Taking the Plunge - 10 Top Tips...

1. What mentality should I have?

Approach it with low ego. People put on social media how long they plunge for and at what temperature, but that is the antithesis of what it's all about. As Karyn told me no-one seems to post about how long they warmed up for afterwards, which is just as important as the plunge itself. I think of it mainly as sanctity and a fairly private moment

2. How cold should?the?water?be?

Anything under 10 degrees will do the job. I tend to go for 2-4 degrees since 8-10 pretty quickly didn’t feel like a challenge. I think there should be an element of testing yourself each time since it’s about self-mastery although, reference point 1, there is a balance to be struck.?

3. How long should?I stay in?

2 minutes is enough to get the full physical benefit and there is a school of thought that if you stay in for too long it can erode the physical benefits. However some of the mental benefits continue beyond that so my thinking is that about 3-4 minutes strikes a good balance

4. How do I warm-up before?

Wear a hat since it’s comforting and your?head is where you lose most heat.?There is no need to dunk your head and it can over-stimulate your fight or flight response (sympathetic nervous system) whereas the trick is to balance sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.?

Strip down to your swimwear and do the horse stance for a couple of minutes to acclimatise to the outdoor temperature and to get mentally focussed. The horse stance invokes the major muscle groups (glutes, hamstring, quads and intercostals) so really gets your blood pumping to prepare to go in -?https://youtu.be/W_qEbucKxHM?si=pTs5NfGZd2lOFzJl

5. How do I get in?

It's best to make this as calm and deliberate as possible. For example the last thing you want is someone around you making jokes or goading you. I find this sequence works really well?

• A few deep breaths to set your focus as you approach the bath
• A big inhale ("fully in")
• Step into the bath up to half way whilst doing a very long exhale ("letting go")
• Big inhale ("fully in")
• Sink into shoulder depth with another long exhale ("letting go").
• Immediately get into very long breaths

NB taking just one breath between the initial and full plunge allows you to maintain momentum rather than buying yourself time but actually building up anxiety and suspense i.e. move with conviction.?

6. How do I actually enjoy it?

For it to be sustainable it should be something that you look forward to rather than something that you dread and want to get over and done with.?

Clearly it's uncomfortable initially. But it's important to say that it isn't real pain. Pain is breaking your leg. Ultimately it is a sensation that you can choose to let go of, and it is temporary, so be cool with it

It helps to consciously relax your shoulders and neck and close your eyes.?

Focus on deep breathing, breathing up from the belly into the chest and the head

Breathe in through the nose (nasal breathing is relaxing) and out through the nose (more of a sense of release).?

Pausing for a couple of seconds after the out breath also helps to relax, as can gentle humming on the out breath.?

If you start to shiver, acknowledge it and try to consciously let go of it.?

Music can be really motivating. Some people prefer silience but my go-to track is “Now We are Free” from the film Gladiator?

https://open.spotify.com/track/11IXRdEjiH0KL8nh4G1j7d?si=-o35_86_TE2i31RuId7xUQ

It’s remarkable that with these tactics a couple of minutes literally goes in a flash and yet you get such a sense of energy and invigoration alongside all of the physical and mental wellbeing benefits.?

7. How do I challenge myself?

Rather than going ever longer or ever colder you can instead do different things with your hands on different occasions with a sliding scale of cold sensation as follows...

• Hands out of the water
• Arms folded and fingers under your armpits
• Hands between thighs
• Hands clasped under water
• Hands under water separated but still
• Hands under water separated and moving

In general it's good to mix things up a bit so that you don't become too rigid in anything (which can then become a fixed expectation leading to disappointment in yourself)

8. How do I warm up after?

Last, but no means least, it's crucial to warm up again thoroughly to avoid an "afterdrop" where cold blood from the peripheries goes back to the core, leading to feeling cold for much longer. ?

It's best to immediately dry off with a towel since you continue to shed heat if you are wet.?

And then go back to the horse stance for at least as long as you were in the water. This is the bit where, in all honesty, I was getting it wrong for a long time.?

The horse stance forces warm blood into your extremities. In about 3-4 minutes your hands have warmed up again hands and should not feel cold at all. Ultimately you shouldn't have to get it into a warm shower to complete warming up which is where I was previously.?

9. Do I need to do it every day?

The benefit of cold exposure is estimated to last 6 days. Hence it’s not a biggie if you aren’t able to do it every day. The best advice I’ve had is to try to do it consistently, whatever that means for you.?

Of course you can always fill in the gaps with cold showers ad a top up. They might seem a pale imitation in comparison but it all counts and it’s good to have some form of cold exposure every day.?

10. What about the kit?

Ice baths or the equivalent range from ￡100 to ￡10,000 depending on how plush you want to go. I went for one without a chiller initially but then added one because it was a nightmare holding the temperature down through the summer.?

In general these things aren’t cheap so the big question is always whether or not I will keep using it and therefore will I have buyer’s remorse.?

You can make an informed decision though i.e. try before you buy in a few different ways

• Depending upon where you are in the world the water coming out of your cold tap should be under 10 degrees so using your bath at home if you have one is an option. If you add some ice from the supermarket you can get down to 7 degrees or lower.?
• See if a local gym has one and will let you try it a few times. If they are reasonable people then hopefully will give you a cheap, if not free, temporary membership for a week or 2. Indeed many have a new joiner free trial period as an ongoing offer.?
• Ask around your local network and see if someone will do you a cheeky favour a couple of times. For some reason the practice seems to attract people with a generosity of spirit so you'd be surprised at how willing and helpful are in encouraging others. (Anyone near me is welcome at chez Evans)
• Frankly you can’t go wrong with a Lumi even as a stepping stone. If you do upgrade subsequently you haven’t lost that much and even then you can sell it on or hold onto it for away fixtures.?

Good luck! - and as Wim Hof says - "if you can die once every day then you know you are alive"