Does Wim Hof method work? – How to destress yourself instantly

DISCLAIMER: If you try what I’m about to share you do so at your own risk. To my knowledge these exercises are harmless to a healthy person but since blood pressure is involved you should consult your doctor if you have ANY concerns. There is also a slight change of losing consciousness so if you do decide to try this, do it sitting down or lying down in a safe place where you can’t hit your head.

Now that we have the formalities out of the way let’s get on with the post.

Some time ago I stumbled upon a Gentleman called Wim Hof while channel surfing tv. I saw a glimpse of his documentary called simply the Iceman or something along those lines. I watched maybe the last ten minutes of the documentary but what I saw had me convinced that I need do some research on his method.

Essentially in the document they managed to scientifically prove that mr. Hof had managed to somehow affect his autonomic nervous system and immune system through his breathing and cold therapy methods. Mind you the current scientific and medical consensus is that these systems are completely autonomic and thus cannot be affected consciously at will. Interestingly enough stress affects both systems dramatically and some times in the case of chronic stress disastrously.

So on to the Internet I went to find more about his methods and research behind them. If you google his name you will find a lot of independent sources that describe his methods along numerous YouTube interviews where Wim himself guides people through his breathing techniques and demonstrates his cold therapy methods. He also has a video course on the subject that he is selling and at this point I have to come forward that I have not bought or seen the video course or are in no way associated with Mr. Hof. So everything I’m about to tell you is based on free information available in the internet and my own experiences with his methods. From what I have gathered the course won’t introduce much to the basic breathing techniques and cold therapy but is more of a guided daily session that helps you stick to the method long enough to realize it’s true potential. That said there may be some crucial information that I don’t know and I encourage anyone interested enough (and who can afford it) to buy the course since I’m certain it’s worth every penny and I think Mr. Hof should receive some compensation for his ground breaking work.

I have been using his breathing techniques and cold therapy for a few months now and I can confirm they do have positive effects on the body and the mind. My cold therapy has been limited to cold showers and swimming in coldish lakes, but not true ice baths. Who knows maybe I’ll try ice swimming for the first time once the winter rolls in. I personally have had the greatest benefit from the breathing technique. When done right it essentially leads to an instant state of meditation – your head will be empty of thoughts and feelings and your senses feel heightened. The effect even lasts for a while and I truly feel it’s useful for combating stress. So without further ado let’s cut to the chase.

The method

The essence of the Wim Hof method is a series of breathing exercises and holds.

1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position where there’s no danger of falling down – you might get dizzy.
2. Breath deeply into you diaphragm (your belly should expand). Fully in.
3. Exhale out. Just relax, no need to force it
4. Repeat this about 30 times or until your face and limbs feel tingly. I find 1 second inhale and 1 second exhale is a good rhythm.
5. Now exhale out for the last time and HOLD. Do not breathe in, just relax. Hold your breathe as long as you can, this means holding it beyond your first reflex to breathe. The deep breathing you just did oxidized your blood and will allow you hold your blood a lot longer then you think. On the first round 30-60 seconds is fine.
6. Inhale fully. Try to “breathe in your head” by flexing your leg muscles, diaphragm and upper body. This will force oxygenated blood in to your head and brain. Flex for a moment and then relax. Enjoy the sensation.
7. Repeat points 2. 3. 4. and 5. This time you will find you can hold you breath even longer.

Do 3-4 of these rounds. On the final round you can hold you breath for up to 2 to 4 minutes depending on your genetics, physical fitness and relaxation level. I have found out that after heavy work outs the time is shortened radically (i assume this is due to increased metabolic rate and oxidation caused by healing muscle mass), so don’t worry about it too much.

One variation to point number 5. I have developed myself is to flex you leg muscles and glutes from the time you start holding your breath. Once you inhale you flex you upper body and torso to drive blood to your head but after just a couple seconds you relax your lower body while still flexing your upper body. This accomplishes a very clear and sudden drop in blood pressure and seems to lead to a deeper meditative state. Try at your own risk, this is still very groundbreaking stuff after all.

Now if you are up to it you can take a cold shower or dip in to a cold lake or the sea. What you will find is the water won’t feel painfully freezing and it won’t cause you to hold your breathe. It can actually feel warm, soothing and relaxing.

Want to give it a try? If you do please drop a comment how you felt or if you need any further instructions.