Ice Bathing in the Allgäu

Inspired by an article from FAQ Bregenzer Wald, I pricked up my ears—or rather, my curiosity was piqued: Can you learn to swim in ice-cold water? Do you need a taste of it first? Is this only for hardy guys or hot-blooded water nymphs?

NO, nothing of the sort.
Martin Steurer, a native of Vorarlberg, was the star of my first winter swimming session. I contacted him out of curiosity. Two days later, he was standing in our lobby. After a brief introduction and getting to know each other a bit, he said something along the lines of: “Wenn’ dr wennt ganga ma ie!” Translated: “If you’re ready, let’s get in the water.” He added a quick introduction: “You have to take a deep breath before you get into the water.” In standard German: “You have to exhale deeply before you get into the water—breathe in and out deeply.”

This was the first episode—our personal introduction, so to speak—to our ice-bathing event. I wonder if this will inspire our guests as well? Will they join in? Is there any interest at all?
It quickly became clear to us: we just had to give it a try. And so, ice bathing made its debut on our weekly schedule.
Date: the first week of Advent. The weather and water conditions were perfect that day: an outside temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius, and the water in the natural swimming lake had a thin layer of ice.
The number of participants surprised me: seven women and two men. Plus yours truly.

Martin first explained to us in detail how he came to try ice swimming after a near-death experience during an avalanche accident years ago. He has been practicing it regularly ever since. Living on Lake Constance, he has the opportunity to go into the water year-round. Then he told us what ice swimming is all about. In doing so, he mentioned Wim Hof, better known as the “Iceman”: A Dutch extreme athlete who has set 26 international records for withstanding extreme cold.
He developed his own method, the Wim Hof Method, which combines breathing techniques with exposure to cold. With this method, you can consciously increase both your heart rate and adrenaline release through hyperventilation. This has the following effects:

- Deeper breathing,
- Improved fat burning,
- More balanced hormone levels,
- Promotion of muscle growth,
- Healing of diseased cells,
- Anti-inflammatory.

Just the controlled breathing—that conscious preparation for stepping into the water—put me in a different state of mind.

Then the moment came: EVERYONE stepped into the water, breathing deeply in and out, just as instructed. Everyone stayed in for as long as they wanted. I never in a million years would have believed that everyone would overcome this hurdle and step into that freezing-cold water.
My personal moment of bliss during that first time: I felt energized, purified, recharged—somehow like I’d been reborn —and absolutely motivated to go in again. Which is exactly what I did. And not just once...

How have things been going for me with ice bathing since then? It’s simple: I’m fascinated by ice bathing. And since then, I’ve been getting into the water almost every day, always following a certain routine: I prepare myself with my breathing exercises, lay out a bath towel, and also get warm clothes and thick socks ready.
After about 1–2 minutes in the NaturBadeSee, a tingling sensation runs through my body every time. I’m wide awake, as if electrified or energized. Afterward, I do an intense workout session—either outdoors or with a view of the lake—and finish with a Tai Chi session.
The conclusion from even this short period of practice alone:
I enjoy deep and restful sleep; I had absolutely no symptoms of illness during the fall and early winter cold season, even though I’m in daily contact with a large number of guests and staff, and I feel full of life.

Let's take a dip in the icy water together on your next visit to HUBERTUS!

Yours, Karl

P.S.: I recently received an email from some guests from Lucerne who participated in the event, sharing how they continue to enjoy ice swimming at home in Lake Lucerne. I’m beaming with joy! 😊

And here's another medical update about me: A few days ago, I saw my rheumatologist and told him that I wasn't experiencing any pain or symptoms. He then gave me the go-ahead to stop taking all my medications. I hope it stays that way...

Sat1 Bayern reporter Yvonne-Christin Holzwart took a look around the Hörnerdörfer and went ice swimming with host Marc Traubel.