Anyone using the Wim Hof Meditation Method?

[Djioul]

I have been doing the WH breathing sessions 1x perday since a little less than 1 year. This stuff is pretty incredible and I've already recommended it a few times to close friend and family.

I start my day with 15 minutes of WHM Breathing (I use his app) and get retention times up to 4 minutes on a good day. Every day is different.

Wow, 4 minutes is impressive. I've already reached 2.5 min on good days but as you said, every day is different. That's crazy !
The craziest part is the tingling I get sometimes on the last round. It's like, my body is full of tingling, I can't move even after the session and I need 2-3 minutes to really come back to "normal". Only by breathing...

What’s the best resource? An app?

I use the Youtube video for the breathing part.
You can dowload the app for free to take a look. Then you can upgrade it by paying a subscription. You have then different options like preparing a program, tune your breathing sessions...

Just finished Wim Hof's book

I hesitated to read it. Would you say it is worth reading it ?

 

[Antifragile]

Wow the app is amazing. I’m addicted day 1. Breathing, cold shower, stretch and push-ups. All done. Let’s see how far I can take this.

Thanks @MJ DeMarco for the forum, for the many reminders and new knowledge on how to live better.

 

[BlackLynx]

That's the exhale after 30 deep breaths and hold?

I'm referring to the time I can hold my breath. For more than a year I was doing it wrong, actually. I did the 30 breaths in through the nose and out of the mouth. But when you see Wim Hof doing it - he inhales through the mouth and out through the mouth.

I usually do 40 breaths instead of 30. Sometimes even 60 like in this YT video:

This is a GREAT video to go deep:

I can guarantee you'll be as high as a kite if you go along with this video. But for me it stopped working.

The craziest part is the tingling I get sometimes on the last round. It's like, my body is full of tingling, I can't move even after the session and I need 2-3 minutes to really come back to "normal".

I long for the tingling and the feeling high. It goes away as you build your practice. The same with the cold showers, which is why you see people building contraptions with plastic bottles sewn in half and ice cubes that they attach to the 'douche nozzle'. Crazy how the body adapts.

And one thing that is REALLY crazy is that when you get into the higher retention times that for example, the time between 3 minutes and 4 minutes of breath-holding feels like 10 seconds. It's INSANE. I still haven't figured out what that is. You hear the ping of the app announcing 3 minutes and then just afterwards the ping for 4 minutes. Time speeds up within the exercise.

 

[Renosance]

I was searching this forum and was quite startled that it has not yet discussed here.

I learned about the Wim Hof Method a while back in one of the most famous documentaries about him, which is from VICE and dates back a few years. I tried doing the breathing exercises and never really maintained it as a habit with the consistency that is necessary to use it successfully.

After seeing the big wave surfer Laird Hamilton talking about it, I kind of got obsessed with it again and started using the Wim Hof Method again with the additional cold exposure training.

I like the feeling of the energy boost after doing the breathwork and also think it is fascinating how we can control our autonomic nervous system "only" through breathing.

I find it also a good alternative to standard meditation. I use the Headspace app and find it hard to focus on the meditation while the breathing works like an active meditation exercise for me.

It is hard to think about anything else then your body when it tingles and your brain feels like a napalm bomb exploded inside of it.

I am still experimenting with the right technique and wanted to know if anyone is using the Wim Hof Method as well.

I do the "Wim Hof beginner's meditation" every day.

It's been very helpful for my mental/emotional state, day to day.
After a month or two I feel like a calmer, more in control version of myself.

 

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[Antifragile]

I’m getting addicted to it. Have the app, paid subscription. The breath hold times differ from day to day but consistently higher after round 2 than than round 1. Throat gets a little dry from all this breathing.
Showers are (for now) easy.
Push-ups became fun.
This is great stuff!

 

[Antifragile]

going strong since the last post here. The cold showers are now very enjoyable. The breathing exercises are great, but I can’t seem to hold past 3 min marker. Maybe is psychological. Push-ups were fun but the escalation in how many to do on one breath hold seems too hard. I max out at 45 and am supposed to be doing 62 today… maybe eventually with a lot more practice. My upper body wasn’t strong to begin with, I was more into endurance cycling/running.

Almost a month into it and loving the app more than I thought I would. Highly recommend.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Bumping this thread for those who may not have seen it in a while. For those who like discomfort. To suffer a little to gain a lot.

I have been doing this since May 19 - every day. Cold showers every single day. Most days I do breathing exercises too. But I stopped with push-ups a while back.

The amazing thing about cold showers is that they feel good. Now that the weather turned and water is colder, outside is colder, I certainly feel the cold. And not only I don't mind feeling it - I want it, I enjoy it.

Do you get more energy?

Now that I live in Utah, I actually have access to some really cold water. Arizona was my excuse to not try cold showers, now I have no more excuses.

 

[MattR82]

Not sure if I mentioned it already, but I really notice now when I'm actually "not" breathing. Any moments of stress, or whatever it is, and I'm aware of how shallow I would breathe, sometimes almost like holding your breath. Now that I'm aware of it, I open up and breathe in.

I heard him talk about this on a podcast rather than in any course etc. Surprised me to find out how often I wasn't breathing properly throughout the day, especially when in a seated position like at a desk or in a car.

 

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[MattR82]

You're free to believe whatever you like. Here's from the man himself:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cvhwquPqJ0&t=1090s

Wim Hof's whole philosophy is rooted in "mind over matter" and "find comfort in being uncomfortable".

By building up to it slowly and supposedly accumulating brown fat you're literally trying to find ways of making it easier/more comfortable.

Also, my shower, especially now that it's nearly winter, is around 4 C / 40 F. I doubt an ice bath would feel colder. And everyone is saying it's much easier to last through an ice bath than a shower.

Well that's fair enough, I'm biased by the fact that I've never in my entire life had shower water anywhere near as cold as an ice bath. Whatever floats your boat then I spose.

I come out of an ice bath looking red and have a bit of pain along the way haha, at least to begin with, that's impossible for me to replicate with just a shower.

 

[Antifragile]

@Simon Angel
I feel like we are talking about the same thing yet arriving at different conclusions.

1. The video you showed is about a glacier water - as cold as it’ll ever get. Guys in the video are suffering like there is no tomorrow. They come out looking like lobsters and one of them is clearly hypothermic. In fact, all of them are! How do I know that? Wim Hoff has a warming up process immediately after the 10 minutes.

So, is it possible to immerse yourself and get it done? You bet! This is more David Goggins style. And Wim needs to do that to his pupils when they are in a short course.

Should you do it? Well… gee… we can all run an ultra marathon, should we do it without preparation? Maybe. But for most the answer is a resounding “no”.

2. If you read his books and get his app, you’ll see he teaches the exact opposite approach for anyone starting with a cold shower. It’s 10 seconds after a warm shower, not 10 minutes.

He repeats countless times the same message “Let it go, don’t push”. With breaching and with cold. It is about mind letting go. Yet there is a reality that with practice, I can do what they did and not feel the pain they felt. Same results, same benefits and safe.

Wim is not the only guy preaching this. There are ice swimming clubs across the world that were in existence before Wim was even born. This isn’t new. And the practice (my aunt was an avid participant because of her religious tradition) didn’t have preparation either, but it was controlled environment and icy cold.

3. Your showers are unusually cold for anyone living in a warmer climate. I wish my cold water was as cold as yours. It only gets there for me further into the winter months and briefly. In spite of being close to mountains .

 

[Simon Angel]

I’ve been off Wim Hoff since around January. Time to re-start.

Same here. It's been a while.

 

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[Antifragile]

Re-started Wim Hoff, subscribed to the app for a year.

It’s part of planning 2024, as I’m signed up for two races, my training starts now. I’ve read a research article/ paper that this method improves VO2, so I’m back at it. Let’s do this!


PS Push ups, day 1, 30 (obviously with a breath hold, not breathing). Goal is get back up to 60. Will report when done.

 

[Roli]

I read an ancient proverb/quote somewhere that said the number of breaths per person has been defined up front. You will breathe X times and then you will die.

This clearly can't be true.

 

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[maverick]

This clearly can't be true.

Never said it was true, however the thought resonates with me.

Just curious though: how would you prove this to be false?

 

[splok]

This clearly can't be true.

"All models are wrong, some are useful."

 

[Roli]

"All models are wrong, some are useful."

...and some are more wrong than others.

 

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[rblitz]

I've tried the technique from time to times but every time when breathing deep, I get dizzy. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Anakalypsi]

I've tried the technique from time to times but every time when breathing deep, I get dizzy. Anyone else experiencing this?

Yes, that can happen. I don't remember the exact science and source behind it but it's normal when doing some sort of breathing exercises.

Thinking now about it I guess I had it from this book here

 

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[GoodluckChuck]

I used his technique of 30 deep breaths, hold breath in and do 20 push-ups, then sit and relax. Repeat the cycle a few times. Great way to meditate in 5 minutes and get your blood flowing and oxygenated.

Although I've heard varying opinions on how safe this method is, depending on your health as you're sort of hyperventilating almost breathing in that deeply.

That's exactly what it is. Hyperventilating (too much oxygen) for 30 breaths then hypoxia (lacking oxygen) for a couple minutes. Both states increase levels of epinephrine which affect white blood cells among other things.

 

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[Hijena1]

I have been doing the method for about 4 months (with cold showers, breathing technique and, yoga) and stopped. Because at the time it was just too cold (- 10 °C, 14 F), but I will start again. I must say that it is pretty damn amazing. You have health benefits, energy levels are going through the roof and the meditation session is my favorite. All this with his 10-week program that you can buy on his website.

Dizziness during the breathing session is completely normal, I don't know for others but I like it!

 

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[Roli]

I saw some new (unrelated) studies the other day, which stated that initial observations of the epigenome (the mechanism used by your body to repair your DNA), showed that it was most functional when it went through extreme heat, extreme cold, and wasn't breaking down complex animal proteins.

It found that a person who regularly fasted, and put themselves through extreme temperatures once or twice a week, may extend their life by a significant amount.

Research still in early stages.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Can someone explain or link to an explanation of how his breathing is intended to be performed throughout the day? The only video's I've watched show his deep breathing techniques leading up to an event, such as pushups.

I tested his technique for pushups against a control state and did more pushups in one minute than I've ever done in my life. To do this we started one week apart. Same time each day. Same place in the kitchen. One round normal breathing and a week later with Wim Hof method.

Normal breathing brought me to my average range of around 75 pushups. With Wim Hof method I was around 5 over.

I see the advantages in some arenas, but I'm not sure I understand how it's meant to work throughout the day. Is the technique the same or does it differ?

 

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[MattR82]

FYI all of his courses are currently 50% off.

 

[andyhaus44]

Ive been doing this one on breaks and really like it

View: https://youtu.be/VTItasF5mcY

 

[Ben Taylor]

Which of the courses do you guys recommend? I'm willing to buy one, especially if it's on sale, but I can't tell if the fundamentals course covers additional material or entirely different stuff.

Edit: I just googled it and I think I'm going to go with the fundamentals course as opposed to the original 10 week course.

 

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[Roli]

Actually, science demostrated that the number of calories you take in your life is fixed, (eating less calories in meals equals longer life span)
so i wouldn't be surprised if the same happened to breaths

Does eating less make you live longer and better? An update on calorie restriction

The complexity of aging is hard to be captured. However, apart from its tissue-specific features, a structural and functional progressive decline of the whole organism that leads to death, often preceded by a phase of chronic morbidity, characterizes ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"
Future applications
Overall, the results from multiple studies show that both reduced calories intake (CR) and the ratio between macronutrients, namely the protein to carbohydrates ratio, positively impact lifespan. In particular, it seems that dietary restriction of proteins or other individual nutrients (DR), with respects to carbohydrates, produces an effect on longevity independent on that of CR.
"

You are saying two things. You first implied that there was a predetermined amount of breaths that a person takes, and then they die.

This of course cannot be true, because our breathing rate changes during exercise, stress, sex, etc.

Reduced calorific intake, and in fact reduction of breaking down complex proteins has indeed shown to be beneficial. However the amount of calories you can take over the course of a lifetime is not fixed, because again, this would depend on various lifestyle and medical factors.

 

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[1milclub]

When he finally started intermittent fasting it was just after rock bottom. Things starting turning around pretty rapidly after that.

That's a great turnaround story, you are lucky to be part of that. Thanks for sharing. I posted a TEDx talk something similar on another thread, that thread is also somewhat a similar story.

INTRO - How to make a comeback

I've always been an entrepreneur, and always will be. I stumbled upon TMF 6 years ago as a sophomore in highschool. My first idea, at 15, was high-protein ice-cream. I spent MONTHS researching the science of ice-cream manufacture, and created endless prototypes and recipes (generously funded...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[sonny_1080]

I've found that body scanning first thing in the morning in complete silence has always benefitted me the most. Otherwise I get identified with my imagination.

 

[MattR82]

I see his courses are 50% off. But I've heard he is not very clear in his explanations (he can be all over the place, as I've noticed in some interviews) and there is not much more to learn except the breathing and the showers. So I decided not to get the course from his website. I did start his 30 day course on Insight Timer. It's not really a meditation, and also not guided breathing. It's just him explaining the science behind the method and talking all over the place. I'm not sure if this is useful. But I do stick to the structure of the course, which includes increasing the cold showers with 5 seconds each day, and adding 1 round of breathing every week.

I use the Wim Hof app when I do my breathing, which offers guided sessions. This is great, because it measures your times and saves them in the app. You can check out the guided breathing on youtube also. It indicates when to pause the video, in case you want to hold your breath for a longer period. This is a great way to learn how to do the breathing I think.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ





I think you do it once (or twice) a day and you are set for the rest of the day. At least that's how I'm doing this now. Breathing + shower in the morning, and sometimes also a few rounds of breathing in the evening.

I started using this as a total beginner after starting on hs free mini course. His guided breathing exercise you linked to is so good for getting started.

I've NEVER been able to get my head around normal meditation. This has such a great level of intensity that seems to click with me. Loving this so far.

Watched this doc by Yes Theory last night which was actually a lot better than the well known Vice one.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I'm thinking about reading this book, but if its another "gung ho" David Goggins shit show of recklessness and dumb behavior, I won't be interested. Can anyone vouch for the book? Is it focused on mindfulness and meditation? Or is it from someone who needs to be in clinical therapy for childhood trauma?