What can walruses do?

Recently, social media have been abuzz with accounts from our friends describing how good an idea it was to go walrushing for the first time. In Poland, the growing popularity of winter bathing is often the reason for jokes, but apparently Estonians laugh at the fact that Europe is only now discovering the advantages of this activity. In the North, walruses, like saunas, have been experienced since childhood. Today we will take a closer look at ice bathing!

Among other things, you will learn from this article:

what walrus bathing gives and what should be the beginnings and preparations,
whether walrus bathing is possible for children and older people,
What are the advantages of walrus bathing and when is it most recommended,
when it’s worth holding back and opting for another activity instead of a cold bath.

It is worth remembering that before you break the ice in the nearest lake and jump into the water, you should have at least basic knowledge of how to properly walrus. In particular, it is good to surround yourself with experienced people who can help with the first phase – special clubs have been created for this purpose, bringing together the greatest enthusiasts.

Walruses for beginners

How to start? First of all, it is necessary to overcome the first psychological barrier in the form of fear and constant thinking about “how it will be”. Experiences of long-established walruses show that the best way to start is nevertheless to enjoy the company of people for whom it will not be the first time walruses – the effects of going solo may also be good, but it is still worth having someone on hand who will be able to answer questions or help in case of an unexpected reaction of the body.

In addition, you must not forget about the right equipment. Fortunately, there are not too many requirements here, so you can walrus without spending a lot of money on accessories. First of all, it will be useful:

Towel.

When you get out of the water, you need to wipe yourself very thoroughly, so a large bath towel is an ironclad staple in your gear.
Neoprene accessories.

Boots are important to help you move around the bottom of natural bodies of water. Beginner walruses also often involve gloves and a cap – as experience is gained, these additions are discarded.
Gadgets.

A great idea is to take a watch with you to measure the time spent in the water. Also, a thermometer will come in handy, it can be a simple aquarium model.
Mat.

A simple accessory that you use after getting out of the water to insulate your wet feet from contact with e.g. sand
while changing.
A bag, and in it some space and… a thermos of tea!

A simple sports bag can be useful, as it has space for all of the above items and a change of clothes. In addition, you can add a thermos bottle of hot tea to help your body warm up when you get out of the water.

No less important is the question of before and after dressing. Outerwear should be selected in such a way that it is possible to quickly undress and then get dressed. All tight trousers and a multitude of accessories should be eliminated, replacing an elegant outfit with a rather loose, sporty one.

Another valuable tip is that when you return from a swim, it is best to find everything neatly stowed away in a bag, with the sleeves rolled up properly – simply ready to put back on again as quickly as possible. When entering the water, you can wear your usual one-piece or two-piece swimsuit.

We check the benefits. What does walrus bathing help?

The list of benefits associated with winter bathing is quite long. One of the most important is strengthening the body’s immunity, built by influencing the immune system. Importantly, it has been observed that walruses slow down the ageing process.

A very interesting phenomenon of cross-adaptation was presented in his book “Cold Strength” by Dawid Dobropolski, noting that an organism that becomes immune to a stressor in the form of cold, gains adaptations to cope with other stressors. This means that walruses can consequently cope much better with, for example, difficulties at work.

Going further, walruses have a very good effect on joints. Thanks to bathing in cold water, they can effectively get rid of pain, their range of movement increases and their whole structure undergoes faster regeneration. It is very often observed that people who regularly walrus are somewhat more satisfied, full of energy and eager to live.

Walrus bathing and weight loss

And what effect will bathing in icy water have on our weight and body fat? During 3-5 minutes of proper walrus bathing you may burn even several hundred calories. However, we should remember that too much is not enough – regardless of the level of advancement, a warm-up will be necessary (a calm run, jogging, general development exercises) and the recommended length of walrus bathing is not longer than 5 minutes at the water temperature of 2 degrees Celsius. Of course, every walrus knows its own organism best, so once again we encourage you to start in the company of more experienced persons.

Walrus bathing – children and seniors

Being a walrus in your twenties, thirties or forties is a common thing. But what does this activity look like for older people, those entering their senior years or those in their seventies, for example? What about children’s walruses, can they be allowed into cold water without fear?

In an interview with the Polish Press Agency, Prof. Ewa Ziemann, PhD, referring to the conclusions of her research, said that it is difficult to establish an upper age limit for walruses. Everything depends on the condition of seniors, accompanying diseases and possible cardiovascular insufficiency. Other than that, there are no restrictions.

On the other hand, walrus bathing in children should begin only from the age of 3. Even then, some scientists recommend such activity, noting its positive impact on the immunity and hardening of the body. However, parents of children under 3 should refrain from taking their children with them, mainly due to the fact that it is more difficult for such a young person to verbalise any negative feelings. As for the very nature of walruses for two-year-olds, researchers are still looking for a clear answer as to whether or not they are recommended.

We know what walruses do. So when should it be avoided?

The advantages of walrushing are difficult to list in one breath, while the list of disadvantages is much shorter. As has already been mentioned, the issue of the so-called walruses is still being resolved, but the current state of knowledge tells us that it is not the best idea to walrus children under three years old. Besides, it is better to avoid cold baths if:

You have recently come down with an illness. After the flu it is better to give your body time to recover.
You are prone to fainting. The so-called vasovagal reflex will not be a clear contraindication here, but rather a recommendation not to walrus alone, but in a group.
Cardiovascular disease has been identified. Heart disease, severe hypertension – by definition, these are significant “no” votes for walruses. In order to be 100% sure (e.g. when we want to replace a referral to the cryochamber in connection with varicose veins with walruses), it is worth consulting the whole thing with the leading doctor.
One has a diagnosis of Lyme disease or epilepsy. Other diseases of the nervous system are also involved, again requiring the case to be verified with your doctor.

It is also worth taking into account the fact that the feelings associated with the heat are different for each person. For some, the exposure to cold may be so far beyond the limits of comfort that persuading people to take part in such an activity may be wrong. It is worth convincing the slightly undecided – after all, there are quite a lot of advantages of bathing!

How about you? Do you drown in the sea? 🙂 Be sure to share your experiences in the comments.

Warmer recipes that are perfect after walruses can be found in the Fitatu application. More information about Fitatu can be found at: https://www.fitatu.com