After hearing about Wim Hof’s story I was captivated. I think it was during one of Joe Rogans podcast episodes when Wim explained this method that he has been developing to ultimately allow us to use more of a human potential through breathing.
I always had that belief and understanding that as humans we only take advantage of a small amount of our potential. Like how that quote goes, something like; we only use 10% of our brains. From Albert Einstein. But I think this is myth. But my point is that I have had this deeper knowledge that there is always more to get out of this human experience. It has been something that has lead me down this path of meditation and spirituality for years now.
After hearing him say he can control his immune system. I was super curious to understand how this was possible. And how he could regulate his skin temperature on demand just by deciding that is what he wanted to do. It made me realise that we have far more control over our bodies. The ability to be the alchemist of our vessel we call our body.
It was amazing to realise that we only take in a limited amount of oxygen when we breath on autopilot. And through this process of inhaling surplus amounts of oxygen, “getting high on your own supply” as Wim likes to say! All these amazing things happen on the inside of our bodies. I was amazed that I could hold my breath for longer than 2 minutes after inhaling 30 big breaths of oxygen back to back 3 times, during the breathing method.
During all this covid-19 they had a 50% off sale for the fundamentals course which I made sure to buy immediately. (Right now it is 35% off if you use the code – COVID35 at checkout).
I like to think of myself as rather healthy. I ride my bike around the world and run 50km ultra-marathons. But I wanted to use this as a why to further develop my being and potentially increase the strength of my immune system and so many other benefits.
Wim Hof Method Benefits
This leads me into the benefits that can be achieved through practising Wim’s breathing method. Through the simple act of breathing in a surplus amount of oxygen and exposing yourself to cold water you could expect to see these benefits.
As we will take a deeper look into the method and how it works later on. But through the breathing techniques and the retention time. You end up releasing more energy, influencing your nervous system and changing various physiological responses. Through this method it allows you to deal with everyday stress, mentally and physiology and gain a feeling of being in more control.
The Wim Hof Breathing method is 1 part of a overall 3 part approach. The breathing technique gives you these listed benefits below. But when combined with cold therapy and training your mindset you will become stronger and gain better health.
Stress reduction, is one of the most profound changes I personally noticed while taking this course. Through the calming rhythm connecting to breath. You almost get in a peaceful state of being where there is pretty much no room for stress.
Faster recovery from physical excursion, was another benefit that got me interested in the method early on. When I was competing in cross-country races, cycling and also play footy. Having the ability to recover faster is a huge reason for an athlete of any kind to consider this method. Shorter workout recovery can benefit anyone trying to get more fit in the gym.
Better Sleep! Well who doesn’t want that? It is actually more common than I thought. About one third of people don’t get enough sleep and are under-rested. It seems to be the fountains for good health. This method helped me get better sleep. Watch this video below to help you sleep better.
Improved sports performance. This one was huge. Again if you are an athlete this is a huge benefit for you. But as I explain later on, about my physical results while doing pushups I was amazed. Just through using your breath you can delay fatigue and generate more blood flow to help your muscle perform for longer.
Enhance your creativity. This was another one for me. I love being creative and making things. In Wim’s course he actually has a session dedicated to creativity and helping you release that creative juice or energy. It helped me to set myself up for a blissful, flow state of creativity. Weather that was painting, writing, or editing videos.
Better concentration, focus and mental clarity! The method truly helped me be more productive for my working day. I often would wake, and it would take some time for me to find a rhythm. By starting the day with a cold shower, then meditation and Wim’s breathing methods I feel more energized and focused for the entire day. It has allowed me to access a potential I never thought I had to reach my goals and ultimately change my life for the better! I feel if I start the day with the method and cold therapy a good day is almost always certain.
What Is The Science Behind The Wim Hof Method?
It is rather incredible because most of what Wim was able to do through the help of his breathing method was deemed impossible from sciences perspective.
Wim was able to voluntarily influence his autonomic nervous system. And since 2011 he has undertaken numerous amounts of studies to prove that what he teaches is actually backed by science.
Here is a number of studies and articles you can look into to see what has been researched.
- Involvement of Lactate and Pyruvate in the Anti-Inflammatory Effects Exerted by Voluntary Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System
- Battling Arthritis – An add-on training program involving breathing exercises, cold exposure, and meditation attenuates inflammation and disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis – A proof of concept trial
- Brain over body – A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure
- The Role of Outcome Expectancies for a Training Program Consisting of Meditation, Breathing Exercises, and Cold Exposure on the Response to Endotoxin Administration: a Proof-of-Principle Study
- Voluntary Activation of The Sympathetic Nervous System and Attenuation of the Innate Immune Response In Humans
- Controlled Hyperventilation After Training May Accelerate Altitude Acclimatization
- Frequent Extreme Cold Exposure and Brown Fat and Cold-Induced Thermogenesis: A Study in a Monozygotic Twin
- The Influence of Concentration/meditation on Autonomic Nervous System Activity and the Innate Immune Response: A Case Study
How To Do The Wim Hof Method – Learn The Wim Hof Method For Free
If you are new to Wim’s breathing method and you want to try it out for free. There is a number of videos and resources out there to get your started. This is what I was doing for the first year or so when I discovered Wim. You can get a very basic knowledge and understanding of the method.
There is also a free mini-class to get your started which is highly recommended. Which is a 3 part class that introduces you to the idea of breathing, cold shower therapy and the power of your mind.
But if you really want to master the process and learn on a deeper level the course is so worth it.
My Experience With Wim Hof
I filmed my journey from beginning the Wim Hof method on my Youtube channel. below is the video I put together documenting my process for 3 months while doing the course and following all the steps.
Next I am going to touch on some of the things I found most profound in the course work and from my personal experience practising the Wim Hof Method. I had some amazing benefits and improvements.
Right out the gates from the first session it was a game changer for me. After doing the first breathing method followed by the cold shower I experienced immediate results of clarity in my mind and an infinite sense of energy in my body. As soon as I got out of the cold shower my brain was very present, awake and not foggy at all. Due to the cold shower making you breath in heaps to cope with the cold all the oxygen just like reset my whole body. And almost made my mind and body connection stronger. That day was quite productive as it made me feel more engaged in my work.
I stuck to the course and continued to practise everyday for the next 10 weeks. Above is my documentation of this journey. It was until maybe one week in where I noticed some really spiritual experiences of bliss come in. Which is really hard to explain in words. In this case experience is true understanding. But I briefly describe this phenomenon in the video above. During the method I looked up with my eyes close, almost squeezing my third eye. And I started seeing electric waves or almost like lighting bolts in front of my closed eyes. And I started seeing whimsical colors. Thanks to a release of all that natural DMT.
But what I loved most was how the method is like a vehicle that helps me get a truly deep state of meditation. After doing the breath work, breathing in 30 or so times and doing for three rounds. As I lay there I started to lose consciousness and drift off. At this point was when I made that disconnect from the monkey mind and felt at one with the universe. And I was able to sit in peace and meditate beautifully.
My sleep seem to have improved. part of my lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping times didn’t help. But since taking the method on I noticed I got much deeper rest and also started to have some really insightful dreams. I think I read somewhere that cooling your body temperature actually leads to a more restful sleep.
As I keep mentioning the Wim Hof Method helped me become more productive and have a better supply of natural energy. I have tried my best to drink very little caffeine. Like a tea in the mornings but now combined with the breathing exercise and cold therapy. I have this deeper supply of energy which keeps me going for longer periods during the day.
My mind would always get muddled and too busy for me to get any productive work done. Through meditation this has helped but I find it has been accelerated thanks to the method. I do eat a vegan diet which means heps of nutritious veggies which helps me live a clean and healthy lifestyle. But including the method too I now feel unstoppable.
My creativity and happiness increase and benefit so much from this course! I remember after finishing day 10 or so of the course and opening my eyes from a deep rest during the breathing part of the session. And I just started smiling uncontrollably. I was so happy and at peace with my life situation and outlook. I find I would snap fairly easy when people got on my nerves or thinks where not working out in my business, before ding the method. But after I have this great ability to have patience and just be at peace and this deeper understanding that everything is working out. Also when it comes to my business, it helps if I can come up with some amazing creative ideas. The method also helped me to form wonderful visions and ideas too.
Wim Hof Push Ups Exercise
Doing 100 pushups without breathing! Really? One of the sessions, I believe endurance. Focuses on doing pushups. I remember I could only do like 15 to 20 pushups without any breathing work before. Not that strong when it comes to upper body work. But after doing the breathing method and followed by an attempt to do as many. pushups as I could. I hit almost 45 non-stop. It blew my mind!
Wim Hof Yoga
Also the yoga aspect of the course is great. If you like yoga there is a little yoga session for most classes in the course to help stretch and get you ready before starting the breathing techniques guided by Wim.
Wim Hof Cold Showers
The cold showers are the hardest thing to do. But if you can stick in there and have one everyday for about a week your body starts to adapt to the cold and you can stay in there longer and longer and it becomes more tolerable. The feeling I experience after hopping out of the cold shower it was the most amazing! I feel it is a great way to get instant results of feeling light, happy, positive and supercharged. As soon as I get out of the cold shower I feel amazing. You gotta give that a go at least!
Wim Hof Course
I had know about Wim Hof and his breathing method for some time before pulling the trigger and purchasing the course. What pushed me over the line was the 50% discount they had running during the Covid-19 pandemic. I am not sure if they still have this discount but if they do, I would highly recommend you to jump on it as it is probably not going to be this budget friendly ever again.
But what course options do you get and which one is best for you?
The Fundamentals Course is the one I took. It is a new a revived course from the 10-week original course. With extra features including breathing sessions guided by Wim, and variations on the breathing and cold exposure techniques.
Simply put Wim Hof teaches you the power of the breath and cold, guiding you every step of the way on a natural path to strength, health and happiness. And he does a great job at that. If you want to start your journey to becoming a better version of yourself and open up your possibilities to improve your life, this course in my opinion can do just that. And I am living proof of that!