Kelowna resident Jackson Kurtz (right) runs two cold plunge groups: Kelowna Breathsicles and Cold Dip Kelowna.
Image Credit: SUMBITTED/ Jackson Kurtz
February 25, 2024 - 6:00 AM
For some Okanagan residents, swimming in the lake is a year round activity, even when temperatures drop in the minus double digits.
When it comes to taking a dip in Okanagan lake, the colder the better for Jackson Kurtz.
“Cold can be a magical healing property,” he told iNFOnews.ca.
Kurtz cofounded and operates two cold plunge groups, Cold Dip Kelowna and Kelowna Breathsicles.
He says that a combination of cold water exposure and breathwork has not only made him more resilient, but has boosted his immune system and increased his energy too.
Kurtz has been taking cold dips in the lake up to five times a week since October. Now, he is on a journey to become a breathwork instructor.
Kelowna resident Jackson Kurtz believes in the benefits of cold water exposure.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jackson Kurtz
Kurtz’s mentor was trained under Wim Hof, the Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete who pioneered the new age cold water exposure and breathwork movement.
No water is too cold for Kurtz. Even when it was -20 degrees in Kelowna, he was out in the lake with fellow enthusiasts.
"I find when you're in the cold water there's nothing else going on in your mind rather than the present moment," Kurtz said. "No matter the week you had, the day, the hour before, when you're in the water the only thing that matters is the next breath that you take in and just being in presence and I find that I'm able to take that presence from the cold water into the rest of my day."
The community element of the activity has also been a motivating force for Kurtz.
“That's one of the reasons that has kept me in,” he said. “I think it's a lot easier than doing (a cold plunge) by yourself.”
Although the cold gets more bearable with time, support from a small community can make it a lot easier, Kurtz said.
“Cold water is still cold water no matter if it's your first dip or 100th. However you get used to regulating your body,” he said. “When I go into the water, instead of my body going into full shock it goes into shock for maybe a few breaths but then afterwards my body is just comfortable and used to regulating itself and and then I am able to sink into it a little bit easier.”
A group getting ready to take a cold water plunge.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jackson Kurtz
From doing this, Kurtz said he has more energy and a “post-dip glow”.
"It can increase your mood so much,” he said. “I don't feel inflamed, I don't feel bloated. I feel like I'm able to just thrive and my body's able to work.”
Another impressive benefit Kurtz says he has experienced is a stronger immune system.
“Since I started dipping consistently in October I have not gotten sick. Knock on wood.”
The cold exposure doesn’t start and end in the water, though. Kurtz also hikes during the winter in just a pair of shorts, gloves and a toque.
“It can be nice for people who don't want to do a full cold plunge,” he said. “They could maybe put a light sweater on instead of a jacket or you could just have a T-shirt on or you could have pants on instead of shorts. You can tailor it for you.”
Kurtz currently runs a weekly hike up Knox Mountain every Thursday morning at 6 a.m.
He also hosts a Saturday plunge at City Park at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday at Tugboat beach at 10 a.m.
Kurtz also works in partnership with a local Kelowna company, Bioshack, which provide wood-burning saunas on the beach for the cold plunge participants.
Local Kelowna company Bioshack supplies portable wood-burning saunas for the cold plunge participants.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jackson Kurtz
Anyone interested in getting involved is invited to show up at the events and take part or reach out to Kurtz and his partner via the Kelowna Breathiscles Instagram page.
Although Kurtz stands by the benefits of cold water exposure, he also warns that the activity is not appropriate for pregnant women or individuals with a history of epilepsy. You should also talk to your doctor.
“It needs to be treated with a lot of respect,” he said. “The risks have gone away a lot since it's warmed up. However, the cold the water is still cold and you still do put your body in a shock response… Take proper protocols before you go dipping because it still can be a very dangerous activity if you don't treat it with the right safety protocols and respect.”
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