How did IceBreakers start?
IceBreakers co-founder Tim Bowles shares the origin story of the growing nature based men's community.
We had hosted various wellbeing retreats at Campwell Farm since 2017, but following the loss of a male friend to suicide, and hearing stories of other friends suffering in silence, we conceived a Man Kind Day in October 2020 as an experiment in bringing men together for a day of connecting, reflecting, and being in nature. This was the start of IceBreakers.
Still in the throes of the pandemic and all that social disconnection, we started weekly dips in the river. It was important to make it accessible and free, with as few barriers as possible, and our community continues to grow. We have over 150 members in Bath, 70 in Brighton, and our Bristol group launched in October.
It’s a magical formula of community, nature and immersion in cold water, and while we keep our practice simple, the stories from men who have found this ritual critical for maintaining their mental wellbeing are many. There is growing evidence to back up the various elements of our approach; from cold-water immersion to breathwork. Recently, Harvard’s longest study on human happiness showed that strong relationships and community are what make for a life. And we’re often happiest when out in nature; it can reduce stress, make us happier, inspire creativity, and help us focus.
Our retreats can run for one, two or three days, and integrate open-fire cooking, walks, games, and a lot of sitting around huge fires sharing stories. Phones are checked into a box on arrival so the group is fully in the zone, without distractions.
–––––––
Words from the Members
“I’ve done two retreats. The first, amid grief, legal issues, marital strife, and growing a business, was a hard reset and I left with a real sense of calm and clarity. The second, this year, was a real detachment from a lot of stress. It’s an amazing community and I’d encourage more men to get involved.” - James (Member)
“I was welcomed this year into a genuine, warm and supportive gang. For the first time in a long time I can share fears and personal challenges, and the result has been I feel like I have my mojo back. The impact on my mental and physical wellbeing has been so positive. It’s helped me reconnect with myself, my family and friends, but also provided me with the opportunity to give back to others. I’m grateful for my amazing brothers at IceBreakers.” - Dinesh (Member)
––––––––
The IceBreakers Way
Aaron Collins-Thomas, another co-founder, explains the group’s approach
Over the past few years we’ve been developing an approach we call The Ice Breakers Way. It had to be simple, something anyone can pick up, but offer benefits and structure around our meetups and dips. I teach Qigong, and many of the movements we use are drawn from this. We incorporate breathing techniques, too, and use both movement and control of breath to enable us to get into rivers regardless of the temperature.
There are three stages to our weekly river meets:
The Warm In
We prepare the body for the cold exposure by connecting our breath to our body, followed by a gentle movement specific to the season. We build in some movement and dynamic breathwork to lift energy levels and prepare us for the cold water exposure.
The Dip
We dip together with a focus on breath control and entering the water safely and under control. Depending on the weather, experience levels and water temperature, we spend between one and 15 minutes in the cold water.
The Warm Up
Once we exit the water we perform specific movement patterns coordinated with breath to bring heat back into our bodies and warm us up from the core. We finish with a few qigong movements to boost our energy and leave us feeling amazing.
––––––––
Joining IceBreakers
Men of all ages are welcome to join for a dip, a sauna, firecircle or a walk.
IceBreakers Bath meet at Warleigh Weir every Wednesday morning at 6.30am, and on Sundays at 8am. The Bristol chapter meet at Conham River Park at 8am on Sundays.
There are retreats, and day adventures (walks) throughout the year. Check out the latest information and latest events here and follow them on Instagram here
