WIM HOF METHOD COLD THERAPY HOW TO

What this shows is that, through practicing both simple breathing techniques and engaging in cold water exposure, there are positive implications for the treatment of a variety of conditions associated with excessive or persistent inflammation, especially auto-immune diseases.

Wim Hof, in a scientific study, showed that innate immune response can be influenced in a non pharmacological manner through voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system. “Both the autonomic nervous system and innate immune system were regarded as systems that cannot be voluntarily influenced”, that is, until Wim Hof came in and blew this assumption out of the water. Due to the nature of the breathing technique, being controlled hyperventilation, you are saturating the body with oxygen which is extremely energising and invigorating. I have experienced first hand the immediate effects that the Wim Hof breathing technique has on the body, and it can be intense. The Wim Hof Method benefits are science based and can range from improving immune health to boosting mood and mental health, improving sleep and reducing inflammation. He has rewritten some of the previously understood science of having limited control of our autonomic nervous system, and shown that we can in fact influence our nervous system and immune response through breath, cold and movement. Wim Hof is a truly remarkable person having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, run a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and placed himself in an ice cube covered covered container for more than 112 minutes. Over the years the Wim Hof Method has taken people from all over the world including Australia, USA, UK, NZ, Europe and Asia through the fundamentals of the breathing technique, movement and cold exposure protocols that are unique to the method, and has helped improve millions of lives!

The question of “Is Wim Hof legit?”, is best explained by his crazy feats of physical display and mental resilience as well as the numerous science experiments supporting his claims. Wim Hof began with his own practice and through developing his own unique version of an ancient yogic breathing practice, which is scientifically described as controlled hyperventilation breathing, and the iconic cold water therapy he has managed to break numerous world records, create new scientific and ground breaking research on the human body and capture thousands of people around the world in somewhat of a cult following. Wim Hof is known for his rambling thoughts that seem to come together to form a deep, scientifically relevant message that describes the innate ability of humans to have control over their physical, mental and emotional health by using the three pillars of the Wim Hof Method – breath, movement and cold exposure.

The wild Dutchman, who I met at a Wim Hof Breathing workshop in Sydney back in 2014, is as eccentric as he sounds. “I’m not afraid of death, I’m afraid of not living fully”, is the quote that headlines the Wim Hof Method website describing Wim Hof. In this article, we explore the details of the Wim Hof Method including a step by step of the breathing technique, what you can expect and the benefits of using breathwork like controlled hyperventilation for exercise recovery and overall health. The Wim Hof Method holds many health benefits when paired with cold plunge and movement, and the technique can produce some intense effects on the human body.

WIM HOF METHOD COLD THERAPY HOW TO

Almost everyone has now heard of Wim Hof or at least some of the principles of the Wim Hof Method.Ī quick google search of ‘Who is Wim Hof?’ reveals thousands of articles on the feats of Wim Hof, how to do Wim Hof breathing, the many scientific studies conducted on the benefits and effects of the breathing technique and cold water immersion, and the stories of the masses of people that now follow him.

Wim hof method cold therapy