Extremes: Hot or cold, Ice swimming and more

We all have preferences and these could range from relatively simple ones like our liking for hot drinks to cold ones as well as play out in different ways as we experience life. There is a fascination with extremes and the two ends of the Bell curve that drives the motivation behind many of our choices. Join me on this podcast as I share an experience with extremes and some fun facts about ice swimming.  

Transcript

Extremes: Hot or cold, Ice swimming and more

Hello Fellow Mavericks, welcome to another exciting episode of the ‘Ordinary Maverick’ podcast.

Summer time! There’s something about these wo rds that immediately gets a smile on our faces and brings back fond memories. For many countries in the world, summer means holidays, long days, travel to fun places, spending time with family and friends, basically, pure joy!

Of course, it also means a lighter pocket, right…ha ha. When one vacations, it also means having a few less in the bank. But that’s ok. With flowers blooming, sunshine and birds chirping, life feels good. And one goes along with the flow.

We did our fair share of vacationing this summer. and were fortunate to spend time with family and friends. On one of those beautiful summer mornings, we sat down for breakfast in the middle of a national park, surrounded by nature, and started responding to the question posed by our server, what would you’ll like to drink?. And that’s when it struck, everyone had their own preferences…from really hot tea to chilled iced coffee. Two extremes. I wondered what it is about these extremes, what’s the fascination with ‘hot’ or ‘cold’. At the time, we were in the Olympic Peninsula at a place where there were natural hot springs. Have you’ll experienced natural hot springs? It’s the most relaxing feeling, sinking into this hot water pool with steam billowing out and just feeling the heat remove the soreness from your muscles, divine! 

But next to the hot pool there was the cold one. Yes! At first, we didn’t quite realize the differences in the temperatures across the pools and later got to know that the temperatures went from cold to hot to real hot. 

Am sure you’ve heard about the growing practice of cold plunges or ice swimming, a popular one in the Netherlands and other countries. It has health benefits which include improving cardiovascular health and fitness. It also helps to boost the immune system and can be a natural stress reliever. Plus, it can help to improve sleep.

Here are some fun facts. Ice swimming as a term was first coined in 2009. It’s swimming in temperatures of 5 degrees Celsius or 41 degrees Farenheit and when done as a sport, it is unassisted, with a cap, goggles and the standard swimming costume. This is how it’s defined by the International Ice Swimming Association. This is an association of ice swimming enthusiasts that have their championships, with records being set and hold various events through the year. There are different milestones. For example, the Ice 7s. To complete certification in Ice 7s, one must swim an ‘Ice Mile’ in every frozen continent or sea in the world, which is an Ice Mile in Africa, in Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Oceania, and a Polar Ice mile which is either in Antartica or the Artic. And at least one of these Ice Miles must be in what is known as the Brutal Ice Zero – which is an Ice Mile in water temperatures less than 1 degree centigrade. There are very few, only 3 people in the world that have done the Ice 7s. Interesting right? One would think it’s about fitness and tenacity but it’s a lot more, it’s about your ice tolerance, travel to remote places for which one needs financial resources and organizing all the logistics plus the safety aspects. It requires a lot of planning and resources to do this. But it’s an accomplishment.

Fellow Mavericks, have you tried ice swimming? Let me know if you’ve done it and what the experience was.

I can’t claim to have done it myself BUT I did experience some of the hot and cold experience at the hot springs. All of us, Sanjana, myself and our daughter, did the hot springs (the hot temperature one) and then jumped into the cold one. Wow, it was a shock to the system. Ha ha! There were some screams and noises but as one settled into the cold-water swim, there was a tingling all over followed by a burst of energy and a general feeling of rejuvenation. Hard to describe. We then went back to the hot spring. I was happy with the one time, but Sanjana tried it a few times. Hot then cold and then hot and then cold and repeat. Got easier once you’ve done it but energizing each time. 

We all emerged from that experience feeling ready to tackle anything. Highly recommend the experience at least once in your lifetime. I know it might sound alien given how most of us need the right temperature to have a swim but believe you me, you will not regret this. 

Returning to the topic of extremes and the appeal of opposites, it is likely that preferences for hot versus cold water swimming would display a normal distribution, with most individuals falling near the median. The typical bell curve as we say. This central tendency reflects the majority of the population's preferences. In my experience within consumer marketing, products are typically designed to cater to this majority. However, it is important to assess whether targeting extreme or niche segments—or focusing on the median—is most beneficial. Such considerations are essential when evaluating cost structures and profit margins. Social media plays a role here too. One is influenced by smart marketing and influencers to fall in the middle category or to either side. 

Either way, there is no right or wrong. The better you understand yourself, the more comfortable and content you become with your choices. Here is where the Maverick formula comes in. 

Recall the three elements, Go with your gut, Be true and Fall forward. Underpinning these is the important aspect of mindfulness. The inner listening which helps facilitate us taking the right decision and going forward. This also helps us understand ourselves better. And doing so makes us calmer and more content with our choices and most importantly comfortable with who we are.

So whether it’s hot or cold you prefer, it doesn’t really matter, right? It might be a small thing but represents a much larger concept of being comfortable with one’s choices, understanding your preference and being content. 

But then once in a while, push yourself. That’s the Maverick spirit. So if you like hot drinks, go for the cold ones for a change and vice versa. Just for the fun of it, for testing and trialing something you’ve not done before. And prepare to be surprised. You might just start liking something you’ve not done before. As choices change, just as we change.

I can say from my experience. Cold water swimming is not something I would say I enjoy but that day when I went from the hot pool to the cold one, it was fun. A new experience to savor. Will I try it again? Ha ha….that remains to be seen. 

Would love to hear about your summer holiday. Have you tried something new? On our side, the extreme experience kept playing out. We went from discovering hot springs to glacier hiking!

More about what it feels like to walk on a glacier I n an upcoming podcast episode. 

Fellow Mavericks, continue enjoying the season you’re in, be it summer or winter and share your experiences at ‘theordinarymaverick@gmail.com’ and follow me on Instagram #theordinarymaverick.  I love hearing from you. 

This is Ajey, signing off and wishing you have an amazing day! Keep well. 

This podcast series was put together as a team effort from the Bhardwaj family.  Concept, design, title, researchers and reviewers: Ajey, Sanjana, Avantika and Niharika Bhardwaj; Script– Sanjana; Cover design – Niharika. All rights reserved.