Plunging in to sub-zero temperatures has seen Corin Rideout overcome a heart attack and the loss of his two brothers to suicide. Now, under the guidance of Wim Hof, he is sharing the method with the masses
Cold water therapy is having a moment in the world of wellness. More people are embracing the thrill of a cold water dip in the ocean, open water swimming clubs are growing in numbers and copper ice baths are becoming common place in luxury spas.
According to Dutch-born extreme athlete, Wim Hof (aka The Iceman), for most of our evolutionary history, a merciless natural environment - sub-zero temperatures, howling winds and hungry wolves - kept our muscles and veins supple, and our minds sharp and clear. Fast forward to today, and phones are exhausting our brains, while the rest of our body wastes away as we sit behind desks in toasty rooms. Our natural defences are no longer on high alert; we fall ill more easily, we’re stressed, not sleeping well and waking up without focus or energy. Sound familiar?
With this in mind, The Wim Hof Method was born: ‘It’s a simple, easy to apply, health and wellbeing tool with a strong scientific foundation; a practical way to become happier, healthier and stronger,’ explains Certified Wim Hof Instructor, Corin Ridout, who lives in Fordingbridge.
‘The Wim Hof Method is about reconnecting us to ourselves, to others and to nature using the three pillars – breathing, cold therapy and commitment.
‘By using the cold as therapy, it allows us to shut the mind up, to take time away from the stress of day-to-day life and from our electronic devices. The cold forces you to let go and, as Wim says, ‘to let your body do what it is capable of doing’.’
Corin discovered the Wim Hof Method when listening to the audible book The World’s Fittest Book, by Ross Edgley: ‘Ross talked about Wim submerging himself in a whisky barrel of ice water and the benefits that it can have on physical and mental health. I was hooked and started practicing the method at home using the free three-part mini class available on the website, I then attended a fundamentals workshop with certified instructors, Heather Gordon Athie and Graham Farley, to check I was doing everything properly and to have my first ice bath experience under their guidance.’
Corin, who also works full-time as a registered manager at a nursing home for people living with dementia in Southampton, now runs Wim Hof Method workshops at The Retreat New Forest and Chewton Glen: ‘The workshop is very much based on Wim’s philosophy of ‘feeling is understanding’, so I like to provide a safe space where I guide participants through the method to explore how it feels for them, to embrace any physical or emotional shifts they might experience and to set them up with a solid foundation for continuing to practice the method at home.’
There are so many anecdotal stories of how the method has helped people, Corin explains: ‘from managing the side effects of cancer treatments, along with recent scientific research pointing to the capabilities of cold exposure in fighting cancer - alongside conventional treatment and diet changes. It’s helped MS sufferers to take control of their symptoms and people with arthritis and autoimmune disease to manage their symptoms without conventional medication regimes. It has also helped people to manage PTSD from such horrors as war and child abuse.’
On a personal level, cold water therapy has helped Corin recover from a heart attack and myocarditis diagnosis. ‘Just seven months after being in intensive care, I was in Poland hiking the snowy mountain foothills in just shorts, and bathing in snow covered waterfalls. I feel Wim’s method is an amazing self-care tool that can be used alongside conventional medicine to support people to be healthy, strong and happy.’
Cold water therapy also helped Corin following the death of his eldest brother, who committed suicide in 2017, he remembers: ‘I found myself just going through the motions in life; I was depressed, lacked focus and energy and my mind was a constant loop of what ifs, if only and regrets over perceived wasted time. Discovering the method, particularly the cold exposure, helped me to take a break from the loop, to sit with my mind still for a couple of minutes and ultimately, by doing all the three pillars of the method consistently, it helped me to have the courage to stop and confront my grief rather than just carrying it with me like a weight, day-in day-out, scared to unpack and unpick it.’
As he read more about Wim, Corin felt inspired to sign up to some sporting challenges, too. ‘I found that this helped me with my own mental health and the training periods meant I lived a healthier lifestyle.’ Corin achieved The London Classics, twice, (London Marathon, Ride London 100, Swim Serpentine 2 mile) which was something that would have seemed impossible to him prior to discovering the method.
Life dealt Corin a second blow in 2020 when his youngest brother also committed suicide. He shares: ‘The Method helped me to confront the grief much sooner, this meant I was able to avoid the depression that had previously affected me following my eldest brother’s passing. Whilst I will feel and carry the grief of both their losses until my last breath, the method helps me to ensure that the grief doesn’t stop me living my own life, and that’s such a powerful gift that Wim has given me.’
Corin was delighted to meet the man himself while completing the Master Module for instructor training in Poland in February 2022. He smiles: ‘It was Valentine’s Day and Wim showed up! He spent the next couple of days with us, which was magical. Wim has this amazing energy and love of people which shines through; he made time to listen to and talk with everyone, showing genuine interest in our stories and motivations for wanting to become instructors, and also offering individual advice and guidance.
‘He was warm, witty and engaging whilst all the time remaining remarkably humble - jumping from telling stories of his travels, to talking about upcoming research and latest scientific developments. He was dressed as you saw him in the BBC series ‘Freeze the Fear’ and he was just a very beautiful, kind presence. On the last night we all gathered with Wim around a camp fire, one of our fellow trainee instructors was the American singer/songwriter Mike Posner; Mike played guitar and sang as we all danced and sang along… Wim has some good dance moves!’
Want to dip your toe in?
For those wanting to try cold water exposure at home, Corin recommends trying the free 3-part mini class and the 20-day Cold Water Shower Challenge, both available at wimhofmethod.com. Find Corin at wimhofmethod.com/instructors/corin-ridout-1
