HAVE AN ICE DAY
This is Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman, who has spent the last 43 years challenging his body and mind in extreme conditions to deepen his understanding of human strength, health and happiness.
After 26 world records (mostly involving prolonged cold exposure), a climb up Mount Everest in nothing but shorts and a breakthrough research study confirming Wim’s ability to wilfully influence the immune and sympathetic nervous systems and brain mechanisms for control of sensory pain and fear, which may change the way we think about treating mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, trauma and more.
Wim Hof
Darius Bashar
It was a Sunday morning, on a solitary walk through the park, when Wim Hof, aged 17, decided to immerse himself into the cold water. He was in the water for no longer than one minute, but the burst of excitement that channelled through his body was enough for him to introduce the practice into his daily routine. Now, Hof is teaching his transformational Wim Hof Method all over the world.
“ challenging yourself, you can receive the bounty of experience from hard nature.”
While Wim has studied yoga and meditation for many years, this technique comes from what he terms ‘cold hard nature’. By subjecting himself to the bitter conditions of nature, he learned to withstand the extreme forces of cold, heat and fear.
If you learn this method or technique correctly, it will empower you do to the same.
The first part is a breathing exercise which can be likened to controlled hyperventilation, but just imagine the breathing part, without any of stress triggers that normally cause this way of breathing. The image will consist of rapid breathing that can make you, invigorated one, feel high on oxygen.
Please be mindful that practising this method is completely at your own risk.
1) Get comfortable and close your eyes
Sit in a meditation posture, whatever is most comfortable for you. Make sure you can expand your lungs freely without feeling any constriction. It is recommended to do this practice right after waking up since your stomach is still empty.
2) Warm Up
Inhale deeply. Really draw the breath in until you feel a slight pressure from inside your chest. Hold this for a moment and then exhale completely. Push the air out as much as you can. Hold this for a moment. Repeat this warm up round 15 times.
3) 30 Power Breaths
Imagine you’re blowing up a balloon. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth in short but powerful bursts.
The belly is pulled inward when you are breathing out and is pulled outward when you are breathing in. Keep a steady pace and use your midriff fully. Close your eyes and do this around 30 times or until you feel your body is saturated with oxygen. Symptoms could be light-headedness, tingling sensations in the body, electrical surges of energy.
4) The Hold
After the the 30 rapid succession of breath cycles, draw the breath in once more and fill the lungs to maximum capacity without using too much force. Then push all of the air out and hold for as long as you can. Draw the chin in a bit so as to prevent air from coming in again. Really relax and open all energy channels in your body. Notice how all the oxygen is spreading around in your body. Hold the breath until you experience the gasp reflex on the top of your chest.
Angelo Pantazis
Drew Farwell
5) Recovery Breath
Inhale to full capacity. Feel your chest expanding. Release any tension in the solar plexus. When you are at full capacity, hold the breath once more. Drop the chin to the chest and hold this for around 15 seconds. You have then completed the first round.
Start this practice with one or two rounds. Try to do it daily and add two more rounds in a few days. After you feel more comfortable with holding your breath you can start to add exercises and stretches. Work up to a minimum of 15 minutes or 6 rounds with exercises. You can do this practice for how long it pleases you.
If you feel dizziness or pain, get out of the posture and lie on your back. Breathe easily again and stop this practice session.
Reserve at least 5 minutes after this practice to relax the body.
Cold Showers
If you are new to cold exposure, start with cold showers. Begin with your feet and then follow with your legs, your stomach, shoulders, neck and back and finally your head. An initial shock, shivering and hyperventilation is normal. Try to remain calm and breathe easily. Close your eyes and really try to embrace the cold.
If you feel any physical uncomfortableness, like heavy shivering, numbness or pain, get your body warm again as soon as possible.
Cold exposure works like weight lifting, you get stronger over time. There are little muscles around your veins that contract when they get into contact with the cold.
After some time (only 1-2 weeks according to Wim) these become stronger, making your veins healthier and reducing the force that your heart has to use to pump blood around your body.
You can increase exposure over time. At one point the cold will feel just as comfortable as wearing your favourite pyjamas and you can skip the warm shower completely. Notice how you feel amazing after a cold shower and sluggish after a warm one.
Ice Baths
After a few weeks of cold showers you can up the ante to an ice bath. Get 2-3 bags of ice at your local store and put them in a half-full bath tub. Wait until around two thirds is melted or that the water has reached your designated temperature (10 / 12 °C (50 / 59 °F)). You can throw in a couple of handfuls of salt to speed up this process.
As with the cold showers, try to relax as much as you can. Start out with around 10 minutes and increase exposure over time. If you feel uncomfortable or in doubt, get out.
It is normal to feel extra cold after a small period of time after the ice bath. This is called the after-drop. Take a hot glass of raw coca and keep your blood following by taking a walk. You’ll feel amazing after!
Tobias Oetiker
Cold Exposure
After the previous exercise you are ready let your body embrace the cold. It is very important to try to relax as much as you can, really be with the cold, only then can your body process the signals and start thermogenesis.
“He truly thinks his method can help ease much of the suffering in the world”
As Wim says, “the cold is your warm friend!“
These exercises are extremely powerful when done consistently and with intent. Always make sure you are save and can’t harm yourself or anyone else in the process.
Hof now spends his time teaching his practice to others in the United States and Europe. He truly thinks his method can help ease much of the suffering in the world. This includes anxiety and depression, which are symptoms of the widespread disregard for nature and our bodies in the West.
https://www.wimhofmethod.com/practice-the-method