How I First Heard of Wim Hof Breathing
I first heard about Wim Hof from a post at Danger and Play back in 2015. I watched the short clip, and ended up watching the full 2hr episode. About a week ago I found out there was another Joe Rogan Podcast featuring Wim. I added it to the watch later playlist intending to give it a listen once I had the alone time for a quiet listen.
Now its been roughly 18 months since I first tried his breathing. I will start by saying I have not done it as religiously as I should have. I generally did it when the time felt right, or I was in a bad place.
Sometimes I seem to have trouble getting the method of breathing down pat.(I’ve found shirtless helps get the pattern)most of the time I do it laying comfortably, occasionally I’ll do it standing . Whatever position you use, posture is key for the belly breathing that is required.
With all that said, listening to the second feature of Wim Hof last night/this morning inspired me to finally put these words on paper publicly. I’ve written multiple rough drafts on this subject.
Up until about a month ago, all I had experienced was the euphoria that the method causes you to feel from the hyper-oxygenation. I rarely if ever went more than 1 or 2 rounds. Here’s what I would do:
How To Do It:
- Breathe in ~30 times, full belly breathes, and let go. Not exhaling fully. At first the whole thing will feel odd, for me the let go part felt off. It was a shock for my body, I had never sans a couple of times breathed this manner. Within a couple sessions it was natural though. I was feeling something I’d only felt a couple of times prior, but had never attempted to learn/teach how to access.
- You hold for as long as possible, not forcing it, and when you feel the need to inhale, simply inhale. I’ve found putting the tongue on the room of my mouth and/or swallowing allows me to hold more comfortably and longer. The times will be astounding, especially if you go multiple rounds.
- Now Wim may have explained this differently, but what I do is hold the inhale for a 15 count, ~10-15 seconds, and then fully exhale again.
- At this empty point I tap my side of my stomach twice, my neck twice, and my forehead twice. This was mentioned as helping tap into the central nervous system in the first feature. I was intrigued, had long thought that we could access such things, and could see Wim had gone further into this subject than I.
- After this empty I start the cycle over should I feel the urge, or move on with my day.
Now one night at most a month ago, I decided to pull an all nighter due to only having the opportunity to sleep for an hour or two before I’d have get up shovel snow, and then be able to attempt to sleep for real.
It Clicks
Unable to sleep, and not wanting to sit around I decided to give multiple rounds of WIm Hof breathing a shot. It ended up being 90 minutes of the method. My mind seemed to go to another, clearer, simpler place. The clutter seemed gone. I seemed to both be, and know. As I was breathing I had the letting go somewhat click. Here’s what it looked/sounded like for me:
Individual Variations
I found this method of breathing to be what works best for me while I lay on my back and go about doing it. Keep in my mind this was the second round where the letting go clicked.
If I do the breathes standing up due to the difference in posture the letting go phase is a little different.
That’s probably why seemingly every video where someone does Wim Hof breathing seems different from the next. Same premise, but different effects on different people. Experimentation, and individuality is how I see it.
Last night I listened to the second feature, and while listening did the breath work again. It clicked far faster this time, and I don’t recall having done this more than once since the night the letting go clicked.
Fired Up+ The Method Works
Hearing motivating stuff always gets me fired up, I ended up taking a cold shower, drying off and sitting outdoors in a wife beater,shorts, and flip flops for about 10 minutes just taking in the world. Keep in mind it was 20 degrees where I’m at, so I should have been bothered. But going in with belief, and the right state of mind it was simply rejuvenating.
Most likely I will have to add additional Wim related posts to cover all my thoughts. I’m couldn’t possibly cover it all in a 1000 words.
Give it a shot, try his methods. I’ve not put near the effort I could/should have and I can see/feel the benefits practicing it very nonchalantly.
Belief is a powerful thing. So is an open mind. The one willing to learn, and dive into esoteric subjects, even the thoughts that were/almost beaten out of them, vanguard stuff, will reap the rewards. Open minds learn vast amounts. It can pay dividends.
Breathe is free, you can do this at any time(best try it in a safe environment first i.e. not driving/operating heavy machinery for example). Give it a shot.
As Wim himself has said in an interview “Breathe Motherfucker”
Have fun with it. It works wonders.
-J
An Update 5/13/17 : Lately I’ve been doing the fully in, letting go without the breath holds as a way to get aggressive. Particularly for crushing power cleans, but it has other uses along with visualization. For example: visualizing sex while doing so for gets me fully erect. This usage gives me blood flow to my dick even while lifting. This usage feels damn good and very primal.