You might have heard of Wim Hof, he’s perhaps better known as the ‘Ice Man’. Wim has not only climbed Kilimanjaro AND Mount Everest in his shorts, but he is also famous for running a barefoot marathon in the Arctic Circle.
Wim Hof currently holds all of the world records for submerging in the cold.
The Iceman’s proud achievements don’t stop there, he also swam an astonishing 66 meters beneath frozen ice! He truly is a living, breathing machine wrapped in human skin.
You might think that Wim Hof spends all of his time training, physically and mentally, but what if we told you his abilities come from a very simple practice that involves a little cold water, meditative focus, and breathing exercises?
The Wim Hof Method (WHM) has been proven by scientists to strengthen the body’s immune system.
By following a very simple guided breathing exercise, Wim baffled researchers by appearing to control his own immune system when he was injected with the bacteria, E-Coli.
In today’s world, we as a whole are becoming more focused on personal health and strengthening our physical and biological capabilities. We strive to take better care of our emotions and mental being and we are also shifting into a more holistic healing approach.
Wim has successfully combated dis-ease and depression with his techniques, all of which are available on his online course and there are some freebies available too!
We have been practicing Wim Hof’s free 11-minute guided breathing (which is free on YouTube) almost every day to alkalize our bodies as well as boosting our physical and mental energy.
Wim Hof is currently taking the world by storm and one of his most well-known advocates is world number 1 tennis pro, Novak Djokovic.
Let’s take a look at who Wim Hof is, how he formulated a successful and holistic plan to strengthen our mind and bodies, and where we can find his material.
Who is Wim Hof?
Wim Hof is from Limburg in the Netherlands. You wouldn’t think he has just turned 61! Wim’s daring Iceman adventures began when he was just 17 when he felt a sudden urge to jump into the freezing cold water of the Beatrixpark canal.
It wasn’t until a devastating life event of losing his wife, Marivelle-Maria, to suicide back in 1995 that saw Wim focus on healing the world. Wim’s first wife suffered from manic depression and her death led Wim onto a healing journey. He was left alone to take care of his 4 children and as a result, he developed a method of self-care that is now used by a global following.
Wim now has 6 children and some of which are actively involved in the Wim Hof Method organization.
After many successful reviews and accounts of his practice, Wim has recently shot into the spotlight and has been featured on Netflix’s Goop Lab with Gwyneth Paltrow , been interviewed by Russel Brand and has appeared on London Real.
The Theory behind the Wim Hof Method
Wim Hof’s standpoint is that human psychology can master the human physiology. Such techniques are practiced with ‘mind over matter’ and Wim states that we all have that power within us.
He created a basic physical training method back in 2013, one of which was directed to the atomic nervous system with breathwork and a strict focus on the body.
When developing the method over time, Wim and his team recruited groups of people for safe experiments in order to prove its merit.
After a few rounds of breathing and cold exposure, the study group was able to do things that were previously thought impossible by human beings.
Those sorts of experiments set Wim off on a journey that would ultimately see him launch his own book, his own company and he travels the world for various interviews and retreats.
Wim claims humans often lack happiness and a connection with their own bodies and as a result, they’re lacking strength and capabilities beyond scientific explanation.
Wim believes we were all born with the capacity to handle our own happiness, which he says rests with our hormonal system.
He believes our general health is controlled by the immune system and our energy or power lies with the structure of cell mechanisms.
His mission is to show us what is already there, to expose our capabilities, and carry these techniques with us for the rest of our living days.
Wim’s goal is to raise the collective consciousness and to create a platform where people are able to make non-dogmatic choices to become happy, strong, and healthy.
The Wim Hof Method team has already has shown that we can scientifically tap into the immune and hormonal systems as well as our cellular level science and now he is working with scientists on how to alter and optimize own our DNA.
He is always working with top researchers on new studies and is currently focusing on how to deal with stress mechanisms.
After the death of his first wife, Wim’s determination to combat depression is admirable. He does a great job of investigating and emphasizing how stressed we can become in Western society.
The physical impact that stress has on our bodies can be devastating and with the help of scientists and study groups, he is looking at combating emotional, psychological, and bacterial stress. All of which can be purified, according to Wim, when participating in the Wim Hof Method (WHM).
All of Wim Hof’s techniques have been scientifically endorsed and he claims he can get your mind, body, and soul into a fitter and stronger state within the space of half an hour.
This is great for somebody who has recently been diagnosed with a disease or an ailment or to protect ourselves from all types of invasive viruses.
Wim Hof’s Surreal Achievements
Wim Hof currently holds 18 Guinness World Records including spending one hour and 45 minutes in ice-cold water.
A University in Holland asked Wim if he would take part in an E-Coli study. He was injected with a strain of the E-Coli virus which should have almost instantly provoked a violent physical reaction such as fever and nausea.
With the Wim Hof breathing method and a strong focus on his immunity, he was able to almost immediately destroy the intrusive E-Coli cells in his own body and scientists analyzed the cells afterward and confirmed this was in fact true.
The method was starting to change books in the University and prompted further studies on controlling the atomic nervous system with the mind.
They proceeded to inject a study group with the E.coli bacteria, which made them extremely sick for three to six hours.
Wim trained 12 people in the group to overcome the virus with breathing techniques and a strong mental focus and he achieved a 100% score on those people not suffering side effects of the E-Coli virus.
The test subjects who successfully battled the virus even joked about being injected with sugar water and that it was a placebo experiment! It was, in fact, the Wim Hof Method, breathing and meditating every 30 minutes that had saved them from the side effects of the virus which was affirmed by the scientists involved.
Radboud’s Endotoxin Study (2014)
A study was carried out in 2014 where trained participants were asked to participate in the breathing technique. Tests that were analyzed during that study and scientists recorded the specifics of the blood of each participant. They found that their blood had alkalized through the breathing (inhale and exhale part) and then acidified during the breath-hold, and during the breath-hold, oxygen was released into the tissue thus lowering blood oxygen saturation.
The group was analyzed performing the breathing technique for several rounds and the blood oxygen saturation was lowering after each round.
The Radboud Study also recorded another physiological effect of the breathing method by means of increased adrenaline in the blood.
Large amounts of adrenaline in the blood of the study group proved that the breathing method influenced the adrenal medulla which is located in the adrenal gland.
The outcomes of these studies prove that Wim and other participants are able to voluntarily influence their autonomic nervous system, something that was thought impossible until then.
Currently, several studies are being conducted that further explore the effects of the Wim Hof Method with areas such as brain activity, metabolic activity, inflammation, and pain.
This means the breathing technique has an important influence over a significant sympathetic response!
Wim Hof’s Breathing Method and the Coronavirus COVID-19
We found an interesting quote by Wim Hof himself where he discusses connection to our internal powers:
“We need to be like the sun, the corona, to become the king or the queen as we are and feel it that way. We are radiating that energy and we bring prosperity for everybody.”
Wim encourages us to pay attention to our own internal defensive systems and any destructive forces that could compromise our well being such as electro-radiation, viruses, and the neurological stress that comes with WiFi, phone networks, and newer in-house technologies.
We are born with the tools needed to protect our own physical, emotional and chemical beings. Wim asserts that we are too comfortable in our lifestyles having machines do everything for us.
Air conditioning keeps us cool, heaters keep us warm and our internal systems became weaker as a result.
Our neurology needs activation and stimulation, and his methods, inclusive of cold water showers or dips in freezing cold lakes as well as the breathing and mind focus, can help bring our eternal mechanisms back to life.
As soon as we heard about COVID-19 and the devastating effects, we started doing the immune-boosting breathing method almost immediately.
The Wim Hof Method Explained
Benefits
When inhaling, we are taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide from our blood. The blood that runs through our entire system of veins and capillaries is usually fully saturated with oxygen (about 99% saturation).
It has been proven that breathing in a deeper way does not raise that saturation. But the benefit of breathing deeply releases more carbon dioxide and, as such, lessens an urge to breathe.
By having too much carbon dioxide in the blood, our brain stem causes an impulse for us to breathe more. The lower the carbon dioxide in the blood, the longer we can hold our breath.
Components
The technique of the Wim Hof Method is surprisingly simple and it can be broken down into three components:
• Breathing exercises.
• Training of Mindset / Concentration.
• Gradual Exposure to the Cold.
These components reinforce each other and are characterized by simplicity and effectiveness.
The Breathing Technique
The breathing technique lasts around 10-11 minutes.
For 1 minute and 30 seconds, we inhale and exhale quite rapidly but within timings as guided by Wim.
We take a big deep breath in, filling up the lungs, the chest, and right down to the belly, and then we follow it with a more rapid exhale.
When the time is up, we finish on an exhale and hold our breath here for one minute, or longer.
During our first attempt, it seemed almost impossible to hold the breath after an exhale when previously, we were so used to holding our breath after an inhale.
As with any first attempt, it may not seem possible to hold the breath for so long or to even combat the side effects of breathing in and out so rapidly.
It’s also a bit of a challenge to focus but practice makes perfect.
Persistence and a ‘mind over matter’ attitude is all part of the technique, we’d recommend training a few times, even for shorter periods, before giving up!
The deep inhaling and exhaling followed by holding the breath are repeated for 3-4 rounds (eventually more) and each round has a different timing:
Round 1 – Inhale and exhale for 30 breaths, pause breath for 1 minute.
Round 2 – Inhale and exhale for 30 breaths, pause breath for 1 minute 25 seconds.
Round 3 – Inhale and exhale for 30 breaths, pause breath for 1 minute 30 seconds.
The purpose of this deep systematic breathing is to increase the pH-value of the blood which ultimately makes the blood alkaline.
Our average blood pH-value is 7.4 which is pretty much centered between acid and alkaline.
After following the breathing, the blood pH levels measured by scientists have shown to reach 7.75.
This is a state where significant physiological side effects can happen and you sure can feel them during the first few minutes!
Training the Mindset and Concentration
When we use our brain to its full capacity, anything is possible. The WHM includes dedicated guidance to increase concentration and focus.
Increasing our capability to concentrate is important for the breathing and gradual exposure to cold. Training ourselves not to give in and to persist with rewarding our bodies is essential and focus is a key tool to achieve just that.
In modern medicine, it has been said that we do not have any control over our autonomic nervous system. But Wim and his team are gradually proving medicinal researchers wrong.
His website is full of documented proof that meditative exercises can reduce the side effects of many illnesses such as Fybromyalgia and stress.
Gradual Exposure to the Cold
One of the dreaded parts for some with the Wim Hof Method is the gradual exposure to the cold. This ranges from short cold showers right through to jumping in to ice-cold lakes.
In ancient Greece, cold baths were found to have many health benefits and even today many athletes bathe in ice water to optimize their capabilities.
Wim and his team discovered that cold is an essential force to access the autonomic nervous system (and the associated immune system).
In a study conducted by Pickkers et al. (2011), the findings suggested that: “it appears that the amount of inflammatory protein in Wim Hof’s bloodstream during exposure to ice (with the aid of the concentration technique) was significantly lower than when the concentration technique was employed on its own”.
This means that the ice bath saw no inflammatory proteins were detected in Wim’s blood and that the proteins had almost reduced to zero.
The results also remarkably revealed that his white blood cells showed a lower production of cytokine, even after 6 days!
Body Sensations
Lightheadedness is one of the changes we felt during the breathing technique. This is caused when the arteries and veins that connect to the brain and body close ever so slightly when reacting to the alkalizing blood.
You may also experience a tingling sensation in the limbs and muscles during the breathing.
This is because there is a lowering of available calcium ions in the blood. The breathing removes free calcium ions which ultimately increases muscle excitability.
Our red blood cells that carry oxygen around our bodies may have a difficult time releasing their payload of oxygen. This is usually because the acidity of the blood triggers the release.
If the blood is highly alkaline, the oxygen traveling to the red blood cell does not expel. This means the cells and tissues can’t receive oxygen even though blood oxygen saturation is at 100%. The oxygen is simply “stuck” to the red blood cell.
This is also known as “Hypoxia”, which is defined as a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.
A mild hypoxic state as such which is soon resolved during or after the breathing method. When we hold the breath after every round of the breathing, we are re-establishing acidity levels in the blood and allow red blood cells to release oxygen.
When holding the breath, no new oxygen enters the blood, and saturation lowers as the body uses it up. We experience short-term hypoxia, which is a form of cellular level ‘stress’. The metabolism of the cells shift and this level of ‘stress’ signals the rest of the body to react.
Cue our sympathetic nervous system which takes control to activate responses and pathways that will deliver that oxygen to the cells and in the process strengthening each one.
By repeating this process, we can expect to see an increase in red blood cells, higher lung capacity, renewed circulation, and improved metabolic efficiency.
In summary, the overall breathing technique triggers a short-term period of hypoxia which is a positive body stressor. A signal is initiated and the body is programmed to react and strengthen itself.
The side effects of the WHM are at first perhaps a little odd but once the fear is conquered and confidence and focus are gained, the sensations are quite enjoyable, in fact, almost pleasurable.
Our lips tingled with waves of energy flowing around them to the slower beats of the heart. Each time we practiced the techniques, we felt a variety of different sensations, all were interesting and pleasant.
Where Can I Find Wim Hof’s Techniques?
Wim has made some of his techniques to alkalize and strengthen the body available online for free.
We practice his 11-minute Guided Breathing almost every day and you can find that on YouTube here:
He also offers a free eBook on his website explaining more about the method and the benefits which also includes references to the scientific research carried out.
Wim has also recently, in light of the global Corona Virus Pandemic, offered a mini-class for free on his website.
If you really want to get into the depths of the practice and techniques, you can sign up for his (paid) Fundamentals course here:
https://www.wimhofmethod.com/fundamentals-video-course-introduction
Please note, the above article was written based on our personal experience with the Wim Hof Method and it is always advisable to seek professional medical advice before embarking on a new physical practice.
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