Crazy, I know... but anyone can do it. Really.
My first post on Nov. 10 was about my experience attending the Wim Hof Workshop in Brooklyn NY where he taught us his breathing technique and we took the plunge into a pool full of ice. What did I know back then? Nothing. I just wanted to test the limits of what my body could do.
Well, fast forward 10-weeks since that day. I followed Wim's 10-week online course, where beyond practicing the breathing techniques, you incorporate yoga, meditation, and cold water therapy. What does cold water therapy mean? Well, it means that you start including 30-seconds of cold water into your shower and then as the week's progress, you test yourself with 10-minutes of showering with cold water. Then you maintain a routine consisting of 60-sec of cold water holding your breath to start, then you shower with warm water as you normally do, and end with another 60-sec of cold water holding your breath. The idea is to build up your cardiovascular system and reconnect with your nervous system.
And I can attest, it is amazing what the human body can get used to. The truth is, our physiology was built to withstand the elements, but with the advancements in civilization, our bodies really don't know how to cope with the cold anymore. We have goose down jackets, wool sweaters, hoodies, gloves, scarves, you name it we have it. So Wim's approach is really about reminding our physiology to do what it already knows to do.
Here's a quick glance at what my ice bath experience was. I did some breathing exercises prior to this and had my wonderful daughter film this. For purposes of time, I sped up the video 2x normal speed.
Ice Bath
Was it cold? Heck yeah, but it wasn't intolerable. I was happy to feel my body responding well to the initial shock and then withstand the biting cold. There's also a mental aspect to this. Focus, focus, focus. You have to go in knowing that you're going to beat the cold, that the cold is just a force to be reckoned with. Of course, we need to have a healthy dose of respect towards the cold, as things can turn south pretty quickly.
Part of the cold water exposure is to activate your inner fire, as Wim calls it. We all have a natural inner furnace with the ability to generate tremendous amounts of heat by activating our brown fat. Everyone's got brown fat (or brown adipose tissue). When we are newborns, our bodies naturally tap into this for thermoregulation. We produce heat this way since we can't ask for a blanket or have the ability to shiver. As we grow older, we lose touch with it ... and, with all the layers of clothing, we don't know how to access it.
But Wim teaches us how. As part of the breathing technique and cold exposure ... you learn how to rechannel your energy to produce massive amounts of heat. I never thought I could or would do it, but I did. After my ice bath, I went downstairs, opened the door and went out into the cold night. I think the temperature that night was around 20-degrees. Again, my daughter filmed this experience. Pay close attention to the amount of heat that is escaping from my head. You can see the heat waves right above my head. Amazing.
Brown Fat Activation
So this post today is really about sharing what I've been doing to continue to challenge myself to better self-care. Over the past 10-weeks I've incorporated breathing, meditation, yoga and cold water exposure into my daily routine. I feel very energized after my showers and throughout the day. I'm looking forward to the month of February so I can go to a frozen pond or lake, make a hole in it and go for a winter dip. I'll try to see if I can film that. Till next time.
Commit to thrive and #payyourhealthfirst.
-- Chris
