Wim Hof Method

Has anyone on here tried the Wim Hof method?

He's been on a huge number of podcasts now including Tim Ferriss with so many people endorsing him.

I've been doing contrast showers for a while now and now reached the point where i can easily handle an ice cold shower and always finish the shower on cold, but not yet signed up for his course, which on the face of it would work well in conjunction with GST.

Hey Anthony, 

There is a cool podcast on the FoundMyFitness Podcast with Dr. Pierre Capel explaining the science behind his breathing techniques. His program is begin backed up by science for sure. I have never been through one of his courses, however, but I have spent some time submerging in really cold water (I did 15 minutes of full submersion in 3 celcius last night) and it has definitely improved my recovery from GST. I don't use Wim's breathing techniques and I did read a cautionary statement in Tools of Titans that it can be dangerous to perform breathing techniques while in cold water.

Hey Everett,

I've heard him being interviewed on quite a few podcasts, including Tim Ferriss, Joe Rogan, Lewis Howes, Rich Roll and Daniel Vitalis. It's clear that he's been researched heavily by various scientists to try to determine how the hell he does the amazing feats he performs.

I'm gonna start the 10 week course in the next few days.

For those reading this who aren't familiar with him you can take a look here

Nice! Keep posting about your progress while you're doing the 10week course. I'm really curious about his method and will do the introductory class some time soon.
Fascinating is the fact about him teaching people within a few days how to positively influence their nervous/immune system by just breathing. They had been injected with a virus which should've gotten them seriously sick for a day, but were able to suppress it within a matter of minutes using his method of breathing.

@Everett Carroll Submerged in 3 degr. Celsius water for 15mins...now that's bad ass!! Been taking cold showers on a daily basis for the past 2years - but thats no big accomplishment, since I live in the subtropics, and a chance to cool off a little is always welcome  

Hi Anthony, 

I'm just about through the first 2 weeks of the Wim Hof Method (WHM) and so far enjoying it for a few reasons.

1) I've never allocated time for meditation in the past (i should) but I found that the breathing component of WHM is works much the same as meditation for me. During the breath retention rounds I find the focus on my body is good, and when thought's enter my mind, I can return my focus back to my body again.  I also feel very relaxed after this.

My best breath retention (not breathing after a full exhalation) is 3:00 minutes. Best breath hold prior to course (after inhalation) was 1:40 minutes. I find this quite interesting.

2) the stretching is very gentle so far. The exercises are pushups and 1 core strength so far. Week 2 is pushups each day and I'm surprised I'm not getting cumulative fatigue from this. 

3) I'm in Australia, so the cold showers aren't really cold at the moment. It's summer. So pretty easy. I haven't been able to notice a change in recovery from my GST sessions yet. If you've already been doing some cold recover therapy, you will likely enjoy the cold component of WHM also. I'm looking forward to some ice baths later in the program (i used to use these when training for ironman triathlons)

I feel generally mentally positive after a session.

My resting heart rate has dropped from 51 to 47 after 5 days has now levelled out at 49 at the 12 day mark of WHM.

So, all good so far. I'll see what the next 8 weeks bring.

Cheers,

Jason

Did purchase two things for myself already this week.

Foundation two and Wim Hof 10 week program

On January 9, 2017 at 8:36 AM, Everett Carroll said:

but I have spent some time submerging in really cold water

I have been doing cold long showers first thing in the morning. No contrast showers, no warm at all. Just cold. It's been a year now and I can definitely feel positive results in my recovery. Plus it feels great (when I am out of that shower)  

I did the Wim Hof method, the 10-week course that is. It's good, but I don't feel it's essential. If you listen to enough of his podcasts, you'll come to realize a few things. First, he developed his breathing technique as a result of being in really cold water, not beforehand (just try and breath slowly and relaxed when the water is in the 40s to 50s--ain't happening). He also adapted some methodologies from the breath of fire and tummo meditation yogic traditions that are way way way old and well written about. On its face, it's a great way for the Western scientific and empirical world to embrace the benefits of meditation and meditative breathing. However, it's not something that you need to pay money for nor that much if you want to look into it. If you have an iPhone/smartphone, the app is much cheaper and covers the essentials of his program without having to drop $200. Sure, the 10-week program goes a little deeper and into a greater extent of the cold exercises and yoga practices and so on but, eventually, you have to ask yourself what is essential? I found the Wim Hof Method with all of its angles to not be, especially given the amount of my free time I dedicate to GST, video recording and tinkering with scheduling and sticking point on iMs or with flexibility (read: limbering or stretching with Yoga or static stretches). I still do cold showers because they are so visceral and do all of what Wim talks about. With there being Foundations, three Stretch Series, two Handstand Series, and a Movement Series, as well as intermittent limbering, OH, and my life to live, I don't have the time to go about doing all of the exercises for the WHM. Some weeks it was over an hour of work split between meditation, pushups after deeply exhaling--an interesting way to make yourself 'trip out', and yogic/balance exercises: crow/frog stands, headstands, etc.).

So, for me, GB and its aims are more crucial/essential to my life right now. The crux of Wim Hof is to have self-control and mindfulness. I find that taking an ice-cold shower does that and then some without spending money and exorbitant amount of my time dedicated to it. Sure, there is scientific evidence behind it on how to control your autonomic nerve system, but do you really need that? Would my time be spent more wisely in other endeavors? I say, yes. Frankly, going through Thrive and doing some tinkering (for instance using oil of oregano drops to offset any oncoming cold symptoms, and being sure to get 8 hours of sleep and 2L of water a day) has me healthier for a much longer period of time than had previously been the case in the last three years. 

I don't want to take anything away from Wim or his work, it's interesting scientifically and medically, to say the least. But it's a lot to invest without that much return on investment in my opinion. If you're more interested, I could spell things out in a PM, but I think I've done a fair job here to cover much of the basics. So, TL;DR: take ice-cold showers in the AM. Focus on GST. Complete the Thrive program. If really intrigued by the Breath of Fire/Wim Hof phone app. 

Just a quick add to the conversation... for those interested a another good recent podcast that talks about temperature/breathing therapy ...

http://daily.barbellshrugged.com/episode-239/

Brian's theory is to take cold showers in the evening to help with down regulation.  Interesting take.

Btw... I've never tried cold therapy consistently... never had an ice bath.  My local chiro is installing a cryo-chamber and I was going to give that a shot - 2-3 minutes in -200 degrees F.. sounds like fun.  I feel like my recovery could be improved... my sleep is erratic so that doesn't help..  been trying to get that dialed in for a while now.

Would like to hear more on the folks who have been using cold therapy - routines, outcomes, etc.

Thanks,

-Scott

Hi I did the 10 weeks course but could not Get past week 4 with 10 min cold shower every day. The course is great but you Get all the benefits from the free course. Read the book ^what dosent kill us^ 

Im doing systema and they GOT some great breathing and cold water exersise.

god luck