When learning to cook, we do not just learn the recipes, we need to learn the principles of cooking. The same applies to cold therapy. As soon as we understand the principles and set solid foundations, we can build a pyramid. And a pyramid can remain standing for a very long time.

1st Principle: Mindset

Whenever we are learning something new, having the right mindset is key. Without it, nothing we do can have a long-lasting and sustainable effect, simply because our mind will not accompany us. The mind is powerful, and it can distract us very easily from what matters to us.

Knowing why I want to start with cold therapy, what it means to me, is crucial. Ideally, we are looking at an inner motivation which comes from ourselves, not from the outside. In those moments when we do not feel like getting into the cold shower, we can always remind ourselves of the original intention. Cultivating a growth mindset helps. Then if one day you skip the cold shower or do not stay for as long as you wanted, you do not assume the role of a victim, but you will know it is alright, you will try again next time. When I started practising cold therapy, my mindset was the essential factor that helped me walk hand in hand with cold in a sustainable way. You can call it intention, motivation, whatever feels right and natural to you. In any case, identify your why and - better still - write it down somewhere on a piece of paper or in your diary.

TIP:

I highly recommend starting a diary if you do not have one yet. In it, you will write your protocols and observations during the entire process of cold therapy, along with your intention: why you want to start practising in the first place, what you want to learn from the cold. I do not recommend skipping this point. You will see that in a few weeks or months you will have collected valuable data regarding your feelings, the lessons cold has taught you and so on. You will appreciate the data in time. If you want a ready-to-use cold therapy protocol, at Systers we have prepared one for you. My husband Johnny put it all in a table and our lovely Klárka took care of the graphic design. You can print it out, put it on your fridge, and start practising.

You can download the protocol here.

2nd Principle: Courage and Inner Strength

Working with cold has a lot to do with courage. It is about taking the first step. Whenever I am in the shower, I do not want to turn the tap to the other side. When I go out wearing nothing but a T-shirt in the cold, I do not feel like it at first, even though I know deep down that I am somehow looking forward to it. Even after all these years, the feeling does not go away. It is still there, but I perceive it differently, just like the cold. It is better not to think when working with cold, just jump right in. You can try using the Samurai rule of three seconds - when you want to do something, do it within three seconds, otherwise your mind will try to talk you out of it. This rule reminds me of the transience of things and my courage. Courage is closely linked to inner strength.

Every time you step out of your comfort zone, your inner strength grows, as if it was awakening to the maximum of its potential. It is a wonderful feeling which will help you in other areas of your life as well. At the shooting range, my master, who trains me in shooting and various martial arts, always tells me: “Work with stress, total relaxation, resilience, and complete focus, all of this you know from your ice baths. Now all you have to do is transform this skill and bring it to another area, to shooting. Focus, relax, and above all, don’t think. Shoot!” He is right. Although it is not always easy to transform this skill into another, it can be done. Your courage and inner strength, which grow with every dose of cold, will support you in other life situations.

3rd Principle: Self-love and Gentleness

Careful, though, we need to find the fragile balance between courage and inner strength on the one hand and self-love and gentleness on the other. At the beginning of my journey with the cold, when I used to compete with others to see who could stay longer in the cold water, I would often overdo it, and instead of the positive eustress, I would produce negative stress in my body. Suddenly I felt more fatigued and started to fall sick again. I did not understand at first, but then I realised that I had disrupted the harmony and equilibrium, and started harming my body. My nervous system was overloaded and I began to fall back into a dark hole.

Work with cold is a never-ending game of getting to know yourself. It is great fun, and you will see that in time you will reach certain breaking points where you will feel such bliss that you will never want to stop. No matter your level of experience with cold exposure, believe me when I tell you that you can get so far beyond anything you believe possible. Beyond anything you can imagine cold can offer you. Once you truly relax in the process, you can experience truly amazing states of expanded consciousness. The trick is to remain aware, centred, and stay with the cold sustainably for a long time. Accept the cold and relax into the discomfort.

4th Principle: Mindfulness

Mindfulness is extremely important in cold therapy. It is about being present in your body in the moment, not letting yourself get carried away by your thoughts or feelings. While you are immersed in the ice cold bath or taking an ice cold shower, you can use different mantras, such as, “I am here,” “I accept you,” “I love you,” etc. Unfortunately, many people become tense and fight the discomfort. That is not a good strategy. Women tend to have less difficulty and usually manage to relax. The tenser we are, the more energy our body and muscles burn. If we relax, the experience is more enjoyable, even ecstatic, after some time. I have had such an experience a few times, and I must say it is really something. The moment we accept the cold, not reject it, we can relax and go through the process with much more ease. 

Another thing I have noticed is that women tend to approach water and the whole process with more respect. Cold therapy can and should be a kind of ceremony. At my camps, when I lay women in the ice bath, we typically look deeply into each other’s eyes, I hold her hand, and she immerses herself in the water, gently and gradually. We breathe together, without talking. The woman is within herself, does not let her surroundings distract her. Then she closes her eyes and allows herself to float in the present moment, with the cold. It is a transformational experience, not only for the woman but for me. Every single time. It is such a wonder and such an honour!

I would like to thank all the women who allowed me to share this profound experience with them.

5th Principle: Slowness

In my first book, Burn Slowly, I write in great detail about the importance of slowness in today’s hurried world, and we cannot overstate it when it comes to cold therapy. If we hurry and race, then - paradoxically - our speed can slow us down and stop our progress completely. This is not an advantageous strategy, believe me. I have been there. You can come out at a much lower point than where you started. On the other hand, what do I know about your journey. :)

In cold therapy, sustainability is crucial. We want cold to be our friend for life, not just a fling. That is why it should be administered continually in smaller doses, rather than once with high intensity. There is no rush. We can start by practising cold exposure only on our hands and feet and, when we are ready, we increase the dose. Everything is all right. Each one of us will have a uniquely intimate relationship with cold.

6th Principle: Regularity by Cyclicity

We are women. Or, to be gender-neutral, we are people with a vagina. If you feel like a man but are equipped with a vagina, this text is also for you. The biggest myth in personal development and biohacking is that we should all repeat one habit every day for a prolonged period of time. This can work for men, but not women. Even though we can feel it is beneficial in the beginning, after some time we realise that this approach harms us in the long run. It is important to synchronise cold therapy with our cycle. I describe this in more detail in my e-book on cold therapy which will be available for you in February 2022 (in Czech). On the other hand, regularity is also important. You might want to plan your cold therapy in cycles that suit you. The thing is that if you do not establish any system at all, you might easily quit cold therapy before you even get started.

So much for the basic principles. I wish you all an enjoyable journey with the cold.