Last May, Easton Training Center hosted a workshop focused on breathing and getting exposed to the cold. Fifty students from all the academies came to participate, and we had a lot of fun.
Professor Miles Lukas, a black belt under Dave Camarillo and a certified Wim Hof instructor, has worked with Rickson Gracie on ways to breathe better for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He spent the weekend teaching us how to use our breath and mind for better performance.
“It’s just like a waterslide, but it’s made of razorblades!” This is how Professor Miles explained plunging into a tub of ice measured at 31 degrees. Zero for Celsius types.
Why in a modern world of hot showers would anyone willingly become a popsicle? People have taken cold baths for a long time, but a guy named Wim Hof certainly popularized it.
Wim Hof, an eccentric who became famous for smashing world records, climbed Mt. Everest in only a pair of shorts, swam in the artic and successfully completed a number of other wild stunts. His exploits did two things: illustrated the value of regular breathwork and getting in the cold, and prove that it isn’t anything special. Anyone can be taught to do extraordinary things because we are all extraordinary.
Wim Hof & Breath Fitness Workshop
Regularly exposing ourselves to harsh cold has a lot of benefits for us. Scientists are showing that it actually boosts our immune system. Not only that, but it causes our bodies to metabolize fat and fire up our metabolism.
Those who train hard find it particularly helpful because the cold reduces inflammation. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, it shows us that we are capable of doing hard and uncomfortable things. With a little preparation, anyone can soak in ice easily.
Many people might simply tough out the discomfort of sitting in an ice bath, but that misses the point. The ice bath creates a chance for us to exercise our discipline and control over our body in a pretty spectacular way. When we do our ice baths this way, the cold can feel pretty comfortable. We can enjoy all the benefits we get from it without having to “tough it out” or fight it. It’s better this way too.
[Wim Hof & Breath Fitness Workshop]
Some have said it’s hell to plunge into a tub of ice for a few minutes, but we like to think of it as “brrrgatory” (brilliant name for it Sarah!). We’ll be doing more Brrrgatory in the coming weeks if you feel like joining us. We might even find a nice, snowy hike come winter in just our Easton shorts.
If you missed Professor Mile’s workshop, you can catch him on Instagram at @breath.fitness where he has a lot of resources on breathing and getting in the ice. You can learn more about Wim Hof at www.wimhofmethod.com.
