One session in four parts
Every KELD session runs in the same order: lift, sauna, cold water, sit. The timings below are a typical Contrast session. First Cold starts much shorter and builds up.
20 minutes
Lift
Kettlebell or dumbbell work: swings, presses, carries, squats. Heavy enough to ask something of you, short enough to finish focused. On non-strength days, this becomes a ten-minute walk.
8–12 minutes
Sauna
A Finnish-style sauna at 80–90°C, or a hot bath at 38–40°C if you have no sauna. Sit on the lower bench at first. Breathe slowly through the nose. Leave when you have had enough, not when the timer says so.
30 seconds – 2 minutes
Cold water
A cold plunge at 10–15°C or your coldest shower. Colder water, down to 4°C, is for people with experience. Get in steadily, breathe out long and slow, keep your eyes open. Start with thirty seconds and build up week by week.
5 minutes
Sit
Sit somewhere warm and quiet. Breathe, and let the body settle. Then repeat sauna and cold water for two or three rounds, and always finish sitting still.
Contrast · Week 1
A typical week
| Day | Session | Rounds | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Strength, then contrast | 2 × heat and cold | 50 min |
| Tue | Walk and stillness | – | 30 min |
| Wed | Contrast | 3 × heat and cold | 45 min |
| Thu | Strength | – | 25 min |
| Fri | Contrast | 3 × heat and cold | 45 min |
| Sat | Long stillness, optional cold | 1 × cold | 20 min |
| Sun | Rest | – | – |
Heat and cold are strong tools
Used well, they leave you feeling great. Used carelessly, they can hurt you. Every KELD program starts with a short health check, and every session has clear stop rules.
Talk to your doctor first if you
- have a heart condition or high blood pressure
- take medication that affects heart rate or blood pressure
- have Raynaud’s, epilepsy or a history of fainting
- are recovering from illness or injury
In every session
- Never take a cold plunge alone
- No alcohol before or during a session
- Get out if you feel dizzy, numb or unwell
- Build up slowly. More is not better.
Start with two weeks of cold showers
First Cold is the first program to open. Join the list and the first session arrives by email on launch day.