Discover the Wim Hof Method, a scientifically backed breathwork routine that enhances your immune response, improves your concentration, and elevates your mental and emotional well-being. And SO much more!
I have led a group daily (Monday-Friday) since October 2020 to help a community of men within a men’s group I’m in. It is still going strong, and has become strangely addictive – in a good way. Imagine creating for yourself a strong mental and emotional foundation with which you enter your day (which can also be done with exercise, or yoga, or meditation, or other means) so whatever your day presents, or whatever life presents, you’re in a state that is strong and resilient. The world is getting weirder and weirder, you might have noticed! Well, this helps – a lot.
There are benefits physiologically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically.
Excerpted from The Vitality Code:
Introducing the Wim Hof Breathing Method.
Three pillars comprise the Wim Hof Method — Breath, Cold Therapy, and Commitment. Here we will focus on breath. I’ve adapted this from the Wim Hof Method website.
Inhaling oxygen is an unconscious process, regulated by the autonomic nervous system. The energy released into our cells is directly correlated to the amount of oxygen that we inhale, together with the balance of carbon dioxide. The easiest way to control the autonomic nervous system is via our breath. How we breathe strongly affects the chemical and physiological activities in our body. Wim Hof developed special breathing techniques that have kept his body in optimal condition and in complete control in the most extreme conditions. It is based on inhaling deeply and exhaling without any use of force — simple!
Through breathing training, we increasingly gain control over a wide range of physiological processes in the body. To fully understand why these breathing exercises are fundamental to the Wim Hof Method, it is worth delving deeper into the physiological impact of respiration on the body.
Breath is our ultimate life source. Every day, we inhale and exhale on average twenty thousand times to make sure we absorb sufficient oxygen. Oxygen (O2) is delivered through our lungs, whereas carbon dioxide (CO2), a byproduct (that your body nevertheless needs) flows out.
Our lungs have a hierarchical branch structure and two sections — the left and right lung. The respiratory system supplies oxygen so that the air can be transported via the primary bronchus to the bronchiole (the smaller respiratory tract). This is where oxygen and blood meet and combine. Oxygen is absorbed via the blood; CO2 is dissolved. This biological process is known as gas exchange. The oxygen-rich blood is transported around the blood via hundreds of thousands of miles of veins, arteries, and capillaries into every cell in the body.
Photo Credit: WimHofMethod.com
When you breathe calmly, the “diffusion surface” (where exchange between CO2 and O2 takes place) can stretch up to 70 m2yet when you inhale deeply this can expand to 100 m2. This Wim Hof Method breathing technique allows anyone to reach the largest surface possible. With practice, we can influence the ratio between O2 and CO2 in the blood. Based on scientific research after 30 minutes of this breathing technique, Wim Hof’s blood levels showed a significantly low dose of CO2. The CO2 levels were even lower after an hour. In addition to this, the amount of O2 consumption had doubled after 45 minutes.
You know that oxygen is our cells´ #1 fuel. When oxygen enters the body cells oxygen converts into CO2 and H2O, which takes place in the mitochondria (aka the “battery” of the cell). They are responsible for releasing energy essential for our bodies to function. They are the energy suppliers of a cell. Absorption of nutrients is connected to oxygen transfer.
One of the pillars of The Wim Hof Method is to increase stamina. I have noticed this personally, and many in my group say their fitness levels have improved, including being able to hold their breath for longer when free diving. Some combine deep breathing techniques, with a round of push-ups, including my 78-year-old client! The power of these breathing techniques can be demonstrated at the molecular level within the cells.
How to Do Wim Hof Breathing
- Find a place to sit or lie, where you will be free from distraction. Get into a meditation posture, either sit or lie down — whichever is most comfortable for you. Make sure you can expand your lungs freely without feeling any constriction.
- Step 2: Take 30-40 Deep Breaths. Close your eyes and be aware of your breath. Inhale deeply through the nose or mouth (it’s easier to start with mouth breathing, and I recommend moving to nose breathing when you feel comfortable), and exhale unforced through the mouth. Fully inhale through the belly, then chest and then let go unforced. Repeat these 30 to 40 times in short, powerful bursts. You may experience light-headedness, and tingling sensations in your fingers and feet. These side effects are harmless.
- Step 3: The Hold As you are about to complete the 30-40 breaths, inhale one final time, as deeply as you can. Then let the air out and pause. Hold your breath with no air in your lungs until you feel the urge to breathe again. When you start off, this will likely be a 60 second breath hold, followed by an inhale for 15 seconds before entering another round of breathing.
- Complete 3-4 rounds. The beginner exercise involves three rounds of breathing with breath holds of 60 seconds, then 90, then 90. In the breathing group I lead, we do 4 rounds and normally finish with a 2.5-minute breath hold, sometimes 3 minutes. It gets easier the more you do it.
You’ll likely now feel, in the words of Wim Hof, “high on your own supply.” Personally, I love to transition straight into meditation after this because of the altered state of mind it helps you to reach. Consistency is what makes this practice highly effective.
If you don’t take to this type of breathwork immediately, consider trying a few more times, or another form of breathwork. Or not! It is not for everyone, and there are some health conditions this does not support. I just know how powerful it is, so I wanted to present it to you here.
After breathing this way, you’ll likely want to rehydrate, which is a perfect segway into the next chapter. What is the quality of the water that you are drinking? Are you even drinking enough water, our #2 cell fuel?”
On 1 February 2024 I am launching The Vitality Code Community that will comprise breathwork twice a week, actionable content once a week (with a live tutorial) covering one of the Four Pillars of Vitality each time, and a community where I can answer your questions, and everyone can support one another.
For now, why not try this 11-minute routine with Wim Hof himself: