Why I love lifting and breathing
To read the full digital issue of Voice, download a copy here.
“If you stay strong, it can help you push through anything”
We speak with Nixon Christodoulou about his healthy mind and body routine, which includes the gym, Wim Hof breathing and cold showers.
Why do you like to go to the gym?
Because I need to pump some iron. I am very good at push-ups and also some day I will get stronger and stronger and I want to go to the Olympics. I love going to the gym and meeting other strong people. I love pumping iron with my best gym buddy, Mummy Ruth.
What do you do at the gym?
So, me and my mum go to the gym and we get ready, grab the equipment and we warm up and then we do push-ups and machines. I love lifting weights. I can bench press 60kg with the bar and the gym owner has to spot me, because I am so strong [lots of laughter]. Mum is so strong too and I love going to the gym with her.
What are your favourite exercises at the moment?
I love push-ups. My mum and I did the Push-Up Challenge. They are very easy for me. You keep your body at 90 degrees, come down and then push up. I love to do curls for the girls [lots of laughter again]. I love to do my legs with heavy weights. My step-mum Liz always reminds me to stretch and that makes me laugh, but it’s very important to stretch even if I find that boring. I only like it sometimes.
Why is it important to look after your physical health?
Because you need to take care of your body. We need to stay healthy and eat healthy and have fruit and water. If you stay strong, it can help you push through anything.
How did you start doing Wim Hof breathing exercises?
I found it on YouTube and I like it because it is good for you. I started doing it because a bodybuilder did it on YouTube and had a cold shower and I like to have cold showers too.
What do you enjoy about Wim Hof breathing?
I like Wim Hof himself, and it helps me to go to sleep. I like to do the exercises when I go to bed. I even do them at school. I like to do them when I feel sad and they make me feel better.
How do the breathing exercises help your mental and physical health?
When I feel red (which is when I feel scared or mad), the Wim Hof breathing helps me to calm back down to green (green is my good mood colour) so I shut my eyes and I breathe and I can feel red moving to green.
Tell us about your experience with Nathan Cleary!
Oh, that was so cool. Liz was outside on the football field and I was in the tunnel with Nathan Cleary and we were both a bit nervous but I said to him it’s all good. Then I was about to tell him about Wim Hof and he was already doing it, and I said to him I can’t believe it, I cannot believe it right now, and I said let’s do Wim Hof and we laughed and so we went for it and stood and did the breathing together, then we ran out on the field and everybody cheered for me. My mum and brother were in the crowd, and I was waving to them — it was so fun.
Can you tell us how to do the Wim Hof breathing?
Ok, alright, easy, easy.
You can sit or lie down and be comfortable. Close your eyes.
And then after that be ready to go and breathe in through your nose and fill up your belly and then breathe out through your mouth.
Nice and controlled.
Do this 30 times.
Then on the last one hold your breath for as long as you can and when you can’t hold anymore then you breathe again.
You can lay there and relax or go to sleep.
Is there anything else you want to share about your exercise and breathing routine?
I like having a good routine, so I go to the gym in the afternoon, and then go back home, feed the dogs and make a healthy dinner. Having a cold shower is also good for me—it’s fun, it helps me to relax my body.
I also think that the gym helps me—it’s hard for me to make friends but everyone at the gym says hi to me and I tell them that Curls Get the Girls.
Download the full digital edition of Voice here.
0 Comments