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Anyone using the Wim Hof Meditation Method?

MattR82

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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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Simon Angel

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@Simon Angel - I don’t believe that to be true.
My research points out to two key items:
1. The ice bath is different from cold showers. It triggers a different response. Don’t mix the impact of the two.
2. Even Wim Hoff’s app starts you off very slowly. Why? Because from my research, it takes time to gain brown fat that is used for heating your body up while in cold conditions. This is a gradual process.

What kind of "different" response?

I've never taken an ice bath. Well, at home at least. But from what I've read the difference is that the cold shower is tougher on the body since it continuously splashes really cold water all over you. On the other hand, whenever you're submerged in an ice bath the heat from your body forms something akin to a "warmer circle" of water around you which makes it easier to stay for an extended period of time.

Is that what you meant? That the dudes who jumped into the ice-cold water and stayed for 10 minutes probably wouldn't have been able to stay for 5 minutes under the showerhead their first time?
 

MattR82

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What kind of "different" response?

I've never taken an ice bath. Well, at home at least. But from what I've read the difference is that the cold shower is tougher on the body since it continuously splashes really cold water all over you. On the other hand, whenever you're submerged in an ice bath the heat from your body forms something akin to a "warmer circle" of water around you which makes it easier to stay for an extended period of time.

Is that what you meant? That the dudes who jumped into the ice-cold water and stayed for 10 minutes probably wouldn't have been able to stay for 5 minutes under the showerhead their first time?
Ice bath is much colder water.
 

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Ice bath is much colder water.

Exactly. Full submersion into ice water for 10 minutes without training or preparation sure sounds like a recipe for hypothermia.

Take it slow, build up brown fat for heat and enjoy it along the way.
 
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Simon Angel

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Ice bath is much colder water.
Exactly. Full submersion into ice water for 10 minutes without training or preparation sure sounds like a recipe for hypothermia.

Take it slow, build up brown fat for heat and enjoy it along the way.

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.
 
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MattR82

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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.
 

Simon Angel

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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.

Haha yeah, my shower is definitely cold enough for that!
 
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@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 :).
 

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@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 :).

Imagine telling someone "normal" that you wish your water was as cold as theirs, lol.

Yeah, it's really cold. My father works at the water plant (is that what you call it?) that supplies the whole city with tap water. In fact, most of my family have worked there at some point so that's where I got the temperature readings from.

In terms of people jumping in cold lakes for eons thing - yes, there's a traditional holiday here in Bulgaria called St. Jordan's Day that involves dancing in a circle in a freezing cold lake (after a mandatory dose of Rakia, of course) followed by a race to whoever can retrieve the priest's holy cross first:

The main ritual on this day is throwing of the cross. As an old Bulgarian tradition on this day, priests perfom blessings of the water and throw a wooden cross into a river, sea or lake. Men dive in the ice-cold water and race to retrieve the cross. It is believed that the man who first takes the cross out of the water will be blessed to be healthy and freed from evil spirits throughout the year. The priest delivers a special blessing to that man and his household.

The ritual is followed by a festive liturgy. The Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte serves a Great Blessing of Waters Liturgy in St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia.

The ritual lasts longer In the South Bulgarian town of Kalofer. A large group of men and boys go in the icy waters of Tundzha river early in the morning and perform the unique men’s dance called “Mazhko horo”. In Kalofer it does not matter who catches the cross because as a tradition it goes to the youngest boy who went into the freezing waters of Tundzha river.

In Bulgaria, the holiday has a special place in the cultural tradition since many people are named Jordan and celebrate their name day.

P.S. Half of my family comes from the town of Kalofer. I've never made the connection but perhaps it's in my genes, lol
 

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:rofl: - Thanks for calling me not normal - I take that as a compliment.
 
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Guyfieri5

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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've been doing it off and on for years. Have found that it is extremely useful when dealing with anxiety. The breathing followed by a cold shower is extremely effective. It's like taking a prozac.
 

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

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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.
 

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