Wim hof method experience
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The breathing has increased to 5 cycles with the last being the push-up routine. Focussing on calm breathing I’m able to have my first silent shower and actually feel as though I am generating my own heat. Showers are now up to 60 second stints cold/hot/cold but I feel strong enough to handle 2 mins of cold only. Week 3 feels like a bit of break through.
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Showers are now following a cold/hot/cold/hot/cold sequence with each cold exposure lasting 30 secs. I find this quite fascinating and wonder if it will translate well to my powerlifting, perhaps if I hyperventilate before a squat, I will be able to knock out a few more reps. By the end of the week I managed to increase this to 30 without any breath. You need to set a baseline number before you start – mine was 19 incline push ups. In week 2 we add an extra breathing cycle that ends in a breath hold (after the inhalation) where you perform as many push ups as you can before breathing again. In the associated video Wim also take you through some stretching exercises but I have to confess to not taking this bit very seriously. I bet you won’t get anywhere near 2 mins. If you don’t think this sounds like a long time just try it now, hold you breath and time it. Before this point I felt I would burst after 40 seconds. I do quite like the challenge of breath holding though and by the end of week 1 I was very excited to have held my breath for just over 2 minutes. I don’t really like the experience of hyperventilation and associated tingling and light-headedness. The cold showers start off gently, starting and ending with warm water with a 30 second cold interlude.ĭespite regularly swimming in 2-8’C water, I found the showers to be a shock and the squealing did continue for a couple of weeks of the practice. Immediately you are required to adopt the daily practice starting with 3 hyperventilation and breath hold sequences to be followed by a cold shower. I’ve just started week 4 of the Wim Hof breathing course and thought it was time to give a brief review of my experience so far. I’m happy to accept all those benefits but was particularly interested in what might be considered the side effects of the practice, such as cold adaptation, increased breath hold capacity, possible fat loss via BAT (Brown Adipose Tissue) activation and improved mental well being.
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Benefits cited are improved immunity levels, reduction in automimmune symptoms and improved healing. Wim Hof uses breathing techniques, really a controlled form of hyperventilation, along with cold exposure to exert control of his autonomic nervous system. It also meant I could finally sign up for the 10 week course in the Wim Hof Method, which requires a commitment to strange breathing and daily cold showers – squealing optional. It means that I am now able to stand under icy torrents and disturb the household by squealing behind the locked bathroom door. I think the teenagers in the house might call that “Breaking the Shower” but I’m happy. So far, my highlight of the year has been hacking our thermostatic shower so that it ceased to kick out any warmth. I’ve been aware of Wim Hof, the crazy Ice Man, for a few years now but have become increasingly interested in his methods since I adopted my own fascination with the cold.