Wim Hof (born 20 April 1959) is a Dutch extreme athlete known as "The Iceman" for his ability to withstand extreme cold, which he attributes to his Wim Hof Method breathing techniques based on Tibetan Tummo meditation but without its religious components. Hof claims that his Tibetan-based breathing method can help with or help alleviate symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, cancer, etc.
Wim Hof has set out to spread the potential health benefits of his breathing techniques, working with scientists around the world to prove that his techniques work. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America claims that by consciously hyperventilating, Hof can increase his heart rate, adrenaline levels and blood alkalinity.
Video Wim Hof
Early life
Hof was born in Sittard, Limburg, Netherlands as one of nine children. When he was 17 he felt a sudden urge to jump into the freezing cold water of the Beatrixpark canal.
Maps Wim Hof
Records
Hof holds 26 world records, including for longest ice bath. In 2007 he climbed to 6.7 kilometres (22,000 ft) altitude at Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts and shoes, but failed to reach the summit due to a recurring foot injury. In 2008 he broke his previous world record by staying immersed in ice for 1 hour, 13 minutes and 48 seconds at Guinness World Records 2008. The night before, he performed the feat on the Today Show.
In February 2009 Hof reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro wearing shorts within two days. Hof completed a full marathon (42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi)), above the arctic circle in Finland, in temperatures close to -20 °C (-4 °F). Dressed in nothing but shorts, Hof finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes. The challenge was filmed by Firecrackerfilms, who make productions for BBC, Channel 4 and National Geographic.
In 2010 Hof again broke the ice endurance record by standing fully immersed in ice for 1 hour and 44 minutes in Tokyo, Japan.
In 2011 Hof broke the ice endurance record twice, in Inzell in February and in New York City in November, setting a new Guinness World Record of 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 42 seconds. In September, Hof ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water, under the supervision of Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels.
Breathing Method
There are many variations of the Wim Hof Method. The basic version consists of three phases as follows:
Controlled Hyperventilation
The first phase involves 30 cycles of breathing. Each cycle goes as follows: take a short, powerful breath in through the nose, fully filling the lungs. Let the breath out through the mouth, only letting the breath out partially. Repeat this cycle at a steady rapid pace thirty times. The body may experience normal tingling sensations, or light-headedness.
Exhalation
After completion of the 30 cycles of controlled hyperventilation, take another deep breath in, and let it out completely. Hold the breath for as long as possible.
Breath Retention
When strong urges to breathe emerges, take a full deep breath in. Hold the breath for around 10 seconds and let it go. The body may experience a normal head-rush sensation.
These three phases may be repeated for three consecutive rounds.
Publications
- Klimmen in stilte, 1998, ISBN 9789069634395
- De top bereiken is je angst overwinnen, 2000, ISBN 9789055991136
- Becoming the Iceman, 2011, ISBN 9781937600464
Personal life
Hof has five children, four of them with his first wife who committed suicide in 1995, and a son, born in 2003 to his second wife. Hof feels that sadness over the loss of his first wife was formative in leading him to develop techniques to face low temperature environments.
Controversies
Wim Hof has been blamed by relatives of four men who separately drowned in 2015 and 2016 when practicing his breathing exercise. They died after suffering shallow water blackouts in swimming pools. Wim Hof advises to do the exercises in a safe manner and location.
See also
- Kundalini energy
- Tummo
References
External links
- Official website
- Wim Hof on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
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