Wim Hof Method (cold exposure, breathwork) and TCM

[vadaga]

Hope I am not derailing here too much- there is a lot crossover between the Wim Hof method and just general cold-water swimming training. I've never done any Wim Hof method but have done a moderate amount of sea swimming in temps down to 8 degrees C and one of the main things was that there is a 'cold water shock' period that one has to get over. Usually as well I will have a very set 'warm-up' practice after I get out of the water which involves putting on very warm clothes and drinking a liter of tea (in my case) to prevent colds which is something that the majority of sea swimmers I know do to some extent.

[wayne hansen]

Find his understanding of breath and his chi Kung a bit rudimentary

[vadaga]

@Tom agreed, hyperventilation was the #1 nono for free diving, it's meant to lead to shallow water blackout.

[Giles]

Next week I'm on an island in the Baltic for a week, together with family, and since we're just 15 minutes' walk from the beach I'm planning to take at least one dip every day. But I admit to being a wuss: I'll probably wear my neoprene shorty for the first couple of times so I can stay in the water longer. Then see if I can dispense with it after that.

[Ian C. Kuzushi]

Thanks for sharing the article, Tom. It's interesting to see these two systems reconciled in that the approach is more heuristically effective than it might be if it just focused on them separately.

[vadaga]

Wim Hof is about to get even more mainstream exposure via BBC 1 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bwtn6q