NF01 November/December 2023
Issue one of nearfield celebrates new beginnings across the region. We get excited about the reopening of Bristol Beacon, meet the hardy dippers revelling in the cold waters of the restored Cleveland Pools, find out what the Bristol Old Vic's new artistic director has planned; and explore the vintage shops, upcycling workshops, and reclamation yards breathing fresh life into old. We also keep readers moving through winter with a guide to indoor and outdoor activities, and meet the Icebreakers in our first community takeover. Plus we round up all the best events, experiences, and food and drink in the southwest this winter.
Issue one of nearfield celebrates new beginnings across the region. We get excited about the reopening of Bristol Beacon, meet the hardy dippers revelling in the cold waters of the restored Cleveland Pools, find out what the Bristol Old Vic's new artistic director has planned; and explore the vintage shops, upcycling workshops, and reclamation yards breathing fresh life into old. We also keep readers moving through winter with a guide to indoor and outdoor activities, and meet the Icebreakers in our first community takeover. Plus we round up all the best events, experiences, and food and drink in the southwest this winter.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Outside Influence 65<br />
THE ICEBREAKERS WAY<br />
Arron Collins-Thomas explains the group’s approach<br />
Over the past few years we’ve<br />
been developing an approach<br />
we call The IceBreakers Way. It<br />
had to be simple, something<br />
anyone can pick up, but also offer<br />
benefits and structure around our<br />
meetups and dips. I teach qigong,<br />
and many of the movements<br />
we use are drawn from this. We<br />
incorporate breathing techniques,<br />
too, and use both movement and<br />
control of breath to enable us<br />
to get into rivers, regardless of<br />
the temperature.<br />
There are three stages to our<br />
weekly river meets:<br />
1<br />
The Warm In<br />
We prepare for cold<br />
exposure by connecting<br />
our breath to our body,<br />
followed by a gentle<br />
movement specific to the<br />
season. We build in some<br />
movement and dynamic<br />
breathwork to lift energy<br />
levels and prepare us for<br />
the cold-water exposure.<br />
2<br />
The Dip<br />
We dip together with<br />
a focus on breath control<br />
and entering the water<br />
safely and under control.<br />
Depending on the weather,<br />
experience levels and water<br />
temperature, we spend<br />
between one and 15 minutes<br />
in the cold water.<br />
3<br />
The Warm Up<br />
Once we exit the water<br />
we perform specific<br />
movement patterns<br />
coordinated with breath<br />
to bring heat back into our<br />
bodies and warm us up from<br />
the core. We finish with a few<br />
qigong movements to boost<br />
our energy and leave us<br />
feeling amazing.<br />
Join IceBreakers<br />
Men of all ages<br />
are welcome.<br />
IceBreakers meet at<br />
Warleigh Weir every<br />
Wednesday morning at<br />
6.30am, and on Sundays at<br />
8am. Extended introductory<br />
sessions take place on the<br />
last Sunday of every month.<br />
IceBreakers are hosting<br />
a one-day retreat on<br />
12 January, followed by<br />
a weekend retreat on 5 April.<br />
For more information, visit<br />
nfld.io/icebreakers<br />
thenearfield.com<br />
<strong>NF01</strong>
Change language