Chuck McGee III is a breathwork instructor, ACT practitioner, Type 1 diabetic, and traumatic brain injury survivor who has transformed personal adversity into a mission to empower others. Known as the Iced Viking, Chuck combines science-based breath techniques with lived experience to help people take control of their health, reduce anxiety and pain, and reclaim their personal power—one breath at a time. MysticMag features the Iced Viking in an exclusive interview.
Your personal journey includes managing Type 1 diabetes and recovering from a traumatic brain injury. How have these experiences influenced your approach to breathwork, and how do they shape the way you guide others in their own practices?
Type 1 diabetes is a relentless condition—there’s never truly a break from it. It places a constant weight on both the nervous system and the mind, and I found myself needing something to ease that burden. Breathwork became one of the few things that offered real relief—something that could calm my system without relying on alcohol. I spent a good part of my life bartending, and while alcohol can feel like a quick fix, it’s far from sustainable or healing in the long term.
What breathwork taught me—and what my experience with chronic illness and brain injuries underscored—is that there isn’t one single path that works for everyone. I’ve had incredible mentors along the way, but even with their guidance, I’ve had to find my own way forward. After the most severe brain injury I experienced—ironically, after I had already become a breathwork instructor—I temporarily forgot everything I had learned. But over time, I remembered, and that journey back taught me the importance of flexibility. If one technique didn’t work, I’d try another. If that didn’t help, I’d try again, in a different way.
These experiences have given me not only a wide-ranging toolkit, but also the humility to understand that no one approach fits all. Everyone carries their own story, their own path. I don’t assume to know what’s best for someone else—I haven’t walked in their shoes. But I will listen, and I do have tools that can help.
You’ve developed a unique 8-5-12-5 breathing technique aimed at calming the mind and body. Could you explain the science or philosophy behind this specific ratio, and how it differs from other breathwork methods?
The philosophy behind this practice began one evening while I was putting my four-year-old to bed. He was in full chaos mode, and I was doing my best not to join him there. I knew from breathwork that a parasympathetic breath—where the exhale is roughly one and a half times longer than the inhale—can activate the calming part of the nervous system. So I tried an inhale for eight seconds and an exhale for twelve. Theoretically, a 20-second breath—three breaths per minute—should bring calm. But it wasn’t working for me. I realized that although I was breathing slowly, my body was still in motion. I hadn’t truly given it time to settle into a state of rest.
Lying there with my overactive toddler, I began to experiment. I added intentional pauses to the breath, extending it to a 30-second cycle: inhale for 8, hold for 5, exhale for 12, hold for 5. This slow, structured rhythm gave my thinking brain something to focus on—counting—which proved incredibly effective. That mental task quieted the mental noise. For me, and for many of my clients, this has proven to be a key shift. When we stretch the breath into these longer cycles, the brain becomes absorbed in the count, allowing the rest of the mind to soften and settle.
People often balk when they hear “two breaths per minute.” It sounds intimidating. But when I frame it instead as the 8-5-12-5 ratio, they’re more willing to try it. For those with asthma, long COVID, or acute anxiety, hitting that rhythm on the first try might be difficult—but most people, even those without a regular breathwork practice, can work their way toward it.
Physiologically, the science is compelling. By slowing the breath, we shift into a parasympathetic state. We also retain more carbon dioxide (CO₂), which plays a crucial role in vascular health. A higher CO₂ tolerance lowers the unconscious respiratory rate, allows blood vessels to dilate, reduces blood pressure, and slows the heart rate—all of which foster a sense of deep calm.
In essence, this practice not only rests the body but also tasks the mind just enough to quiet the chatter. Two minutes—just four rounds—can already bring a noticeable effect. I personally aim for 10 to 15 minutes a day when possible. It leaves me feeling peaceful and recharged. Unlike some breathwork protocols that can leave you feeling depleted, this one rejuvenates. The foundation is a parasympathetic breath supported by purposeful stillness, backed by solid physiological science that encourages rest and regulation.
Iced Viking Breathworks offers a range of programs, from corporate training to private coaching. How do you tailor your breathwork sessions to meet the diverse needs of these different groups, and what common benefits do participants typically experience?
I believe it would be entirely self-centered for me to walk into a company—where I don’t know anyone or understand their daily routines—and immediately claim to know how to fix what might be going wrong. If I haven’t taken the time to observe and truly listen, then I’m simply posturing.
That said, there are a few foundational principles I bring into almost every setting. Regardless of the environment, we will likely begin by addressing basic biomechanics: how we breathe, how the ribs are designed to move, and what optimal posture looks like. We’ll also explore CO₂ threshold work, which plays a vital role in nervous system regulation and overall breath efficiency.
Beyond those core pillars—biomechanics, posture, and CO₂ tolerance—everything else I offer is entirely tailored. It depends on your specific needs, whether you’re an individual client, a team, or an entire corporation. I approach this work through a spoke model: the foundation stays the same, but the direction we take branches out based on the unique context and goals of those I’m working with.
To assume I already know what’s going on without listening first would not only be presumptuous—it would be a disservice. Like most things in life, the most effective solutions begin with awareness, humility, and presence.
In addition to breathwork, you incorporate cold exposure into your practice. What are the physiological and psychological benefits of combining these two modalities, and how do they complement each other in your sessions?
For me, the greatest benefits of cold exposure show up on the mental side, though the physiological effects are remarkable as well. On a physical level, regular cold exposure helps strengthen the hypothalamus and prompts the release of anti-inflammatory proteins into the bloodstream. These compounds can keep the body in a more relaxed, calm state for up to six days in healthy individuals. For those dealing with chronic pain or autoimmune disorders—like many of the clients I work with in pain clinics—that effect tends to last about three to four days. Still, it’s an incredible gift. And to those who get the full six days—I envy you.
But the mental transformation is what truly stands out. Every one of us faces stress; it’s unavoidable. The problem is, most people don’t have a safe space to practice how they respond to that stress. In life, when you’re under pressure, there’s often something real on the line—your job, your relationships, your reputation. There’s rarely room to fail safely.
Cold exposure creates a space for just that. You’re voluntarily putting your body in a high-stress environment, and then training yourself to slow your breath, relax your muscles, and access the parasympathetic response—even as your nervous system is screaming. That’s powerful. You teach your brain how to respond calmly to chaos.
Now, I’d love to say that since starting cold exposure and breathwork I’ve never had an argument with my wife or kids—but that would be a lie. Still, what I do have now is more space between the trigger and the reaction. That’s the cushion. Whether you’re in an office, on a stage, managing chronic illness, or preparing for an interview—sometimes, a bit more space is all you need to respond instead of react.
The process is simple: get into the cold, acknowledge that it’s uncomfortable, slow the breath, relax the body, keep the jaw soft, and remind yourself—you can get out at any time. That alone can be empowering. And please, don’t push it beyond two minutes at 0°C. That’s more than enough. As the water gets warmer, you can stay a bit longer, but that’s not the point. The goal is consistency and conscious exposure to stress, not endurance for the sake of ego.
Personally, as someone with type 1 diabetes, the cold has made me more insulin sensitive—which means I require less insulin than most people my size. That’s a huge win. I’ve also survived four car accidents, two motorcycle accidents, and a handful of altercations from my years bartending—where alcohol and refusal often don’t mix well. A daily cold plunge saves me from taking ibuprofen three times a day. That alone is worth it.
In the end, it may not be comfortable, but two minutes of discomfort earns me 23 hours and 58 minutes of relief. And honestly, that’s a math equation I’m happy to do every single day.
You’ve been featured in various media outlets and have a growing community on platforms like Meetup. How has this exposure impacted your mission, and what strategies do you employ to maintain a personal connection with your expanding audience?
Every Sunday and Monday, I offer free breathwork sessions—open to anyone, no strings attached. There’s no gatekeeping, no price point, no “special access.” Just put your email in, and I’ll send you the recordings for free. You don’t even have to show up after the first time—I’ll keep sending you the breathwork so you can continue to breathe, relax, and find a little more peace in your week.
I’ve been running these sessions since 2018. We’re always there. Sure, I take the occasional break—rest is important too—but consistently, twice a week, I show up. I hold space, I answer as many questions as I can, and I just try to be present for whoever needs it.
Yes, the business side of what I do benefits from this too—and that’s okay. But the real value is simply being available. Being of service. You might not be able to call me directly (I’m not a fan of phones or social media), but I am there. Every week. I can hold up to 500 people in the chat room, and if we ever hit that number, we’ll just go bigger. No one gets left out.
I’ve had more marketing professionals than I can count tell me I should start charging. “Know your value.” And I do—I really do. But I also believe a little bit of service, here and there, goes a long way. And maybe, just maybe, the idealist I was when I was younger is still guiding me today. I don’t think a little idealism ever hurt anyone.
I run my business in a pro-social way. It’s my favorite expression of capitalism so far—one that gives back, supports others, and builds community. And I’m proud of that.
If you would like to find out more about Iced Viking Breathwork, please visit https://www.icedvikingbreathworks.com/
