What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger
What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger (a brief history)
Where does the saying “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger” come from? In 1888, Friedrich Nietzsche wrote “Aus der Kriegsschule des Lebens.—Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker,” which can be translated as “Out of life’s school of war—what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.” It appears in his book of aphorisms, Twilight of the Idols.
In his autobiography published that same year, Ecce Homo, he refers to some people as “nature’s lucky strokes…” and goes on to say that they divine remedies for injuries, and know how to turn serious accidents to their own advantage: That which does not kill them, makes them stronger. We think that Nietzsche guy was on to something.
What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger (the present)
In 2017, Investigative Journalist and Anthropologist Scott Carney’s book What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength was published. We are big fans of this book. In it, Carney traces our evolution back to a time when survival depended on how well we adapted to the environment. He explores how our ancestors crossed snowy mountain ranges in animal skins, and faced nature's cruelest elements with a fraction of what we have today. He asserts that now comfort is king, and that living in climate-controlled luxury has severed our biological link to a changing environment. He goes on to link our hate for cold and heat to the modern proliferation of autoimmune diseases, obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes. We recommend you check this book out. He gives a compelling argument for subjecting yourself to uncomfortable environments, in order to achieve optimal health, strength, conditioning, and happiness.
The Iceman
Carney built his career as an investigative journalist on debunking various gurus throughout the world that were promising more than they could deliver. This was also his intention when he signed himself up for a course by Wim “The Iceman” Hof. It’s putting it lightly to say that he was skeptical of Hof’s claims of the immune and mood boosting benefits of cold exposure and breathing techniques. He was a hardened skeptic. After the course, he went from skeptic to convert. The book then became about Carney’s personal journey with cold exposure, breathing, and environmental conditioning (exercising in the cold outdoors with very little clothing). Carney went from a self-described depressed couch potato to a lean, positive force of nature.
Our experience with these methods
As we have described in other articles, we both start the day with Wim Hof Breathing, which we enjoy doing along with Wim in his free app. It’s easy to follow, and is a great way to start the day. The combination of controlled hyperventilation and breath retention, really kick starts your engine and gets you ready to face the day. You also experience a euphoria from the breathing, or as Hof says, you “Get high on your own supply.” It also prepares us for the next step in our day: cold exposure. Whether it’s two minutes in the ocean, or two minutes under a cold shower—the experience is life changing. You know that “cement head” feeling upon waking? Gone. How about the slight depression now that the mornings are getting dark and gloomy? Gone. We have both been astounded at the head-clearing emotional boost we have experienced through cold exposure. We are both fathers of three—and cold exposure bulletproofs us in the mornings. No matter how grumpy a kid gets—we remain positive and unflappable. It truly is amazing.
Training outdoors—a paradigm shift
A natural extension of our exploration with the cold has been to do more and more training outdoors, and to continue this as the temperatures get colder and colder through the winter months. We have both been certifiable gym rats in the past, and admittedly, the initial impetus for the move to outdoor training was in reaction to the Coronavirus and the subsequent lockdowns that occurred throughout the world. But like all paradigm shifts, it gradually snuck up on us—there is something to this. The scientific research is also growing in support of the effectiveness of environmental conditioning. Consistent cold exposure seems to generate greater stores of brown fat in the body—a type of fat that is quickly burned as energy in the body. So, the same training done in the cold, instead of indoors, seems to have greater performance benefits. Scott Carney’s training regimen includes bare-chested running in the cold. We are also giving this a try, and will let you know of the results.
How to try some of this out
Getting Carney’s book, or the new book by Wim Hof is a great place to start. If you feel like you need a bit more personal guidance in trying some of this stuff, drop us an email. We are excited to share this new journey with you.
Here’s to your strength, health, and happiness
Scott & Lennart