Wim Hof

[Seeknelk]

I've only done the breathwork in stops n starts but I found I have a better game when I do the breathing exercises before I play a game of hockey. It does things, and some of those are mental, some are physical. I'm sharper and less labored on the ice when I apply it.
I'm part finn so I've ALWAYS loved saunas followed by jumping in the lake at deer camp in Nov or any cool to cold plunge. It's an amazing reset FOR ME. I really need a sauna and tank at my own place badly.
Whim is just too high on his own shit now, but like the pod says , the original breathwork and cold work HAS benefits for sure. But like was said above, I don't have the discipline to stay consistent enough with the breathwork. Yet.
Meat eater has some connection with it with the spearfishing breathwork, breathing up as they say, I suppose. Of course they are digging for content. They all run thin after years of doing it.

 

[Scoot]

I'm with 5mile on this one-- no thanks. I enjoy hunting in the cold, when I'm prepared for it. But just accepting to be cold as hell? Nope, not for me. Call me undisciplined, soft, or just a pussy, but I'll go for a run and take a hot shower afterwards!

 

[Gutshot007]

Sauna guys need to add "whisk" and roll in the snow after!

 

[coloyooper]

I'm part finn so I've ALWAYS loved saunas followed by jumping in the lake at deer camp in Nov or any cool to cold plunge. It's an amazing reset FOR ME. I really need a sauna and tank at my own place badly.

You sound like a Yooper.

 

[Seeknelk]

You sound like a Yooper.

From about as far north as you can go. So, say ya to da u.p. eh

 

[t_carlson]

What a sissy climing Everest with shorts and shoes . A tough guy would have left his shoes at home and done it barefoot . Lol. The guy is a freak of nature and amazing .

He didn't climb Everest. He got to the Lhotse wall, which depending on the time of day and weather, can actually be pretty warm due to the solar radiation reflecting off of the snow.

There are some things the human body just cannot do.

His feats are impressive, but there is a lot of myth surrounding him.

 

[coloyooper]

From about as far north as you can go. So, say ya to da u.p. eh

Played a lot of hockey up that way!

 

[Deucebump]

I have been doing the cold shower thing daily for going on 6 months now. Not 100% because of Wim Hof, but also because of studying Huberman lab’s studies on cold exposure as well. Was intrigued at first and then was convinced to try it by a Wim Hof cult follower….

All that said, here is my personal take. I have never really done the breathing aspect of it. I do 3-5 minutes of “as cold as I can get” shower daily. I will say at the end of the shower I feel very much “awake and alive” and pretty energized but it only lasts maybe 30-60 minutes. The one and only quantifiable benefit I have really noticed is that my resting heart rate has dropped but a decent amount. Verified by wearing a Garmin watch 24/7 that tracks random stuff like that. As far as metabolism and “brown fat” that Huberman talks about…well I say its yet to be seen. Weight loss was 100% unaffected by cold showers alone.

Not sure if any of this helps or not, but this is my honest real world experience after 6+ months of doing cold exposure. I will probably continue to do so, as I believe it strengthens me mentally by doing uncomfortable things. Gotta pack that buck out 7 miles….suck it up buttercup!!!

 

[Rokbar]

I can tolerate the ice baths, but something about cold showers doesn't sit well. Whether you believe him or not as long as you feel better is the key to it.

 

[ChrisS]

Iceman Wim Hof Is being Sued for the Death of a California Teenager

A 2022 lawsuit alleges Hof’s breathing exercises caused a 17-year-old girl to drown. The Dutch health guru seeks to dismiss the charge.

www.outsideonline.com

But Carney says that some of Wim Hof’s videos do show him performing the breathing techniques while submerging himself—and thus send a mixed message to viewers. Having watched a video that is part of Hof’s $99 ten-week training course, Carney says Hof hyperventilates on camera before dunking his head into water and staying down for a minute. The video includes a disclaimer in the comments section, Carney says. Enahm Hof said the company has taken down all videos showing Wim Hof doing the breathing exercises prior to entering the water.

I'm good thanks. Another quack selling dangerous woo to impressionable folks. Like most of that, there are kernels of truth and helpful tips all wrapped up in misguided advice. I'm sure this guy is a freak of nature ... how many of his adherents have replicated his feats by using his methods?

 

[rclouse79]

I listened to a different podcast about the benefits of cold plunges before the summer started. I have not taken a cold plunge yet but am in the baby steps process of taking cold showers. I have to say they have gone from being unpleasant to tolerable to invigorating. If I were to do a cold plunge in the winter months, I think I would have to do them in the afternoon. I don't think I could handle the cold drive into work after a cold plunge.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

He didn't climb Everest. He got to the Lhotse wall, which depending on the time of day and weather, can actually be pretty warm due to the solar radiation reflecting off of the snow.

There are some things the human body just cannot do.

His feats are impressive, but there is a lot of myth surrounding him.

There are genetic outliers for every human trait. It seems like Hof is an outlier when he applies himself to cold and holding his breath, mixed in with some bending of the truth obviously. The guy that wins the Tour de France is a genetic outlier for hematocrit and VO2 max. We would never believe that some guy off the street could even start a professional cycling event with just some training or breath work.

I’m not sure why guys like Hof obscure this simple concept so well. I guess it’s why cults succeed sometimes.

The part of the meateater podcast where they brought up the underwater deaths from breath holding was very telling. People that lie on the fat part of the bell curve might be at risk of death when they do dumb things like lower their core body temperature or holding their breath under water. I would be curious to know how many deaths have occurred from the current cold exposure fad. It can’t be zero.

 

[Choogiak]

I do the cold showers, mostly as part of a build a mental toughness streak. I also think it helps with cold weather tolerance for sheep hunting