DATES: Friday, 23 September – Sunday, 25 September
DURATION: 3 days / 2 nights
EXECUTION: Luka Turk and Residence Soča
LOCATION: Residence Soča, in the town of Soča, only a few metres away from the cool emerald beauty of the Soča river
REASONS TO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP
- Learning about the effects of coldness on the body, about the correct preparations for ice diving and healthy eating habits.
- Learning about conscious breathing and other breathing techniques.
- Morning stretching.
- Evening socialising.
- Hanging out with like-minded people with the opportunity to ask questions to a seven-time ice swimming world champion.
- The chance to explore the Triglav National Park.
How many times have you heard that showering with cold water has positive effects on the body and mind? You may have read on several occasions that taking a cold shower awakens the body and the mind, that it strengthens the immune system and reduces the chances of infectious diseases, that it improves the blood flow and promotes better overall cardiovascular health, and that cold showers help reduce the symptoms and the consequences of stress and alleviate the symptoms of depression. A cold shower before going to bed helps you sleep better, but it also improves your skin and your hair.
So, showering with cold water does have many advantages. But why does the mere thought of a cold shower still give us chills then? How do we overcome the aversion we feel towards the very concept of coldness?
Introducing any new habit into our life is never easy. In order to achieve that, we first need to overcome our own mental obstacles. Luka Turk, who has had to go through many unenviable situations in his life, will give you some advice on how to turn your life around for the better just by your own will and by making coldness your friend. Everything is always easier when we can share this kind of experience with like-minded people. That’s why we invite you to join us at his workshop on ice diving and introducing cold showers into everyday life.
WORKSHOP PROGRAMME:
6 p.m.: An introductory evening with a speech by Luka Turk.
Luka will tell you his life story and talk briefly about the benefits of cold showers and ice baths. You will learn how cold water affects our health, well-being and lifestyle. Luka will also share with you the first tips on how to motivate yourselves to take cold showers, which you will be able to use for your next shower.
8 p.m.: Dinner in the nearby restaurant Andrejc.
8 a.m.: Breakfast in the apartment with a basket of local delicacies from organic farms.
9 a.m..: Morning stretching in the fresh alpine air (in case of bad weather, we move to the Soča school) and presentation of exercises for better posture.
After the morning stretching, we will split into two groups. The first group will have free time, while the second group will go ice diving. The free group will be able to go on a hike along the Soča Trail or in the Šunik Water Grove, you can rent e-bikes to explore the stunning Trenta Valley and the Triglav National Park. The friendly staff of Residence Soča will be happy to advise you on which nearby hill you can climb.
10:30 a.m.: Preparation for the ice dive and short walk to the Soča river (first group), where you will face its low temperatures. You will learn about special breathing and physical exercises that will help your body and mind cope with the cold more easily, after which it will be time the take the first dive.
12 a.m.: Return of the first group to Residence Soča.
1 p.m.: Group lunch at the nearby restaurant Andrejc.
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Break.
3 p.m.: Preparation for the ice dive and short walk to the Soča river (second group), where you will face its low temperatures. You will learn about special breathing and physical exercises that will help your body and mind cope with the cold more easily, after which it will be time the take the first dive. The first group will be free.
4:30 p.m.: Return of the second group to Residence Soča. Time for cooking and rest.
6 p.m.: Evening gathering to share the day’s experiences with fellow workshop participants and to reflect on dealing with ice water. Luke Turk’s advice on how to introduce cold showering into our everyday life and what benefits you will gain if you decide to introduce this habit into your daily routine.
8 a.m.: Breakfast in the apartment with a basket of local delicacies from organic farms.
9 a.m..: Morning stretching in the fresh alpine air (in case of bad weather, we move to the Soča school) and presentation of exercises for better posture.
10:30 a.m.: Lecture on healthy eating:
Luka will share with you his tricks on how you can always quickly prepare a tasty and healthy meal using the ingredients you currently have in your pantry.
12 a.m.: Ice dive in Soča (both groups together).
1 p.m.: Return to Residence Soča.
2 p.m.: End of the workshop with useful tips for continuing ice practices in everyday life.
3 p.m.: Departure.
PRICE: €550 per person
The price includes:
- 2 nights at Residence Soča in a double room in a Premium apartment;
- 2 breakfasts in the apartment (basket of local delicacies);
- 1 dinner at a nearby restaurant;
- 1 lunch at a nearby restaurant;
- 2 guided ice dives in the nearby Soča river;
- Free e-bike rental;
- Organization of the professional workshop;
EXTRA CHARGES:
€70 per person (50 minutes). The Access Bars therapy is a gentle technique where we stimulate the brain to go into the theta state by touching 32 points on the head. This kind of therapy activates the body’s self-healing processes and opens a space of awareness in our life. The electrical charge in the brain is dispersed, and this way all the energies trapped in the brain and body are released.
€50 per person (30 min), €70 per person (50 min). Surrender to the healing touches of our two experienced masseurs, who will remove the last traces of any tension from your body. With the intuitive techniques they have developed through their many years of practice, they will also come to your aid in sports injuries and relieve you of pain. Using music, pleasant lights and soothing scents, they will turn your apartment into an oasis of peace that will promote complete relaxation of the body, the mind and the spirit.
Supplement for individual room in the apartment (sharing the apartment with other participants): €50 per night.
Supplement for individual unit (Studio apartment): €100 per person per night.
Lunch and dinner are included in the price, you just pay drinks.
Tourist tax: 2€ / day
Maximum number of participants: 16
Minimum number of participants: 4
Note: The workshop will be held provided that the minimum number of participants has been reached.
Luka Turk, former Olympic swimmer (Beijing 2008) and soldier, now a personal trainer and ice diving professional, has a lot of experience in overcoming life’s obstacles. By swimming in cold water, a simple guy from Radovljica has expanded his consciousness, awakened his body and strengthened his mind, finding along the way his life mission, which he now passes on with great passion.
Luka was inspired by Wim Hof with his touching life story and breathing techniques to overcome the cold.
Soon, he signed up for the first ice swimming competition in Bled, albeit more as a joke. He ended up winning first place. The coldness of Lake Bled awakened in him the desire for greater challenges. When he found out that there are world championships where brave swimmers are put to the test in as much as 1,000 meters long distances, in waters that must not be over 5 degrees Celsius, he found his motivation. The thought of the human body being able to swim such distances at such low temperatures kept haunting him. He started his preparations, and six months later he won his first world championship title. In less than two years, Luka became a seven-time world champion in ice swimming.
Luka, whom you may also know from the show Exatlon, is now a personal trainer, masseur and ice diving expert. Allow him to introduce you to the combination of breathing techniques and body exercises that he developed based on Wim Hof’s method, and in dive with him into the cold alpine river Soča, just a few meters from our Residence Soča. You will learn how to prepare your body and mind for extremely cold temperatures with proper breathing and physical exercises, you will learn what goes on inside your body and mind when facing the cold, and most importantly, you will prove to yourselves that you are much stronger than you thought. Luka will also share with you his tricks for preparing healthy meals no matter what you have in the fridge.
WHO SHOULD AVOID ICE DIVING?
This method can be performed by any healthy individual. Listen to your body and never force anything.
We do not recommend using this method if you have:
- epilepsy;
- high blood pressure (especially if you are taking medication);
- coronary heart disease (e.g. angina pectoris or stable angina);
- a history of serious health problems, such as heart failure or stroke;
- migraines (in this case we recommend that you be very careful when bathing in ice water).
At Residence Soča, we wish to offer our guests quality workshops to help them acquire lifelong knowledge that will enrich their everyday life. We therefore invite you to join us and improve the quality of your life step-by-step with a group of like-minded people.
APPLICATION
To apply for the workshop, please fill out the form below.
