Good morning and happy Friday! I hope you’ve all had a good week and have some fun Memorial Day weekend plans. I’ve written down a bunch of stuff that I want to do today and am feeling very energized and motivated right now thanks to five rounds of Wim Hof Breathing.
This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned the Wim Hof Method in my blogs but I’m back to preach some more because it’s awesome and I think you all should give it a shot. Wim — also known as the Iceman — is a wacky, fun-loving, happy man from the Netherlands who pulled himself out of a terribly dark time with a breathing technique (now referred to as the Wim Hof Method or Wim Hof Breathing) and cold exposure. He has shocked the world with incredible feats like running a marathon barefoot in the desert without water or hiking to the death zone of Mt. Everest in nothing but shorts and boots. On top of these, he has something like 20+ world records. Importantly, though, he is not doing these crazy things for personal attention or money. In fact, he assures anyone who asks that they are capable of the same things. He just wants to bring attention to the technique so he can help people heal from physical and mental ailments just as he helped himself
I think breathing exercises are often seen as silly hippie things (and some are a little questionable) but Wim has put his to the test and it’s passed with flying colors. There are many testimonials to support its effectiveness in treating chronic pain, arthritis, migraines, stress, depression, and a whole lot more. Plus, it helps boost the good stuff like improving focus, enhancing athletic performance, and simply making you happier! After my practice this morning, I found myself smiling and laughing for no real reason — a common occurrence. But there’s more than just anecdotal evidence for the efficacy of Wim’s method; researchers have found that with the technique, Wim and others can influence parts of the brain previously thought to be untouchable by voluntary control. You can explore the nitty gritty of the science here.
Wim is a wonderful human and truly wants to help people. I remember hearing about him years ago and always thought he was crazy — which, in a way, he is — but I’m so glad I finally gave him a chance to change my mind. I think a good place for people to start learning more about Wim and the method is this documentary. Beyond the valuable information within it, it’s very well done and entertaining. He also has several tutorials and other great videos on his YouTube channel.
Let me know if you give it a go!