Ego, Alcohol, and Ice Baths – What Really Proves You’re a Man?

For years, I tied my worth as a man to things that didn’t truly matter. I wasn’t alone—most of us do it without even realizing. We base our value on ego-driven behaviours that are sold to us as rites of passage. In the UK, for example, your ability to drink isn’t just a party trick—it’s often mistaken as a measurement of character.

When I was in the Army, drinking wasn’t just encouraged—it was culture. If you could drink like a fish, hold your own in a pub, and still show up to PT the next day without a complaint, you were one of the lads. At my peak, 12-16 pints and 8-10 shots in a night wasn’t unusual. I had mates, I had respect, I had stories. Drinking with your boss? Normal. Getting grouped with the “squared away” guys because you were fun, competent, and could handle your liquor? Very normal.

There was even a night we drank with Danish soldiers before the Cambrian Patrol. They were staying with us, and I ended up in a pint-chugging contest. I could put one down in under three seconds—back then, I was proud of that. The funny part? I was still in top physical shape. I’d be out the next morning, training at 6 AM. No hangover would stop me. But now I wonder: could I have been fitter? Could I have pushed into roles I once believed were out of reach if I hadn’t let alcohol be such a big part of the picture?

Fast forward to today, and I see the same kind of ego attachment in a different setting: the cold plunge craze.

People treat ice baths like a badge of honour. Don’t want to do it? You’re soft. Can’t handle it? Weak. But here’s the truth—just like alcohol, we’re often doing it not because it serves us, but because we think it says something about us.

Look, cold therapy has its place. For athletes playing back-to-back games or soldiers needing rapid recovery between operations, it can certainly help. I used to train three times a day, and even then, I rarely used cold plunges. But now? If you’re in the off-season or training for long-term growth, not short-term output, there’s very little need. Studies back this up, too. Yet people are still plunging just to “prove” they’re hard.

Here’s the truth:

• I don’t need an ice bath to know I’m a man.

• I don’t need a shot glass or a pint glass either.
  

I was an infantry soldier. I’ve slept soaked through in the rain with a gun on my chest. I’ve moved on contact. I’ve carried my mates when they couldn’t move. That’s what proves something, not a freezing tub of water on Instagram.

If you’re doing something because it serves your goals, do it.

If you’re doing something because it serves your ego, question it.

It’s not about what you can endure in a moment. It’s about what you’re building for the long term.

A real man doesn’t need to prove his toughness. He just quietly lives it. If you’re ready to train with purpose, not pride, book a call with me or one of our coaches at www.masterathletic.com. Let’s build strength that lasts—no gimmicks, no ego.

Nat Galoway

Coach, Master Athletic Performance