#102: "The Iceman," Wim Hof

93 snips

Sep 7, 2015

Wim Hof, known as 'The Iceman,' is a Dutch world record holder famous for his incredible feats in extreme cold. In a fascinating discussion, he reveals groundbreaking training techniques that enhance physical resilience and stress management. The conversation dives into the science behind his breathing methods, which can control the immune response and reduce inflammation. Hof also emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort for growth, sharing his personal journey of transformation through cold water exposure and mindful breathing.

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ADVICE

Breathing Exercise Warning

Never do breathing exercises in water or before training in water.
Shallow water blackouts can be fatal.

ANECDOTE

First World Record

Wim Hof's first world record involved staying in ice for 30 minutes.
He later broke his own record, staying submerged for an hour.

ANECDOTE

Challenging Cold Exposure

Wim Hof almost lost his sight while swimming under a meter-thick ice deck.
He also got lost on Mount Everest in shorts during a blizzard.

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Siddhartha

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WARNING: AS I’VE EMPHASIZED BEFORE, NEVER DO BREATHING EXERCISES IN WATER OR BEFORE TRAINING IN WATER. SHALLOW-WATER BLACKOUTS CAN BE FATAL. Wim Hof (@Iceman_hof) is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, commonly nicknamed “The Iceman" for his ability to withstand extreme cold. He is the creator of the Wim Hof Method and holds more than 20 world records. Wim is an outlier of outliers, as he routinely asks scientists to scrutinize and validate his feats. Here are just a few examples: In 2007, he climbed past the “death zone" altitude on Mount Everest (~7,500 meters) wearing nothing but shorts. In 2009, Hof completed a full marathon above the polar circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F). Dressed in nothing but shorts, Hof finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes. Hof holds the current Guinness World Record for the longest ice bath, now set at 1 hour 53 minutes and 12 seconds. But it’s not just cold. In 2011, he ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water. The run was performed under the supervision of Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels. He can also run at altitude without suffering from altitude sickness. In the same year, he was injected with toxins under doctor supervision and demonstrated that he could effectively control his autonomic immune response. Wim was able to raise his cortisol levels and lower his blood concentrations of cytokines (inflammatory mediators) using solely his meditation and prep techniques. Not only this, but he was able to train others to achieve the same effect… with only 4 days of training! We dig into all this and more. I loved this conversation and hope you do, too... All show notes, links, and resources from this episode can be found at http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast This episode is brought to you by Audible, which I have used for years. I love audiobooks. I have two to recommend right off the bat: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – Perhaps my favorite audiobook of all time. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts – This book had a huge impact on my life and formed the basis for a lot of what has become The 4-Hour Workweek To get your free audiobook and a free 30-day trial, go to Audible.com/Tim. You can choose from the two audiobooks listed above or from 180,000+ audio programs. They offer audiobooks, magazines, newspapers and even classes. It’s that easy. Go to Audible.com/Tim and grab your free audiobook. This podcast is also brought to you by MeUndies. Have you ever wanted to be as powerful as a mullet-wearing ninja from the 1980’s, or as sleek as a black panther in the Amazon? Of course you have, and that’s where MeUndies comes in. I’ve spent the last 2-3 weeks wearing underwear from these guys 24/7, and they are the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. Their materials are 2x softer than cotton, as evaluated using the Kawabata method. Check out MeUndies.com/Tim to see my current faves (some are awesomely ridiculous) and, while you’re at it, don’t miss lots of hot ladies wearing MeUndies.

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