Brave Sydneysiders welcomed the first day of winter and plunged into ice-filled containers at Coogee Beach as part of a breathwork session organised by the Breathless Coogee Beach group.
Since its inception in late January 2022, Breathless Coogee Beach has attracted locals in search of a healthy way of relieving stress and improving one’s health. The group has since grown to 197 members.
Whilst the group conducts ice bathing sessions every Wednesday, the first day of winter is an extra special event as it raises the test of tolerance to another level. Each Breathless Coogee Beach session involves about half an hour of breathwork then concludes with an ice bath.
Breathwork is beneficial for one’s health as it helps relieve stress and release toxins whilst improving mental focus and pain management. Combined with an ice plunge and commitment, this body and mind rejuvenation technique is what is commonly known as the “Wim Hof Method”.
Wim Hof Method’s three pillars
According to Wim Hof, the way a person breathes affects the body’s physical and chemical processes. The method’s breathing technique basically involves assuming a meditation posture before taking several deep breaths through the nose or mouth and slowly exhaling through the mouth.
Cold therapy provides plenty of health benefits which include hastening recovery after a physical exercise and improving one’s quality of sleep and immune response. It entails getting oneself immersed in an ice cube-filled container.
Participating in breathwork and ice bath exercises require dedication and commitment. The Wim Hof Method says that a person can train his brain to achieve increased willpower and self-control. And subjecting oneself to breathwork and cold therapy exercises helps in improving these skills.
