BEATE PROSKE
I was immediately enthusiastic when my friend Wiebke from Stuttgart visited me here in the Black Forest and invited me to experience the cold on the Wutach. She is currently in the middle of her training in the Wim Hof method, a well-known biohack, and that gave me confidence. I knew we wouldn't plunge headlong into the cold waters.
So on this sunny day at the end of May, I packed my swimsuit - and on Wiebke's advice, a thin jumper too. I was healthy, but the cold would certainly be a challenge. Many questions were buzzing around in my head, but I trusted Wiebke's knowledge of biohacking and the power of the cold. We looked for a suitable entry point on the banks of the Wutach. We weren't the only ones with this idea - other sun-seekers were also frolicking there. But hardly anyone dared to get into the water. Should I really venture into the cold water up to my shoulders?
My curiosity and my personal goal of leaving my comfort zone ultimately outweighed my concerns. Wiebke reminded me that our bodies have been designed to cope with the cold for thousands of years and that we can adapt by taking small steps. Eventually we found a quiet stream bed. Wiebke gave me all the important instructions and prepared me for the cold bath ahead with gentle warm-up exercises using the Wim Hof method. The Horse Stance in particular helped me to prepare my body and mind for the challenge. Regular cold training such as cold showers, she explained, is a good introduction to biohacking. It's important to get the dose right and to be generally healthy.
Mentally strengthened by specific affirmations, I plucked up all my courage. Even though I had the towel ready, according to Wiebke, I wouldn't need it for a while after the cold bath. Then the time had come: we went barefoot into the stream and knelt in the cold water without hesitation. Up to my neck in the cold, I felt my breathing quicken. But I remembered the breathing techniques of the Wim Hof method and began to concentrate on my breathing and the moment. And it worked! I became calmer and felt my body start to deal with the cold naturally.
About a minute later, I felt the urge to get out of the water. But as Wiebke had predicted, I didn't need the towel! My body reacted with a counter-regulation and I felt an incredible energy spreading through me. Happy hormones flooded through me and I felt awake, fresh and full of energy. This feeling was indescribable - I felt like I was experiencing my body and mind in a new way. A slight chill crept into my body after a while, but my jumper quickly brought me back up to temperature.
This experience showed me that biohacking - in this case with cold - is a wonderful way to test your own limits and strengthen your body in a new way. I knew immediately that this would not be the last time I had this experience.
Biohacking Bad Dürrheim
EN 
DE 
FR