Well Fit | Swimming with Sophie Hellyer
Rise Fierce is a cold water community founded by Sophie Hellyer which exists to empower women through wild swimming and kinship. It began during an icy winter on the west coast of Ireland when Sophie, a former competitive surfer, took a dip in the Atlantic Ocean without her wetsuit on, alongside a group of friends. Two very chilly minutes later, Sophie’s love of cold water immersion was born! WELL CURATED chatted to Sophie about the mental and physical benefits of wild swimming and find out how you can join her Rise Fierce community.
Swimming is a great way to build your fitness, what is the most important element of keeping fit for you?
Fitness is never something I’m actively trying to achieve. I love being outdoors, being active, and having a healthy body that moves the way I want it do. The sport I do is all for the love and enjoyment of it, keeping fit is just a rad side effect. So I guess the most important element is that it’s fun, that you enjoy it, and that you appreciate how awesome your body is.
How did you discover swimming and why did you decide to encourage others to get involved?
I was lucky to grow up by the ocean, swimming and surfing in the sea was how I spent most of my childhood. A few years a go I started going for cold water dips in the sea without a wetsuit with some friends, and over time we’ve increase our distance. We aren’t swimming marathons but it feels so good to wake up early and jump in the cold sea, have a swim with friends and then grab a hot drink together afterwards. Rise Fierce is a women’s wild swimming community. I started Rise Fierce because I could see how beneficial not just the actual swimming, but the community around it, was to all of us who were going regularly. We have a private women’s Facebook group where you can connect with other people in your area who also want to immerse. It’s been so lovely watching the community grow.
Swimming is not only incredible for your body; it also has a huge impact on your mental health. How has it improved your wellbeing?
Getting in the water for me is like hitting the reset button. If you’re feeling grumpy or tired or sad, dunk your head under the water and pretty much every time you come out feeling fresh and grounded. It’s also a nice level of activity where you can’t think too much but somehow you manage to process your thoughts and feelings, it’s a bit of a meditation for me.
For all those women wanting to join for a wild swim, could you tell us a bit about your upcoming events?
I run women’s wild swim, surf and yoga retreats around the UK and Ireland. Rise Fierce retreats aim to empower women by encouraging them to jump in and rise up. Embrace the outdoors with cold water surfs, wild swims and and breathtaking hikes; soothe yourself with daily yoga; connect and share through women’s circles; nourish your body with organic vegetarian and vegan food; and give back to the local community with tree-planting and beach cleans. Unfortunately, most of the retreats have had to be postponed or paused due to Covid, but I have some coming up in the autumn, fingers crossed the situation allows!
Many sports and swimwear brands are supporting the movement towards sustainability, could you curate your champions of eco-friendly activewear?
I’ve actually just written an article on the top 10 eco-friendly activewear but I don’t want to give them all away! I love Nagnata, Girlfriend Collective and Organic Basics for leggings and bras. For swimwear, Batoko, Stay Wild Swim, Deakin and Blue and Davy J. And for everything else Finisterre.
