but today it is part of his regular routine.
George loves the community of people he’s been able to meet at the PLUNJ Provo location and Provo River gatherings, from the friendly and attentive staff to all the other fellow PLUNJers.
George said PLUNJ is a special place for him. “It’s a space that I get to go to and know that I will be pushing myself, challenging my mind, and then relaxing. It’s a circuit for my mind and body, (and a lot of times spirit, because I can’t help but pray for warmth when I’m freezing haha). I’m grateful to have found PLUNJ.”
To George, the message of contrast therapy is one of resilience and reward. When a person is afraid of even dipping their toe in cold water, he believes it’s amazing to see them push past the initial fear to achieve something that they believed was impossible.
“I’d like share that contrast therapy is for EVERYONE,” said George. “I believe that this practice is truly for all who are looking to decrease inflammation, reduce muscle pain, and increase mental health. Don’t be afraid of the cold water!”
