Joe Rogan Experience #712 - Wim Hof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np0j...ature=youtu.be

http://www.icemanwimhof.com/innerfire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof

On 18 April, Hof got the test results regarding the "The influence of concentration/meditation on autonomic nervous system activity and the innate immune response" case study, demonstrating that he is able to directly influence his own Autonomic Nervous System and Immune System. Hof seems to be able to raise his cortisol levels and lower the amount of cytokines (inflammatory mediators) just by using his meditation techniques. A different study on Hof while immersed in ice showed that Hof suppressed the cytokines by 100 percent.

In research done by Radboud University (The Netherlands) Wim Hof trained a group of 12 volunteers to prove the immune system can be modulated.He had already proven in 2011 the ability to control his own immune system.

Worth a listen, very interesting stuff.

Wim has a cool energy about him! It's worth giving the VICE documentary a look as well!

One of the best episodes I've listened to.

Does anyone have an actual grip on his methods? I've watched all the videos out there on him I could find. I've even read his book etc. AND I still don't understand what he is promoting.

All I know is expose yourself to cold regularly and one breathing exercise poorly explained as breathe in more than you exhale for 10-30 times in a sitting. Which breathing in more than you exhale is just impossible so I don't quite understand that..

Do I do this breathing exercise once a day? Twice? Do I do this when exerting myself? Before exerting myself?

Is he advocating taking in more air in general throughout the day? Constantly practicing heavier breathing? Which would actually be substantially different than my approach to breathing which is just staying as calm as possible taking in small measured breathes through my nose. I've always felt maintaining my breathe as small measured breathes through my nose during exertion helped my endurance. Whenever I break and start heavily breathing through my mouth it's a quick downhill rode to being gassed out.

I also have done the overbreathing exercise he shows Joe Rogan a few times now. I feel good afterwards, but I can't hold my breath like he talks about. I feel out of oxygen afterwards and can only hold my breath for 40 seconds if I push it.

I wish his system was more accessible. The cold exposure has been very helpful. I had terrible circulation, blue fingers and toes etc. Taking cold showers after reading his book took that away after the first month of cold showers.

Ahh Ben Eddy. You have the same quandries as me. Hopefully this podcast gets more people interested and we can figure these things out!

I fully bought into the guy though, totally awesome podcast

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

Does anyone have an actual grip on his methods?

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As it often goes with people like that, he's simply doing it. It falls on the shoulders of others to document, understand, and articulate exactly what the hell he's doing.

Wim has an online course thing on his website. It goes for 10 weeks. You get a weekly video and a PDF work book. It costs like $250 or something. I bought it the other day, haven't started yet, but I could post some updates for you guys once I do.

So since my last post I have now also watched the vice documentary on him, highly reccomended
I also took a walk down by the lake here in south island nz, it was 7 degress C. So quite cold, cold enough people were rugged up in fleeces etc.
I did 30 breaths of my interpretation of wims breathing technique. No meditating or anything like that just the breathing.
It worked. I walked around for 30 mins topless and not only was i not struggling i was comfortable, warm even!! Had an Incredible feeling of energy within me also. Im completely taken aback. Im going to keep working on the breathing and take it up a notch - the lake here is currently sitting at a very chilly 8c.
Im going in

I've bought his method online and so far I've done his exercise for week 1 and noticed that I can withstand the cold much longer, where normally I'd tend to get the chills and not want to stay in the cold. So far it works for me!

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Originally Posted by DarbyBarby

Wim has an online course thing on his website. It goes for 10 weeks. You get a weekly video and a PDF work book. It costs like $250 or something. I bought it the other day, haven't started yet, but I could post some updates for you guys once I do.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by danvillanueva

I've bought his method online and so far I've done his exercise for week 1 and noticed that I can withstand the cold much longer, where normally I'd tend to get the chills and not want to stay in the cold. So far it works for me!

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What exactly is he proposing? In the podcast he talks about how the deep overbreathing causes PH levels to increase and this is what gives the positive benefits along with adrenaline and metabolism increases. So is he just proposing you use the breathing exercise before exerting yourself? Or during? For general well being is he recommending something like doing it once when you wake up and once before resting?

He talks about how he hopes it can be a treatment for depression, this would mean you're regularly doing the breathing exercise enough times throughout the day to constantly keep your PH levels higher. Does he say you should do this? Does he talk about how he actively tries to take more air in than the average person?

Does he offer a better explanation of the breathing exercise than just "breathe in more than you breathe out 30 times". Lungs have a max capacity.. I get that saying this will get one to try and take in as much as they can with each breathe which might be all that's needed, but doing what he is actually saying is just impossible, so it's not very helpful for understanding how to do it properly.

I'm super hazy on the specifics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ben Eddy

What exactly is he proposing? In the podcast he talks about how the deep overbreathing causes PH levels to increase and this is what gives the positive benefits along with adrenaline and metabolism increases. So is he just proposing you use the breathing exercise before exerting yourself? Or during? For general well being is he recommending something like doing it once when you wake up and once before resting?

He talks about how he hopes it can be a treatment for depression, this would mean you're regularly doing the breathing exercise enough times throughout the day to constantly keep your PH levels higher. Does he say you should do this? Does he talk about how he actively tries to take more air in than the average person?

Does he offer a better explanation of the breathing exercise than just "breathe in more than you breathe out 30 times". Lungs have a max capacity.. I get that saying this will get one to try and take in as much as they can with each breathe which might be all that's needed, but doing what he is actually saying is just impossible, so it's not very helpful for understanding how to do it properly.

I'm super hazy on the specifics.

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I paid for his online course and from my understanding, the breathing in 30x part is to load your body with more oxygen while decreasing the co2. During the breath retention after the last exhalation (after 1:30) your bloods pH level increases, during this increase, the pain trigger in your brain gets cut off which allows him to do his superhuman feats. Also during this time, you're able to access your autonomic systems.

It's explained that after the breath retention, your brain is being tricked that it's losing oxygen, and when it gets tricked, it opens up alot of possibilities. Basically, it seems like wim hof found a brain hack. You can listen to him explain it to rhonda patrick. Starts around the 32 min mark.

https://youtu.be/389c31dD9xg

It is very interesting, we should know more in a couple years. I'd like to see some more detailed information before paying $200.

This site has the clearest instructions I came across. I was confused a little also from the vague explanation on the podcast but found this. Better than nothing and free. I only did 1 round because it messes with my other meditation stuff but was a nice jump start. Nice info to have in case im caught in the cold and dont have another way of mentally heating up. Would be cool to learn what the brain and body are doing differently when he does his method and a Tibetan monk raises their body temperature

http://www.highexistence.com/the-wim...immune-system/

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Originally Posted by Sean Marshall

This site has the clearest instructions I came across. I was confused a little also from the vague explanation on the podcast but found this. Better than nothing and free. I only did 1 round because it messes with my other meditation stuff but was a nice jump start. Nice info to have in case im caught in the cold and dont have another way of mentally heating up. Would be cool to learn what the brain and body are doing differently when he does his method and a Tibetan monk raises their body temperature

http://www.highexistence.com/the-wim...immune-system/

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thanks for the link!
I have had success with the breathing, allowing me to endure cold outside temps and holding my breath easliy past the 2 minute mark (a huge improvement over my ability in the past)
Been dabbling with the cold showers, pretty bonkers when first starting, it's fuckin cold!!! like really really cold!. I'm working my way to a full 5 minute full body shower. Haven't done enough to become comfortable in there but feel amazing when I'm done. Really into it.
I'm very interested in hearing others experiences, thanks for sharing everyone

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Marshall

This site has the clearest instructions I came across. I was confused a little also from the vague explanation on the podcast but found this. Better than nothing and free. I only did 1 round because it messes with my other meditation stuff but was a nice jump start. Nice info to have in case im caught in the cold and dont have another way of mentally heating up. Would be cool to learn what the brain and body are doing differently when he does his method and a Tibetan monk raises their body temperature

http://www.highexistence.com/the-wim...immune-system/

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On the article it says to act like you are blowing up a balloon, but on the podcast Wim specifically states that the exhale breathe should not be stressed. It should all be about the inhale breathe he says. The exhale just comes because you just let some air escape then inhale as hard as you can again.

Also watched many "follow my journey" type videos on youtube of people who had bought the course. Yea they all had mixed results and were doing the breathing differently. Some could hold their breathe for awhile like Joe could in the podcast and how Wim says you should be able to, others were out of breathe and couldn't hold longer than 30 seconds. So I think the hard exhale or light exhale is a pretty important detail among other details that probably aren't getting explained well.

I've been feeling the latter when I do it. Can't hold my breathe longer than a minute afterwards. Guess I'll try the balloon blowing version and see if that's better.

http://www.foundmyfitness.com/reports/cold-stress.pdf

http://ec.libsyn.com/p/8/e/3/8e3f714...&c_id=10915167