I laughed at this - and totally understand where you're coming from.
However. For me, I have known people who weather the cold very well - unlike you and I. They'll go for a swim in a cold lake and enjoy it. Generally, I hate the cold. Even a mild cold is NOPE. My hands especially, get cold very easily.
But this is what I saw when I looked up the method:
> If you are new to cold exposure, just end your warm shower with 15 - 30 seconds with cold water only. Begin with your feet and then follow with your legs, your stomach, shoulders, neck, and back. An initial shock, shivering and hyperventilation is normal. Try to remain calm and breathe easily. Close your eyes and really try to embrace the cold. Don't pour the cold water over the head if you are not known with cold exposure. If you feel any strong physical uncomfortableness, like heavy shivering, numbness or pain, get your body warm again as soon as possible. Cold exposure works like weight lifting, you get stronger over time. There are little muscles around your veins that contract when they get into contact with the cold. After some time (only 1-2 weeks according to Wim) these become stronger, making your veins healthier and reducing the force that your heart has to use to pump blood around your body. You can increase exposure over time. At one point the cold will feel just as comfortable as wearing your favorite pajamas and you can skip the warm shower completely. Notice how you feel amazing after a cold shower and sluggish after a warm one.
When I first heard about this guy years ago, i picked up the yoga side of it and deemed it BS. But this kind of gradual conditioning he proposes, and not going overboard with it, makes me think maybe I could try it. In theory, we should feature some adaptive qualities to better weather the cold. I'd sure love to find mine.
Or are you going be the one to to pay the medical and rehab costs for my next back injury? Are you going to endure the excruciating pain and sleepless nights? Are you going to compensate me for the additional costs I'll bear for the rest of my life due to being unable to lift or carry as much or as far as I once could? Or for a year's worth of lost opportunities (professional and personal) due to being unable to remain upright for more than a few hours at a time? Or for the loss of activities that I once enjoyed?
You go ahead and do that for yourself, but don't pretend you know anything about my body or what risks I should or should not take with it.
> but don't pretend you know anything about my body or what risks I should or should not take with it.
Not at all what I was getting at. You've clearly had a bad experience and are averse to further attempts. I get that. And it only adds to my own hesitations surrounding it. If you thought I was trying to dictate what you should do - i misspoke.
What was worthwhile to me, was that I don't need to just hop into a tub of ice to try it. I can take steps to ease my way into it. I can start with warmer water, expose less of my body, etc. I can work with baby steps. Whats kept me from trying it at all was the notion i needed to do it "all-in".
