Irkutsk Resident Ice Baths for Five Years: 'I Just Enjoy It'

Irkutsk resident Alena Svistova has been practicing ice bathing for five years. She dips into cold water once or twice a week, starting from late September. See how she does it in the short video report.

Alena Svistova is 38 years old, has two children, and runs a business. She first dipped into an ice hole as a student. Over time, Epiphany bathing (a winter tradition) became regular, but with breaks—due to childbirth, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. After a long pause, the Irkutsk woman dipped again—and felt unimaginable delight.

«It was outside the city, near the ice hole there was a warm tent. And I went for the second time, there was a very wild desire to do it. I remember calling my mom and just screaming into the phone with maximum emotions that I had to find a group of »walruses« (ice bathers) with whom I would do this. Because after that dip, there was a maximum charge of energy and happiness,» she recalls.

Alena searched for a group of ice bathers for a long time, but eventually found one. This happened five years ago. During this time, her attitude towards cold has changed: she no longer fears it. Now she calmly opens the balcony in winter, doesn«t panic about drafts, and doesn»t worry that the children «will definitely catch a cold.»

«I»m not afraid of cold and frost. That«s the key thing. I get just as cold as everyone else, but I»m not afraid of frost,« emphasizes the Irkutsk woman.

Read the full story of Alena Svistova in this article.