Cold Exposure at Home: Lessons from an Ice Record | Vitruvian

Video·Mike Maher | TAKE A DEEP BREATH·9 min read·October 4, 2020

A grounded look at how Josef Koeberl built his ice endurance through cold-water practice, emotional control, steady breathing, and a goal-first relationship with resilience.

From Open Water To Ice

Resilience often begins before it has a name. For Josef Koeberl, it did not start with an ice box, a world record, or the image of a man standing still inside 1,600 kilograms of ice. It began with open water near his Austrian hometown, where a 9K swim invited him into a longer conversation with his own capacity.

He did not describe himself as a natural swimmer. He had done small triathlons, but he had never learned swimming in a formal, effortless way. Still, he trained for three weeks, bought a wetsuit only days before the event, and finished the distance. The scale of the effort mattered less than the feeling it gave him: space, movement, thought, and the quiet rhythm of a stroke repeated until the shore arrived.

That first success created a new horizon. After the swim, he saw his sister and said that if 9K could be done with three weeks of training, he would swim the English Channel too. It was a bold statement, and he made it public. In that moment, the goal became a form of architecture; once spoken, it gave his training a place to stand.

This was big words, but I followed them.

The English Channel required more than distance. People told him he had to prepare for cold water because the Channel would not forgive warmth-only training. At first, he simply entered the cold and stayed there, not swimming, just learning the sensation. Then he understood that stillness was not enough. If the goal was a channel, the protocol had to include movement.

Cold-water practice began as preparation, then became its own path. He swam in water around 12 degrees, then 10, then 9. The discomfort did not repel him. It gave him a clearer question: what can be done here, with precision and patience, inside the cold.

That question would eventually lead to 2 hours, 30 minutes, and 53 seconds submerged to the shoulders in ice cubes. Yet Koeberl frames the achievement without conquest. He is not chasing another person’s mythology. He sets goals, meets them, and lets the next edge appear.

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welcome to take a deep breath today's breath cast is with joseph kerbel breath cast is with joseph kerbel um joseph is an austrian world record um joseph is an austrian world record holder for spending the most amount of holder for spending the most amount of time time up to his shoulders in ice and he up to his shoulders in ice and he recently recently in the last few weeks broke his own in the last few weeks broke his own world record to spend more than world record to spend more than two and a half hours submerged in ice two and a half hours submerged in ice cubes cubes and it was such a pleasure and honor to and it was such a pleasure and honor to interview interview joseph and i must say out of all of the joseph and i must say out of all of the guests i've had guests i've had he might be the nicest person i've ever he might be the nicest person i've ever spoken to spoken to in the world so humble no detection of in the world so humble no detection of any sort of ego just a lovely lovely man any sort of ego just a lovely lovely man in a lovely conversation in a lovely conversation and i really wanted to know what drove and i really wanted to know what drove him why does he want to do these things him why does he want to do these things like going to us what made him want to like going to us what made him want to break his own ice record so break his own ice record so in this breath cast he will talk to us in this breath cast he will talk to us about kind of where how he got to where about kind of where how he got to where he got to he got to his time in the military and then how he his time in the military and then how he basically got to be this person basically got to be this person that we see on the news today that you that we see on the news today that you know spent two and a half hours know spent two and a half hours i think i can't remember the exact wim

i think i can't remember the exact wim hof uh ice time i think it was like one hof uh ice time i think it was like one hour hour 53 minutes and joseph even goes on to 53 minutes and joseph even goes on to say because i'm not trying to really say because i'm not trying to really break anybody else's world record break anybody else's world record because i'm just trying to do it for me because i'm just trying to do it for me um and again it's just just another sign um and again it's just just another sign of us just a lovely person so of us just a lovely person so i hope you enjoy this podcast even half i hope you enjoy this podcast even half as much as i did speaking to this chap as much as i did speaking to this chap it was really really lovely it was really really lovely um a couple of quick messages before we um a couple of quick messages before we get stuck into it and if you haven't get stuck into it and if you haven't done so already please done so already please like subscribe and share it helps grow like subscribe and share it helps grow our message and spread the community our message and spread the community we have new breath work videos out every we have new breath work videos out every monday as well different breathing monday as well different breathing exercises so if you're here for the exercises so if you're here for the breath cast breath cast you might actually oh might want to try you might actually oh might want to try a couple of these different breathing a couple of these different breathing exercises exercises go in and check the back catalog because go in and check the back catalog because there's loads now if we've got over 113 there's loads now if we've got over 113 videos videos and vast majority of those different and vast majority of those different breathing exercises and if you hear just breathing exercises and if you hear just learn about breathing and learn about breathing and and wellness all that sort of thing then and wellness all that sort of thing then stay tuned for this uh for this breath stay tuned for this uh for this breath cast cast and and remember we also release these and and remember we also release these audibly audibly as well so if you want to just stick it as well so if you want to just stick it on the podcast you can go into itunes or on the podcast you can go into itunes or spotify wherever you find your your

spotify wherever you find your your podcasts podcasts i will be there as a a breath cast as i will be there as a a breath cast as well anyway well anyway enough yakking from me let's hear from enough yakking from me let's hear from joseph and let's get cracking with the joseph and let's get cracking with the breath cast breath cast cheers [Applause] okay so joseph thank you so much for being on the take a deep breath being on the take a deep breath breathcast it's a real honor to have you breathcast it's a real honor to have you here and i want to start by saying here and i want to start by saying congratulations on setting congratulations on setting a new world record for the longest time a new world record for the longest time in ice in ice uh how long was your world record uh how long was your world record hello everyone thank you that i'm on hello everyone thank you that i'm on your podcast your podcast my world record was 2 hours 30 minutes my world record was 2 hours 30 minutes and and 53 seconds until my shoulders 53 seconds until my shoulders in ice cubes wow i'm going to ask you in ice cubes wow i'm going to ask you straight away straight away how do you do this please tell me how how do you do this please tell me how did you did you start and how do you spend that time can

start and how do you spend that time can you tell me what your you tell me what your uh let's start at the beginning how did uh let's start at the beginning how did you begin you begin to find ice where did that begin from to find ice where did that begin from oh there was uh about 10 years ago oh there was uh about 10 years ago i i read in a newspaper that i i read in a newspaper that there is a swim marathon in near my there is a swim marathon in near my hometown hometown and the competition was 9k so i and the competition was 9k so i was not a good swimmer i never learned was not a good swimmer i never learned swimming swimming surreal i did a few small triathlons and surreal i did a few small triathlons and and so on but i was not a good swimmer and so on but i was not a good swimmer so so i trained three weeks for that i trained three weeks for that competition competition i weared a wetsuit at this time well i i weared a wetsuit at this time well i bought it a few days before i bought it a few days before i i went to the competition and i went to the competition and i finished that competition um i finished that competition um 9k is not that small a race when you 9k is not that small a race when you start to swim start to swim but it was such a good feeling when you but it was such a good feeling when you swim outside and make your stroke swim outside and make your stroke and you can think on all about you you

and you can think on all about you you want to to think want to to think and uh in the end when i went out i saw and uh in the end when i went out i saw my sister and i said my sister and i said if that's so easy to swim 9k if that's so easy to swim 9k with approximately three weeks training with approximately three weeks training i will do the english channel too i will do the english channel too okay so this was um okay so this was um big words big words but i followed them big words big words but i followed them and i and i told everyone i want to do the english told everyone i want to do the english channel at this time there were no one channel at this time there were no one who did the english channel before who did the english channel before only one women but this was uh about only one women but this was uh about in the in the years where the second in the in the years where the second world war was and world war was and uh we didn't know if she's she was a uh we didn't know if she's she was a german or german or austrian we didn't know so yeah i austrian we didn't know so yeah i trained for that trained for that and on the way uh to the british to the and on the way uh to the british to the english channel english channel a lot of people said you had to train in a lot of people said you had to train in cold water because cold water because the english channel has i don't know 15 the english channel has i don't know 15 16 70 degree 16 70 degree so it's not possible to do it when you so it's not possible to do it when you only train in warm water so only train in warm water so they say went into the cold the whole they say went into the cold the whole winter that's a good thing

winter that's a good thing and i started to to go into the cold and i started to to go into the cold water but it water but it moved i didn't swim i only was inside moved i didn't swim i only was inside and after a few weeks i said that's that and after a few weeks i said that's that could not be right could not be right i had to swim and then i started to swim i had to swim and then i started to swim and the water temperature was about and the water temperature was about 12 degrees 10 9 so then i saw them 12 degrees 10 9 so then i saw them um what can i do in the code because i um what can i do in the code because i like the code like the code and then i saw the ice swimming and then i saw the ice swimming association and the winter swimming association and the winter swimming association association and then my first goal was do the ice and then my first goal was do the ice mile mile and then go to the fir to the winter and then go to the fir to the winter swimming world championship swimming world championship to rovaniemi so that was my first goal to rovaniemi so that was my first goal for the world first winter for the world first winter and i did both and then five years after and i did both and then five years after i started to swim i started to swim i did the english channel i did the english channel wow that's incredible that's the short wow that's incredible that's the short form uh form uh the whole the whole uh story when the whole the whole uh story when you were a child could you were you okay

you were a child could you were you okay with cold or not with cold or not yes i grew up in the mountains in yes i grew up in the mountains in grondel states grondel states typically in the middle of austria so typically in the middle of austria so all around the mountains and i lived on all around the mountains and i lived on a lake a lake the lake continents are very beautiful the lake continents are very beautiful and and yes the water temperature in summer was yes the water temperature in summer was also not so warm but also not so warm but yeah i never went in in winter so i was yeah i never went in in winter so i was falling in some falling in some sometimes yes uh a few years so sometimes yes uh a few years so and um yeah but uh so we hadn't got a and um yeah but uh so we hadn't got a problem with the code problem with the code okay as a normal child you know in the okay as a normal child you know in the in the orbs in the orbs yes you had some practice when you were yes you had some practice when you were growing up growing up yes yes okay so we've had some yes yes okay so we've had some technical issues guys my internet i technical issues guys my internet i don't know so we're don't know so we're we've stopped and we're starting again we've stopped and we're starting again um so um so so we talked about you as a child being so we talked about you as a child being in the cold in the cold then we talk about you swimming the then we talk about you swimming the english channel

english channel what happened after the after you did what happened after the after you did the swim what happened next for you the swim what happened next for you after making this channel i had um a few after making this channel i had um a few months which months which i didn't know what i have to do so i i didn't know what i have to do so i fall a little bit fall a little bit in a in a hole in a mental hole in a in a hole in a mental hole because i have no goal no further goal so i had to find my my way what i want to do in the next my way what i want to do in the next time and time and yeah i found it so i said next uh yeah i found it so i said next uh channel channel is the irish channel um is the irish channel um from donaghey to port patrick in from donaghey to port patrick in scotland so it was a big goal and i had scotland so it was a big goal and i had to train more and go more in the cold to train more and go more in the cold and this as more i went into the court and this as more i went into the court as much uh i laughed it so as much uh i laughed it so uh as more i laughed it so um uh as more i laughed it so um and uh yeah then i tried to swim and uh yeah then i tried to swim uh the irish gym but the weather was not uh the irish gym but the weather was not on my side and on my side and and also the the stream wasn't on my

and also the the stream wasn't on my side so side so 7k before port patrick uh i had to go 7k before port patrick uh i had to go out out after 15 hours in 13.5 degree after 15 hours in 13.5 degree and because uh if i want to swim and because uh if i want to swim to port patrick i had to do another 10 to port patrick i had to do another 10 hours hours and that might be too much um i had a and that might be too much um i had a i swallowed also a small capsule which i swallowed also a small capsule which measured my inner body temperature and measured my inner body temperature and after all i i shown that after all i i shown that the tablet of the the measurement the tablet of the the measurement and it says that i had 33.8 degree and it says that i had 33.8 degree when i when i stopped when i when i stopped and after i went out on the boat and after i went out on the boat it was falling down to 32 degree so it was falling down to 32 degree so because of because of the shivering and no swimming and but the shivering and no swimming and but this was only for six minutes and then this was only for six minutes and then in uh i don't know an hour i had in uh i don't know an hour i had normally or one hour normally or one hour 50 i had a normal temperature so it

50 i had a normal temperature so it wasn't the problem wasn't the problem but also i did a lot with the cold and i but also i did a lot with the cold and i know my body can do a lot know my body can do a lot and yeah so i'm here and yeah so i'm here wow and so you go for the wow and so you go for the record now so you you've done irish record now so you you've done irish channel and you come back channel and you come back what makes you then go okay i want to what makes you then go okay i want to now go and sit in now go and sit in ice for many hours why where did that ice for many hours why where did that challenge come from challenge come from yeah it was yeah it was [Music] [Music] easy to tell you one easy to tell you one famous austrian famous austrian [Music] [Music] entrepreneur she she had a entrepreneur she she had a [Music] [Music] yes she had a small fine yes she had a small fine show in austria and they're always show in austria and they're always sitting a few sitting a few guys there and she asked them anything guys there and she asked them anything and and and she asked me also are you able to and she asked me also are you able to come to me come to me speak with us a little bit over your speak with us a little bit over your mental thing and so on i said

mental thing and so on i said no i don't want to sit there only to no i don't want to sit there only to talk with you so talk with you so it's it's for me it's boring and it's it's for me it's boring and after a while she she asked me again um after a while she she asked me again um what can we do that you will come and i what can we do that you will come and i said said no problem put the bath there and i no problem put the bath there and i would sit in would sit in and fill it with ice okay and fill it with ice okay and she said we had to think about that and she said we had to think about that because because it's all about the assurance and so on it's all about the assurance and so on and it's not so easy in the television and it's not so easy in the television yeah because you know thomas gotcha in yeah because you know thomas gotcha in germany with germany with us he had that big accident with the us he had that big accident with the the one guy's neck was broken and so on the one guy's neck was broken and so on and and she don't want to have a dead person in she don't want to have a dead person in her tv show so her tv show so okay okay after a few days uh she said okay okay after a few days uh she said yeah we will do it yeah we will do it no problem but i did i never did it no problem but i did i never did it before before so but i know i i can't do it so but i know i i can't do it but i could do it and then uh i trained but i could do it and then uh i trained a little bit with uh a little bit with uh with school packs on my body and that

with school packs on my body and that was it only a few days before was it only a few days before but it was also in january so my normal but it was also in january so my normal time to swim time to swim in the cold outside yes and then i went in the cold outside yes and then i went to that tv show and i was in for more to that tv show and i was in for more than one hour and than one hour and ten minutes okay so then i said okay ten minutes okay so then i said okay that was fine that was fine probably very stare about recording can probably very stare about recording can i do it i do it then i heard before that wim hof did it then i heard before that wim hof did it also and then i looked into the guinness also and then i looked into the guinness book of records and book of records and who who is now the leader and so on and who who is now the leader and so on and i saw the chinese one i saw the chinese one song chin and with one hour 54 song chin and with one hour 54 anything and i think wim hof had one anything and i think wim hof had one hour 53 40 also okay hour 53 40 also okay and i said okay i don't want don't want and i said okay i don't want don't want to beat them to beat them i won't set the goal for me and i said i won't set the goal for me and i said okay i want to do two hours okay i want to do two hours that's okay a new time that's okay a new time yeah and then before that

yeah and then before that i trained three months for that because i trained three months for that because it was in summer and it was not too easy it was in summer and it was not too easy to train because this summer was very to train because this summer was very hot we had hot we had on the day of the competition 34 degree on the day of the competition 34 degree and so before i trained also only with and so before i trained also only with cool packs cool packs and yeah two small ice baths before and and yeah two small ice baths before and i was swimming also in a glacier inside i was swimming also in a glacier inside in that glacier channel where i'm always in that glacier channel where i'm always training with guys training with guys and yeah then i went into that and yeah then i went into that ice box and did two hours and eight ice box and did two hours and eight minutes minutes after two hours we said okay i can do after two hours we said okay i can do more normally then i more normally then i did a little bit more and after two did a little bit more and after two hours and five minutes we said hours and five minutes we said okay it's enough also the the okay it's enough also the the journalists were a little bit nervous journalists were a little bit nervous and so because they didn't know when i and so because they didn't know when i will stop then and so i'm gonna will stop then and so i'm gonna say okay stop now and uh we had fun and say okay stop now and uh we had fun and it's okay i did it it's okay i did it yeah then we had problems with the door yeah then we had problems with the door to open the door to open the door and so it after all it was two hours and

and so it after all it was two hours and eight minutes wow so and then you set the world record and then you did it again a few weeks and then you did it again a few weeks ago ago you went longer what why why did you go you went longer what why why did you go back and do it again back and do it again so my first goal was to two hours i did so my first goal was to two hours i did two hours and eight minutes two hours and eight minutes and i saw it is more possible and i saw it is more possible more is possible for me and so i said more is possible for me and so i said okay okay try it again and have a look how long i try it again and have a look how long i will do will do and but then i said okay i will set a and but then i said okay i will set a new goal it's easier for me to set a new new goal it's easier for me to set a new goal goal instead of i will do as long as i will instead of i will do as long as i will or can or can because i also have family and it is not because i also have family and it is not fine for them that fine for them that i will sit or stand inside the box as i will sit or stand inside the box as long as i can so that was not fine long as i can so that was not fine for all my my family and the friends

for all my my family and the friends then i said okay 2 hours 30 um that's then i said okay 2 hours 30 um that's 22 minutes more than last time might be 22 minutes more than last time might be a long time a long time and yeah then i trained a little bit and yeah then i trained a little bit harder and harder and it i works yeah joseph it i works yeah joseph you're so this is not a joke you're so you're so this is not a joke you're so chilled you're so relaxed chilled you're so relaxed and it's like wow because i'm so and it's like wow because i'm so impressed impressed because when i go into the cold shower because when i go into the cold shower you know i can go in and i relax i do a you know i can go in and i relax i do a couple of minutes or if i go into couple of minutes or if i go into uh my girlfriend is from poland and so uh my girlfriend is from poland and so in the in the winter we go near krakow in the in the winter we go near krakow and we go into the lake and the frozen and we go into the lake and the frozen lake and i can i mentally get prepared lake and i can i mentally get prepared but four maybe five minutes you know is but four maybe five minutes you know is enough enough for me how can you stay in there so long for me how can you stay in there so long are you doing breathing techniques are are you doing breathing techniques are you doing something with your mind you doing something with your mind are you able to like focus on warming are you able to like focus on warming the body or the body or is it just something that happens is it just something that happens naturally could you explain a little bit

naturally could you explain a little bit about what you about what you do how you do it a little bit from all do how you do it a little bit from all you explained you explained so a few days before i did my so a few days before i did my my world record the new one i did two my world record the new one i did two paths paths two ice bath in in my bathroom two ice bath in in my bathroom so the first war was on tuesday i was in so the first war was on tuesday i was in in six degrees for one hour and ten in six degrees for one hour and ten minutes minutes and on wednesday i was in in and on wednesday i was in in also six degree for one hour and 45 also six degree for one hour and 45 minutes minutes and so i knew that from and so i knew that from from my body side it's possible to two from my body side it's possible to two hours and 30 hours and 30 in the icebox but how can i get that in the icebox but how can i get that how how was my way to that that how how was my way to that that profession profession um i have some mental things um i have some mental things which i i decide to do so that's which i i decide to do so that's about i do anchor you know anchor set an about i do anchor you know anchor set an anchor anchor i did it with my finger so okay uh

i did it with my finger so okay uh over the the training the whole year over the the training the whole year always when i had always when i had a heart training and i had good emotions a heart training and i had good emotions to that i anchor it here to that i anchor it here so i have a box of good emotions so i have a box of good emotions and when i when i'm in in the cold and i and when i when i'm in in the cold and i i think that it's hard for me at the i think that it's hard for me at the moment and i need some help moment and i need some help then i i think i thought about thinking then i i think i thought about thinking about that about that anchor and i put my needle on on the anchor and i put my needle on on the finger finger and then i go into that box and take and then i go into that box and take some good emotions out some good emotions out which uh helps me to fight against the which uh helps me to fight against the pain pain so that i i i say to that so that i i i say to that it's about emotional management because it's about emotional management because you can work with your emotion um you can work with your emotion um also it's that kind that you are working also it's that kind that you are working against the pain against the pain so in that icebox pain is coming in so in that icebox pain is coming in waves waves so it's not always the same pain because so it's not always the same pain because sometimes it's going better and

sometimes it's going better and sometimes it's going not so good and sometimes it's going not so good and and then when it's going up so i had to and then when it's going up so i had to concentrate me and you know concentrate me and you know when you're shivering you need a lot of when you're shivering you need a lot of oxygen oxygen right because the body is burning inside right because the body is burning inside and that needs fire needs oxygen and and that needs fire needs oxygen and so you had to breathe a lot but you had so you had to breathe a lot but you had to breathe to breathe to your full lung because the to your full lung because the the pulse had not to go up so it's only the pulse had not to go up so it's only deep breathing and like that that knots deep breathing and like that that knots the the the the pulse is going up so that you the the pulse is going up so that you are very calm are very calm and and concentrating on that that you and and concentrating on that that you are very stable are very stable in breathing i don't know if anyone did in breathing i don't know if anyone did the same but it helps me the same but it helps me for for to come over that and with for for to come over that and with breathing breathing and that emotional thing so i can go and that emotional thing so i can go through that pain through that pain but it sounds very easy and but it sounds very easy and if you you had to do that all the time

if you you had to do that all the time when you go in for only two or three when you go in for only two or three minutes minutes you have to do that always and important you have to do that always and important is when you go out you have that good is when you go out you have that good emotion emotion then anchor it here and next time it then anchor it here and next time it will be better will be better wow so anchor so this is you thinking wow so anchor so this is you thinking uh maybe you are with your family and uh maybe you are with your family and you you you make a note you you you make a note to anger that that good time and then to anger that that good time and then when you are struggling or suffering when you are struggling or suffering you you do this you trigger okay that's you you do this you trigger okay that's interesting and interesting and go ahead one of the bigger emotional go ahead one of the bigger emotional things is the things is the the the day of the of when my child were the the day of the of when my child were were born so that the big emotional were born so that the big emotional things things so when nothing will help i think about so when nothing will help i think about my my my the birth of my or the the poor the my the birth of my or the the poor the when my children when my children are born so that's very big emotion for are born so that's very big emotion for me me okay so and with the breathing okay so and with the breathing can you show me the breathing is it in can you show me the breathing is it in is it using the nose and the mouth or is it using the nose and the mouth or just the nose just the nose what what does what sort of and you say what what does what sort of and you say it's into the belly

it's into the belly deep breathing what what can you show me deep breathing what what can you show me what you do or explain a bit more what you do or explain a bit more it works you know the situation is that it works you know the situation is that you have shivering yeah and you need you have shivering yeah and you need oxygen and normally oxygen and normally you when you're concentrating um then you when you're concentrating um then my my mouth is normally closed because my my mouth is normally closed because i'm i'm i'm thinking on different things and i i'm thinking on different things and i don't want to open them out so i'm don't want to open them out so i'm breathing breathing in with the nose and you know like like in with the nose and you know like like divers divers like abnor divers feeling the belly and like abnor divers feeling the belly and then then feeling the breast um and do it feeling the breast um and do it long and you have to look at the pulse long and you have to look at the pulse is not going up is not going up so it's only easy okay so it's completely normally because you're shivering and then with the goody you're shivering and then with the goody emotion emotion you go through that and breathing is you go through that and breathing is always important because always important because if you have 100 oxygen in your body your if you have 100 oxygen in your body your body feels good and your body is

body feels good and your body is able to work hard yes able to work hard yes when you are in the ice when you are in the ice are there scientists are they testing are there scientists are they testing your pulse oximeter your pulse oximeter or are they looking at your body or are they looking at your body temperature do you have any uh temperature do you have any uh diagnostics of what's going on i'd like diagnostics of what's going on i'd like to to have that uh that small capsule again in have that uh that small capsule again in my body my body but uh the capsule i think was too old but uh the capsule i think was too old and it didn't work and it didn't work that was a problem so i have to speak that was a problem so i have to speak with that company because with that company because i had it only a few months that capsule i had it only a few months that capsule and they did work so it was a real pity and they did work so it was a real pity real because i'd like to have that real because i'd like to have that information information also afterwards i had a monitor there so also afterwards i had a monitor there so you can see it at the moment you can see it at the moment what temperature i have and for me it what temperature i have and for me it was important that i can analyze it was important that i can analyze it in the end because always when you have in the end because always when you have some mental problems some mental problems the temperature goes down i saw it also the temperature goes down i saw it also in the north gym

in the north gym when i was swimming the temperature went when i was swimming the temperature went down when i had some down when i had some mental problems so so mental thing mental problems so so mental thing and the polygamy is very close together and the polygamy is very close together they work very close they work very close and uh when you are in the ice and and uh when you are in the ice and you do the anchoring and that helps you you do the anchoring and that helps you feel better feel better what what else are you thinking about in what what else are you thinking about in two and a half hours two and a half hours are you meditating are you talking to are you meditating are you talking to people people are you present what what is going are you present what what is going through your mind through your mind please if you can explain a little so please if you can explain a little so the whole 2 hours and 30 i was very the whole 2 hours and 30 i was very present present because i had some headset on so people because i had some headset on so people from the from the from the crowd could ask me there some from the crowd could ask me there some things what they want to want things what they want to want what they want to know then i got also a what they want to know then i got also a telephone call telephone call um from friends in germany they want to um from friends in germany they want to know know how i feel now and also some guys from how i feel now and also some guys from uh uh uh from wim hof they made um a meeting

uh from wim hof they made um a meeting on that day a training on that day a training and they they uh made also the and they they uh made also the the live uh show on and then were asking the live uh show on and then were asking me something and me something and it was was nice so i had a lot to do it was was nice so i had a lot to do also also and time went went on very fast and time went went on very fast but always when uh such a problem is but always when uh such a problem is coming coming a main mental a main mental problem or the cold the pain focused on problem or the cold the pain focused on on my rhythm the rhythm which is the on my rhythm the rhythm which is the breathing breathing the rhythm with my mental things and the the rhythm with my mental things and the work against the pain work against the pain okay sounds easy no i i okay sounds easy no i i when i go into uh ice water when i go into uh ice water what helps me is humor funny jokes what helps me is humor funny jokes uh because i'm so like oh so i try and uh because i'm so like oh so i try and relax relax but then i will be sarcastic or funny but then i will be sarcastic or funny and i i suddenly i'm not thinking about and i i suddenly i'm not thinking about my pain anymore my pain anymore i'm trying to you know have a joke or i'm trying to you know have a joke or have some banter with my friends have some banter with my friends and that seems to make the time go a

and that seems to make the time go a little bit not easier a little bit nicer little bit not easier a little bit nicer and not take things too seriously has and not take things too seriously has helped but i've never done more than helped but i've never done more than five minutes so it's very different five minutes so it's very different what do you want to do next what is it three hours or something different what's your next challenge different what's your next challenge oh i will do that with the ice box again oh i will do that with the ice box again yeah anywhere next year but before i yeah anywhere next year but before i want to swim want to swim in the glacier in tehran you know the in the glacier in tehran you know the ice mile ice mile the eisman is 1 600 9.8 meter the eisman is 1 600 9.8 meter and i want to do it in the glacier and i want to do it in the glacier inside inside in a channel and the channel is 70 meter in a channel and the channel is 70 meter so and there are 30 meter ice up and 30 so and there are 30 meter ice up and 30 meters down and it's meters down and it's it's in a hole so yes the water it's in a hole so yes the water temperature is between temperature is between minus zero four degree and minus one minus zero four degree and minus one degree degree so i will be there half an hour inside so i will be there half an hour inside swimming in the water because water

swimming in the water because water it please help me understand water is it please help me understand water is different to ice different to ice because with ice you have oxygen and air because with ice you have oxygen and air whereas when you're in the water it whereas when you're in the water it takes a lot more takes a lot more heat from you because it's like a sauna heat from you because it's like a sauna or steam or steam is very different rooms so how long have is very different rooms so how long have you spent in cold water just just you you spent in cold water just just you that that have you done much training already so have you done much training already so yes with yes with within six degree i was one hour 45 that within six degree i was one hour 45 that was the longest time was the longest time so this winter i will do llama sessions so this winter i will do llama sessions in in cold water below 5 degree so in in cold water below 5 degree so i also want to do a a very long swim i also want to do a a very long swim this winter below 5 degree so i don't this winter below 5 degree so i don't want to want to say i smile i would say i was a long say i smile i would say i was a long endurance swim endurance swim so i think hopefully it will it will so i think hopefully it will it will work but work but my training is on my focus is on 5k in my training is on my focus is on 5k in below 5 degree below 5 degree yeah so i think the second or yeah so i think the second or now the record is in now the record is in [Music] [Music] uh three three k point six or so

uh three three k point six or so but as i always say i don't wanna beat but as i always say i don't wanna beat anyone anyone i only will will beat my or will set my i only will will beat my or will set my goal goal that's important that's fantastic uh and that's important that's fantastic uh and yes in the icebox yes in the icebox probably i will do it in may or june probably i will do it in may or june in front of the european parliament in front of the european parliament because i'm because i'm i'm an activist in in in for the i'm an activist in in in for the asians in austria and all over the world asians in austria and all over the world but we have that problem in austria and but we have that problem in austria and in germany in germany that the glaciers are going very fast that the glaciers are going very fast they're melting very very strong this they're melting very very strong this winter winter as also the the arctis this year as also the the arctis this year so we are all on the same planet and we so we are all on the same planet and we had to do something had to do something and my part will be show them um and my part will be show them um what could happen in the eyes and that what could happen in the eyes and that the focuses is on on the dice the focuses is on on the dice yes what is melting because we had we yes what is melting because we had we had one thousand had one thousand six hundred one thousand seven hundred six hundred one thousand seven hundred kilogram ice in that box kilogram ice in that box and we had to fill in another two

and we had to fill in another two hundred k more hundred k more because of the heat yes it always melted because of the heat yes it always melted and we had to put in and we had to put in but on the glacier we cannot put eyes on but on the glacier we cannot put eyes on it so we need it so we need cold winters and there is no no good cold winters and there is no no good future for cool winters future for cool winters so i think we will not have the next few so i think we will not have the next few years for winters will years for winters will always be more warmer and that's uh always be more warmer and that's uh that's a problem yeah the european that's a problem yeah the european parliament can do something parliament can do something yes they can uh they can yes they can uh they can set the direction where we are going in set the direction where we are going in the future the future so yeah hopefully it helps and it works so yeah hopefully it helps and it works it's very important i was near slovakia it's very important i was near slovakia on the border with on the border with poland last year in uh late december and poland last year in uh late december and there was no snow there was no snow it was very mild no snow normally three it was very mild no snow normally three four years ago four years ago avalanches and lots of snow and this avalanches and lots of snow and this year well that's actually year well that's actually fun yeah yeah yeah fun yeah yeah yeah yeah you've been there yeah informal

yeah you've been there yeah informal time when i was in the military time when i was in the military i was there for bar shooting ah okay i was there for bar shooting ah okay beautiful beautiful place beautiful beautiful place um so in the military did they teach you um so in the military did they teach you anything to do with cold exposure anything to do with cold exposure when you were in the in the army or the when you were in the in the army or the military when i was military when i was in the first in the basic uh training in the first in the basic uh training [Music] [Music] i had for freezing uh points on i had for freezing uh points on my thing and we were asleep in the yeah and in the night the night when we had to to defense the border and when we had to to defense the border and we we yeah it was four o'clock in the morning yeah it was four o'clock in the morning it has about 25 degree minus and it was it has about 25 degree minus and it was stormy stormy and yeah a lot of guys from us had and yeah a lot of guys from us had problems there with the fingers problems there with the fingers they were frozen but that was the only they were frozen but that was the only one yeah one yeah okay and with the fingers and the toes okay and with the fingers and the toes please tell me if i'm right does please tell me if i'm right does practice help practice help because when you first get into the ice because when you first get into the ice everything gets too tight and you lose everything gets too tight and you lose all the all the circulation but if you keep practicing

circulation but if you keep practicing they get stronger and used to it they get stronger and used to it do you find that that's the case or do you find that that's the case or something different something different yeah i had to do because in the icebox i yeah i had to do because in the icebox i can use the fingers out so can use the fingers out so okay they were not in the eyes and but okay they were not in the eyes and but now for swimming i had to put now for swimming i had to put every evening um cool packs in my hand every evening um cool packs in my hand or or or ice cubes so that i train my or ice cubes so that i train my fingers now very hard for that winter fingers now very hard for that winter okay it's more you do that the better it okay it's more you do that the better it is is okay like doing weights practicing with okay like doing weights practicing with weights weights you practice with ice and it makes you practice with ice and it makes things more adaptable things more adaptable okay okay and but only the previous only okay okay and but only the previous only the the him just the okay my and is there a risk in the ice of frostbite is that is that a possibility frostbite is that is that a possibility when you do the challenge or do you not when you do the challenge or do you not think so it could be here i had a problem in in the beginning the beginning because there were normally you have all

because there were normally you have all some small ice cubes some small ice cubes and there was a big bunch of ice cubes and there was a big bunch of ice cubes together together they melt together and were frozen they melt together and were frozen together and together and that that the block was directly on my that that the block was directly on my big big teeth on the big teeth on the big and it hurts so and i thought probably and it hurts so and i thought probably it melt very fast hopefully that that it melt very fast hopefully that that pain pain went away because it was from the first went away because it was from the first minute minute and normally the first 15 minutes are and normally the first 15 minutes are very hot because very hot because your skin temperature is high and it your skin temperature is high and it takes takes only about 15 minutes that the only about 15 minutes that the skin temperature goes down and then the skin temperature goes down and then the pain is less pain is less right but if something something is right but if something something is uh not expected a pain that it is not uh not expected a pain that it is not expected then it is a little bit harder expected then it is a little bit harder it is it makes it is it makes it is uh bad for your focus it is uh bad for your focus because uh you're thinking always on

because uh you're thinking always on that uh on that point uh where the pain that uh on that point uh where the pain is is and normally everywhere is pain and and normally everywhere is pain and there is more pain than normally there is more pain than normally but um i managed it and yeah but um i managed it and yeah it was a game and it smelled it was a game and it smelled and it did okay it did melt and there and it did okay it did melt and there was no damage that's good was no damage that's good when when people go into ice water um when when people go into ice water um you can get hypothermia uh when your you can get hypothermia uh when your core body temperature drops i think is core body temperature drops i think is it is it two degrees i don't know three it is it two degrees i don't know three degrees degrees you can start to get hypothermia i'm not you can start to get hypothermia i'm not sure for sure sure for sure but you can get it earlier also but you can get it earlier also yeah it depends on your physical um yeah it depends on your physical um on your physical thing and also on your physical thing and also if you make a hard workout then it could if you make a hard workout then it could come faster come faster and if you stand only inside it might be and if you stand only inside it might be uh uh later um so it depends also on what did later um so it depends also on what did you eat before or what did you drink you eat before or what did you drink before before is it in the mornings in the afternoon is it in the mornings in the afternoon so it is so it is you cannot regularly stay that's the

you cannot regularly stay that's the point um so point um so there's so many aspects where you had to there's so many aspects where you had to find out also for you find out also for you when you start yeah but a lot of when you start yeah but a lot of training and and training and and for me that's that's always perfect i for me that's that's always perfect i did i did did i did i went into the ice water uh or in the i went into the ice water uh or in the cold water with about 3000 people in in cold water with about 3000 people in in vienna vienna yeah and i always see their face before yeah and i always see their face before they're always very nervous they're always very nervous yeah and then i explain them what's what yeah and then i explain them what's what could happen and what they should do and could happen and what they should do and all all and afterwards they were happy like uh and afterwards they were happy like uh they were parachuting or something they were parachuting or something yeah and yeah yeah and yeah and they went they come all more often and they went they come all more often and often and then and often and then um i said them rent in um i said them rent in and feel feel don't hesitate don't be and feel feel don't hesitate don't be nervous nervous feel what's happening inside feel what's feel what's happening inside feel what's happened with your body happened with your body and a few guys are coming more and more and a few guys are coming more and more so so they had fun with that they had fun to

they had fun with that they had fun to have that experience with the code have that experience with the code yes yeah i i met wim hof in 2016 yes yeah i i met wim hof in 2016 and spent one week with him in schnieska and spent one week with him in schnieska in uh poland near in uh poland near czech and um now still czech and um now still four years later cold showers ice baths four years later cold showers ice baths it's it's something that makes me feel it's it's something that makes me feel so good i feel so alive so good i feel so alive um and especially when i am in nature so um and especially when i am in nature so if i'm if i'm in a lake and it's early morning and in a lake and it's early morning and there's some sunshine there's some sunshine and frost on the trees it's one of the and frost on the trees it's one of the most beautiful feelings i've experienced most beautiful feelings i've experienced it's just coming out of the water i it's just coming out of the water i absolutely love it but my favorite bit absolutely love it but my favorite bit is after so going in i'm still nervous is after so going in i'm still nervous and go in and go in sit in the water and then when i come sit in the water and then when i come back out i'm wet back out i'm wet i'm cold but i feel like superman i just i'm cold but i feel like superman i just feel feel incredible did you feel like that after incredible did you feel like that after you're two and a half hours you're two and a half hours or were you just tired how did you feel or were you just tired how did you feel at the end of your at the end of your last world record

so i didn't think uh like i didn't do like a superhero so for me it was uh do like a superhero so for me it was uh inner i had an inner happiness an inner inner i had an inner happiness an inner happiness happiness and i couldn't show it outside because i and i couldn't show it outside because i was shivering a little bit but was shivering a little bit but inside and when i closed my eyes i inside and when i closed my eyes i i had a very big emotional feeling i had a very big emotional feeling and i did it like that so put that and i did it like that so put that emotion in my fingers and on my emotion in my fingers and on my in my mental box yes and uh in my mental box yes and uh yeah i had an overview what the yeah i had an overview what the shoulderless were doing what my friends shoulderless were doing what my friends are doing so are doing so i was feeling everywhere and anything i was feeling everywhere and anything and i had and i had the big overview so it was a relaxing the big overview so it was a relaxing moment for me it was relaxing moment for me it was relaxing and after all i get some ice cream okay and after all i get some ice cream okay i've seen i've seen a little ice i'd like to have uh a little ice i'd like to have uh lemonade but lemonade but only vanilla ice yeah it was a good feeling yeah but i normally not that uh who is

yeah but i normally not that uh who is dancing and dancing and so i took it for me inside so it was so i took it for me inside so it was very happy inside oh that that that is very happy inside oh that that that is very nice to hear that's that's lovely very nice to hear that's that's lovely um can i ask what did you eat before did um can i ask what did you eat before did you fast you fast or had you eaten something before the or had you eaten something before the challenge i had some uh some blueberries before okay just in blueberries there's okay just in blueberries there's everything inside everything inside so yeah that's my typical sentence in so yeah that's my typical sentence in blueberries there is everything inside blueberries there is everything inside yeah so just nothing else yeah so just nothing else yeah i had in the morning i had a little yeah i had in the morning i had a little bit beetroot juice bit beetroot juice and uh yeah because beetroot is good for and uh yeah because beetroot is good for your body your body pressure for the pressure right for the pressure for the pressure right for the the blood pressure the blood pressure so if you have a problem with uh with so if you have a problem with uh with blood pressure blood pressure go into the cold water and take go into the cold water and take um often a little bit beetroot so okay

um often a little bit beetroot so okay okay and is this uh fresh beetroot like okay and is this uh fresh beetroot like you juice yourself or do you buy a you juice yourself or do you buy a buy a carton from the shop buy a carton from the shop i got i got a juicer from a friend he i got i got a juicer from a friend he has a company and i got them and they has a company and i got them and they said said take it also my nutrition specialist take it also my nutrition specialist he said he makes now a study about he said he makes now a study about beetroot and what happened with with the beetroot and what happened with with the blood pressure so we were speaking a lot blood pressure so we were speaking a lot of that of that and because there is and because there is [Music] [Music] a lot of micro things inside who helps a lot of micro things inside who helps you you and yeah so uh since since a few weeks and yeah so uh since since a few weeks uh i'm always uh taking a little bit uh uh i'm always uh taking a little bit uh beetroot beetroot okay i'm going to uh investigate that okay i'm going to uh investigate that more that more that that sounds really interesting what when you are not doing guinness world records when you are on a world records when you are on a normal sunday like today what what do

normal sunday like today what what do you do do you you do do you have ice cold shower in the morning or have ice cold shower in the morning or do you have hot showers do you have hot showers what what do you have any practice like what what do you have any practice like breathing methods can you just give me breathing methods can you just give me some idea of maybe some of what your some idea of maybe some of what your routine looks like your normal routine routine looks like your normal routine do you have any things you do don't tell anyone but i don't like really cold showers really cold showers so i'm not my shower is not too warm but so i'm not my shower is not too warm but i don't like the real cold shower so i i don't like the real cold shower so i like it cold but not too cold like it cold but not too cold yes in the end just a little bit more yes in the end just a little bit more cold but cold but not from the beginning very cold today i not from the beginning very cold today i was swimming in the was swimming in the afternoon so i did the 2k afternoon so i did the 2k the water temperature is now i don't the water temperature is now i don't know too warm know too warm i think for that uh time in the year so i think for that uh time in the year so it had it had 18 degrees crazy 18 degrees crazy yeah we had a sunny day and on my daily yeah we had a sunny day and on my daily routine there is routine there is nothing special nothing special so

nothing special nothing special so the only thing is when i'm walking into the only thing is when i'm walking into i don't know the underground or anywhere i don't know the underground or anywhere and i feel and i feel that it is too warm for me then i that it is too warm for me then i normally close my eyes and think on normally close my eyes and think on on cold temperatures so that's my on cold temperatures so that's my my minus contour so the good emotion my minus contour so the good emotion contour is that with contour is that with good emotions that's there and to my good emotions that's there and to my mask i'll do is that with with mask i'll do is that with with penetration penetration where i had to sing it and then i wish i where i had to sing it and then i wish i could be in icebox could be in icebox and i had that in that box here and when and i had that in that box here and when i need it also in the big icebox i need it also in the big icebox then the first few things were that the then the first few things were that the things things uh in the minus box i put them out and uh in the minus box i put them out and said now you're in the ice box said now you're in the ice box think about that moment uh there in the think about that moment uh there in the underground underground where you wish that you're in the ice where you wish that you're in the ice box sorry so now you're box sorry so now you're in so be happy that you could be in the in so be happy that you could be in the code code fantastic what uh what do you think is fantastic what uh what do you think is uh what do you think about life

uh what do you think about life happiness how do you be happy in life happiness how do you be happy in life generally for people what do you think generally for people what do you think that that the secret is or secrets to having a the secret is or secrets to having a good life because you seem very happy yeah i am so i have healthy children nice women healthy children nice women nice woman and i had a good job so nice woman and i had a good job so i'm there's no point where why i haven't i'm there's no point where why i haven't got to be not happy got to be not happy so um the thing is that so um the thing is that um if you want to do something then um if you want to do something then do it don't hesitate that's do it don't hesitate that's everything starts with the first step so everything starts with the first step so also my career to do also my career to do a long distance long-distance swimming a long distance long-distance swimming start with the first stroke start with the first stroke so and if you have a goal and that's i so and if you have a goal and that's i think important think important as every mental trainer set the goal as every mental trainer set the goal and do it take in between some small and do it take in between some small goals and you will find it

goals and you will find it but you have to decide it it's not but you have to decide it it's not always good to have someone on your site always good to have someone on your site who who who told you what you have to do or who told you what you have to do or tells you what to do tells you what to do do it by your own also when you go into do it by your own also when you go into the code the code you can't do it by your own and i i you can't do it by your own and i i never take never take sometimes i take one girls or boys who sometimes i take one girls or boys who could not go into the water so i take could not go into the water so i take their hand and say their hand and say he will do it and do it now one step he will do it and do it now one step after the other and what the most after the other and what the most they i said do it by your own you don't they i said do it by your own you don't need me need me that's all in you you can't do it by that's all in you you can't do it by your own your own there are only a few things you have to there are only a few things you have to think about and the rest think about and the rest do it by your own and so they're more do it by your own and so they're more happy happy uh afterwards because they did it uh afterwards because they did it not me as a person told them they should not me as a person told them they should do it like that or anyways do it like that or anyways it's on it's all down and i think that it's on it's all down and i think that that i have in this case a lot of that i have in this case a lot of friends friends i gotten a lot of friends because i give

i gotten a lot of friends because i give them them the chance to to do it by your own by the chance to to do it by your own by their own their own i think that's important yes do it do it i think that's important yes do it do it and i i agree take set at goal and i i agree take set at goal and take some action take some steps i and take some action take some steps i i completely agree with that but but i completely agree with that but but even though i know that even though i know that it's fantastic to hear you say that it's fantastic to hear you say that because it reminds me again because it reminds me again that it's important to take action all that it's important to take action all the time towards your goals the time towards your goals so it's been wonderful wonderful talking so it's been wonderful wonderful talking to you thank you so much to you thank you so much for being on the breath cast you are for being on the breath cast you are an inspiration and a real for me a an inspiration and a real for me a real-life superhero real-life superhero to do two and a half hours i'm very very to do two and a half hours i'm very very impressed impressed and um even though you and i have never and um even though you and i have never met and we're talking through a computer met and we're talking through a computer i i get such a good sense of who you are i i get such a good sense of who you are and you seem so relaxed and calm so so and you seem so relaxed and calm so so thank you so much thank you so much um where can people find you do you do um where can people find you do you do you have instagram or website or

you have instagram or website or something if people want to know more something if people want to know more yes yes i'm on instagram facebook also and i'm on instagram facebook also and linkedin and in a few weeks i will have linkedin and in a few weeks i will have a new homepage a new homepage also with my name and at the moment i also with my name and at the moment i have have i'm also in a company seven minds we i'm also in a company seven minds we make some make some trainings for everyone uh diving trainings for everyone uh diving up noah and ice watcher trainings so up noah and ice watcher trainings so if anyone likes to but at the moment if anyone likes to but at the moment with kobet it's with kobet it's very bad i have to cancel two trainings very bad i have to cancel two trainings in in in october and november so everything in october and november so everything will do better next year i think will do better next year i think so don't hesitate and then you will find so don't hesitate and then you will find me and me and if anyone has some question they can if anyone has some question they can write me like you write me like you will be on instagram or something so i'm will be on instagram or something so i'm happy when i get good questions happy when i get good questions and i can help anyone if he wants and i can help anyone if he wants to have money my help oh well he's such to have money my help oh well he's such a lovely person a lovely person joseph like one of my favorite guests so joseph like one of my favorite guests so thank you so much thank you so much um guys thank you for watching i hope

um guys thank you for watching i hope you enjoyed this you enjoyed this even half as much as i did because it even half as much as i did because it was it was wonderful to have this was it was wonderful to have this conversation conversation and uh you'll say thank you once again and uh you'll say thank you once again and uh everybody see you on the next uh and uh everybody see you on the next uh breathcast thanks everyone breathcast thanks everyone cheers thank you bye cheers thank you bye [Applause] you

Transcript auto-generated by YouTube. Verbatim — duplicates intentionally preserved.

The Cold Became A Practice

Koeberl grew up among the mountains and lakes of Austria, where cold water was part of the landscape rather than a performance tool. Summer lake temperatures were not especially warm, and as a child he encountered cold naturally. That familiarity mattered. It gave him a body memory of cold, not a formal system, but a calm point of entry.

As his Channel ambition developed, structure arrived. He found the ice swimming association and the winter swimming association, and his first winter goals became clear: complete the ice mile and attend the winter swimming world championship in Rovaniemi. Goals refined the experience. The cold was no longer something to endure at random; it became a deliberate practice with standards, distances, and dates.

Five years after he began swimming seriously, he completed the English Channel. The milestone carried the satisfaction of a promise kept, but it also revealed a quieter truth about performance. After the Channel, he had several months without a clear next goal, and he described falling into a mental hole. Achievement needs integration. Without direction, even success can feel strangely empty.

He found direction in the Irish Channel, from Ireland toward Scotland. The training asked for more time in cold water, and the deeper he went into that preparation, the more he respected it. The attempt lasted 15 hours in 13.5 degree water. He stopped 7K before Portpatrick because the weather and current were against him, and continuing could have meant another 10 hours in the water.

The data from that swim gave his experience a sharper outline. He had swallowed a capsule that measured internal body temperature, and when he stopped swimming it showed 33.8 degrees Celsius. After he climbed onto the boat, his temperature briefly fell to 32 degrees as shivering replaced movement. Within about an hour, or an hour and fifty minutes, he returned to normal.

The lesson was not that the body has no limits. It was that capability and limits live close together. Cold training gave him confidence in what his body could do, but the Irish Channel showed that wisdom is part of endurance. Resilience includes the decision to stop with clarity.

Why Stand In Ice For Hours

The ice-box challenge entered Koeberl’s life almost casually. An Austrian television host invited him to appear and speak about the mental side of his work. He did not want to sit and talk for the sake of it, so he offered a different condition: put a bath there, fill it with ice, and he would get in.

The request carried obvious risk, and the television team had to consider insurance and safety. Koeberl had not done that exact challenge before. He trained only a little with cool packs on his body, and the timing helped because it was January, already his normal season for cold swimming. When the show happened, he stayed in the ice for more than one hour and ten minutes.

That first performance opened a new field of possibility. He looked into the Guinness records and saw the context around Wim Hof and Song Chin, whose times were just under two hours. He did not frame his next step as beating them. He set a personal target instead: two hours. The distinction matters because mastery is cleaner when it begins with an internal standard.

Preparation for that official attempt was imperfect by design because the event took place in summer. The day of the competition reached 34 degrees, which made cold-specific training harder. He used cool packs, did two small ice baths, and swam in a glacier channel where he often trained with others. The protocol was simple, but it was intentional.

When he entered the ice box, the two-hour target held his attention. After two hours, he knew more was available, so he stayed longer. At two hours and five minutes, the team decided it was enough, and a delay opening the door brought the final time to 2 hours and 8 minutes. The record was not an accident. It was a goal met with room still left inside it.

That room became the next target. He saw that more was possible, but he did not want to stand in the box for as long as he could. That would have placed unnecessary strain on his family and friends, who had to watch the risk unfold. A clear goal gave the attempt a boundary: 2 hours and 30 minutes, 22 minutes beyond the previous mark.

It's easier for me to set a new goal instead of I will do as long as I will or can.

Boundaries can deepen performance. They turn endurance from spectacle into protocol, from suffering into a measured act. Koeberl’s relationship with the ice is not open-ended punishment. It is deliberate exposure, held inside a precise commitment.

Breath, Emotion, And The Next Edge

Before the 2 hour, 30 minute record, Koeberl tested the edge in his own bathroom. On Tuesday, he stayed in six-degree water for one hour and ten minutes. On Wednesday, he stayed in six-degree water for one hour and forty-five minutes. Those sessions told him the body could meet the demand, but the record would still require emotional control.

His mental practice centers on an anchor. During hard training throughout the year, when strong positive emotions appear, he links them to a physical gesture with his finger. Over time, that gesture becomes a storehouse. When pain rises in the ice, he returns to the anchor and draws from memories that carry strength, warmth, and meaning.

He calls this emotional management. Pain in the ice does not arrive as one stable wall; it comes in waves. Some moments ease, and others intensify. When the wave rises, he works with emotion rather than against it. The practice gives his attention somewhere precise to go.

Breathing is the second anchor. Shivering demands oxygen, and he focuses on breathing deeply without letting the pulse climb. His mouth usually stays closed. He breathes in through the nose, fills the belly, then the chest, and keeps the rhythm long and steady. The purpose is simple: give the body enough oxygen to work while keeping the mind calm.

During the record, he stayed present. He wore a headset, answered questions from the crowd, took calls from friends in Germany, and responded to people watching from a Wim Hof training event. The contact gave him something to do, but the deeper work remained internal. When discomfort sharpened, he returned to rhythm, breath, and the emotional anchor.

His next goals keep the same pattern: clear, difficult, and tied to purpose. He wants to swim an ice mile inside a glacier channel, where the water sits around minus 0.4 degrees to minus 1 degree. He also wants a long endurance swim below 5 degrees, with training focused on 5K in that range. The edge moves, and the protocol moves with it.

He also plans to return to the ice box in front of the European Parliament, connecting the record to glacier awareness. The gesture is direct. Ice becomes both the medium of endurance and the message itself. In Koeberl’s practice, resilience is not noise. It is stillness under pressure, chosen with care.

I only will set my goal. That's important.

Wim's Wise Words

A second take, from someone who's lived it.

If you take one thing from this, take restraint. The cold will always invite you to prove something. You do not need to accept that invitation.

The real practice is not how long you can stay in. It is how cleanly you can enter, how steadily you can breathe, and how honestly you can leave. That last part matters. Leaving at the right moment is not weakness. It is mastery with a clear head.

I have seen many strong bodies make poor decisions in cold water because the mind wanted a number. Two minutes. Five minutes. Ten. The number becomes louder than the body. That is where the practice turns from deliberate exposure into ego wearing a quiet face.

Where I'd Start

Begin with a protocol you can repeat without drama. Cold shower at the end of your normal wash. Thirty to sixty seconds. Long nasal breath. Relax the jaw. Let the shoulders drop. Step out before you feel proud of yourself.

That sounds simple because it is. Simple is where adaptation begins. Cold exposure works through hormesis: a controlled stress that teaches the body to recover more efficiently. You are not trying to suffer. You are giving the nervous system a precise signal, then letting it return to equilibrium.

Once that feels composed, move slowly. Add time before you add intensity. Add colder water before you add a longer session. Add open water only when the conditions, supervision, and exit plan are clear. Cold water removes heat faster than most people understand, and confidence can arrive before competence.

If breath is the doorway for you, read Breath, Cold, Intention next. It keeps the focus in the right place: the breath is not a performance trick. It is the handle you hold when the body wants to tighten.

What To Be Careful Of

Do not copy record holders. Learn from their structure. Josef had goals, rehearsal, support, measurement, and the humility to stop when the environment changed. That is the part worth taking home. Not the duration. Not the spectacle. The boundary.

Your body will give you useful information if you listen early. Panic, numbness, clumsy hands, confusion, or a breath that will not settle are not badges. They are signals. Respect them before they become decisions made for you.

I like cold best when it sharpens the rest of the day. A brief morning exposure can bring clarity. A calm sauna in the evening can soften the edges and prepare sleep. Neither replaces rest, food, strength work, or a life with less noise. Contrast is a ritual, not a rescue plan.

So set a clean target. Keep it modest. Breathe with precision. Stop while you still have command. Resilience is not built by forcing the body into silence; it is built by learning the difference between discomfort and danger, then acting with care.