whm-cold-exposure

Trigger: /whm-cold-exposure

Progressive cold exposure protocols for Wim Hof Method Pillar 2. Designs safe, gradual cold adaptation programs from cold shower finishes through full cold immersion.

Agents

• Cold Exposure Guide - Progressive cold adaptation design
• Clinical Researcher - Cold exposure physiology evidence
• Traditions Scholar - Tummo and cold adaptation traditions
• Content Writer - Protocol language
• Ethics Guardian - Safety review (partner requirements, afterdrop warnings)

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
level	Yes	1-cold-finish, 2-extended-cold, 3-cold-first, 4-cold-immersion
context	No	User context, experience, or goals

Outputs

• cold-exposure-protocol.md - Complete cold exposure guide
• safety-checklist.md - Pre-exposure safety verification
• progression-guide.md - When and how to advance levels

Examples

Start with cold finishes:

/whm-cold-exposure --level 1-cold-finish

Extended cold showers:

/whm-cold-exposure --level 2-extended-cold --context "comfortable with cold finishes"

Full immersion (requires partner):

/whm-cold-exposure --level 4-cold-immersion --context "experienced, has partner"

Progressive Levels

Level	Practice	Duration	Partner
1. Cold Finish	End warm shower with cold	15-30 sec	Recommended
2. Extended Cold	Longer cold shower segments	1-3 min	Recommended
3. Cold First	Start shower cold	2-5 min	Recommended
4. Cold Immersion	Ice bath or cold water immersion	2-10 min	MANDATORY

Temperature Guidelines

Level	Temperature Range
Cool	20-15°C (68-59°F)
Cold	15-10°C (59-50°F)
Very Cold	10-5°C (50-41°F)
Ice	Below 5°C (below 41°F)

Safety Architecture

CRITICAL SAFETY RULES:

• NEVER submerge your head in cold water
• NEVER do full WHM breathing immediately before cold exposure (hypocapnia + water = drowning risk)
• Partner MANDATORY for Level 4 (cold immersion)
• Know the signs of hypothermia: uncontrollable shivering, confusion, slurred speech
• Afterdrop warning: core temperature continues dropping AFTER exiting cold water
• Medical screening required: cardiovascular conditions, Raynaud's, cold urticaria

Afterdrop Safety

Afterdrop is the continued drop in core body temperature that occurs after exiting cold water. This happens because cold blood from the extremities returns to the core.

Rewarming protocol:

1. Exit cold water calmly (no sudden movements)
2. Dry off gently
3. Layer warm, dry clothing
4. Allow natural rewarming (no hot showers immediately)
5. Warm beverages are fine
6. Monitor for 20-30 minutes after exit

Quality Gates

Before output is finalized:

• Partner requirements clearly stated per level
• Head submersion explicitly prohibited
• Afterdrop warning and rewarming protocol included
• No "toxic toughness" framing
• Progression based on comfort and safety, not endurance
• Medical screening for cardiovascular conditions
• "No shame in stepping out early" language present
• Temperature reference table included

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"Cold is a teacher that demands respect. We approach with humility, not bravado."