WILLEMSTAD - It seems a bit contradictory, but more than 70 soldiers have met at the Navy barracks in Suffisant last week with the so-called Cold training & Tactical breathing method by Andre Hof, twin brother of The Iceman Wim Hof.

This is an initiative of the Innovation department of the Navy Corps, which is part of the "Change Management & Innovation" department of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Part of this training is sitting in an ice bath of 2 degrees Celsius for a maximum of five minutes.

Whereas innovation often involves technological development such as automation, drones or robotics, the cold training & tactical breathing innovation focuses on people - or rather - on the mindset and the human body.

MINSET

“Optimizing the body and mindset means optimizing combat power. When technology fails or falls behind, a soldier automatically falls back on the basic skills & drills, the core qualities of the Marine Corps. This individual training focuses on the basis of our existence: breathing, awareness, focus and mindset. People are the center of attention! ”said Major of the Navy, Van den Heuvel of Varik, Staff Officer, Innovation at the Marine Corps.

This Cold training & Tactical breathing method was initially intended for the marines who are currently completing the sniper training in Curaçao. However, the boat group, sports instructors, kitchen staff, Caribbean soldiers from Aruba and Curacao and the Navy Commandant in the Caribbean, Brigadier General of the Navy Peter Jan de Vin also went through the method and took a "dip" in the ice bath. Reactions from the participants is positive: "We have experienced this training as very instructive. For some, they experienced it as groundbreaking activity, but afterwards they were very enthusiastic and positive," said CURMIL Lieutenant William Plaate.

THREE PILLARS

The method is based on three pillars: Breathing exercises, training in mindset / focus and cold exposure. This increases your physical performance; the immune system is activated and the mind is trained and strengthened. In addition, your resistance increases, which makes you less susceptible to diseases. By applying breathing exercises, you are better able to regulate stress.

Each session lasted approximately 1.5 hours, during which trainers, Andre Hof and Marcel Mulder explained Wim Hof's theory and ideas. The participants then had to do a breathing exercise consisting of taking 30 controlled breaths. With this the oxygen goes deeper into the blood. After this breathing technique the soldiers stepped in and around the ice bath of 2 degrees Celsius to remain in it for a maximum of 5 minutes. After the ice bath, the participants had to walk around the barracks to get the blood circulation going again.

Photo credit: Menno Tames