The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – Perhaps my favorite audiobook of all time.I have two to recommend right off the bat: This episode is brought to you by Audible, which I have used for years. I loved this conversation and hope you do, too… Not only this, but he was able to train others to achieve the same effect… with only 4 days of training! Wim was able to raise his cortisol levels and lower his blood concentrations of cytokines (inflammatory mediators) using solely his meditation and prep techniques. In the same year, he was injected with toxins under doctor supervision and demonstrated that he could effectively control his autonomic immune response.He can also run at altitude without suffering from altitude sickness. The run was performed under the supervision of Dr.
#WIM HOF BREATHING EXPLAINED FULL#
In 2011, he ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water.Hof holds the current Guinness World Record for the longest ice bath, now set at 1 hour 53 minutes and 12 seconds.Dressed in nothing but shorts, Hof finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes. In 2009, Hof completed a full marathon above the polar circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 ☌ (−4 ☏).In 2007, he climbed past the “death zone” altitude on Mount Everest (~7,500 meters) wearing nothing but shorts.Wim is an outlier of outliers, as he routinely asks scientists to scrutinize and validate his feats. He is the creator of the Wim Hof Method and holds more than 20 world records. Wim Hof ( is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, commonly nicknamed “ The Iceman” for his ability to withstand extreme cold. To prolong the time before taking a breath, Carney wrote that he used two techniques: slowly letting air out and contracting muscles throughout his body, starting with his feet and working up to his head.WARNING: AS I’VE EMPHASIZED BEFORE, NEVER DO BREATHING EXERCISES IN WATER OR BEFORE TRAINING IN WATER. (Don't use this method for swimming, though, as there's some risk of passing out.) Carney said he's learned to hold his breath for up to three minutes at a time. Then repeat this cycle three or four times. When you are gasping for air, take in a quick breath and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds. The technique involves taking approximately 30 quick breaths, then exhaling and keeping your lungs empty as long as possible. Learn to breatheĪlong with cold exposure, Carney practiced Hof's breathing method daily (and continues to do so). But his book contains a strong warning that these behaviors can be dangerous. "Instead of clenching up and heating yourself up with your muscles, let your metabolism do that job, and it will just do that automatically," he said.Ĭarney graduated from cold showers to dips in icy lakes and regular runs in very cold weather wearing just a t-shirt. If you want to do so, here's what to know. But the book has nonetheless inspired to give Jof's method a try. This is anecdotal evidence based on one person, not a controlled scientific trial, so it's possible that Carney's body responded more dramatically than another's might. The CU athletic performance experts said that feat was equal to adding about seven hours of cardio exercise per week. Carney wound up with impressive results: Tests at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine and Performance Center showed that his metabolism switched from primarily burning carbohydrates to burning more fat. Journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney tried Hof's training regimen and described his experience in a book titled " What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength," which was published last year. Some evidence indicates that regimen could provide measurable health benefits including better fat-burning capabilities, weight loss, an improved immune system, and the ability to counteract some effects of Type 2 diabetes. That's the theory promoted by Dutch fitness guru Wim Hof, who goes by the nickname " Iceman." Hof's recommendations include exposing yourself to icy water and practicing specific breathing techniques. When suddenly exposed to changes in temperature and altitude, the physical reactions that our bodies undergo may exercise important and often-neglected components of our physiology. Living in a constantly pleasant 72-degree bubble avoids the environmental stress that might help push our bodies to their full potential.