A fitness guru who goes by 'Iceman' says exposure to extreme temperatures is a lifesaving third ...

[Barefoot TJ]

"Wim Hof is an extreme athlete from the Netherlands who holds dozens of world records for activities like swimming in ice water and running barefoot in the snow.": https://www.wimhofmethod.com/practice-the-method

And...

"The plunge laid the groundwork for a series of world records that Hof has set, including the farthest swim under ice and the fastest barefoot half-marathon on ice/snow. Hence the Dutch athlete's nickname: Iceman.": http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-half-marathon-barefoot-on-icesnow

A fitness guru who goes by 'Iceman' says exposure to extreme temperatures is a lifesaving third ...
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Wim Hof is an extreme athlete from the Netherlands who holds dozens of world records for activities like swimming in ice water and running barefoot in ...

 

[Einar]

And he got frostbite of feets. After that half marathon he never ran unshod on snow, ice. Use of breathing technics to stop pain feedback from nerves not making your feets frostbite imune. Every year new baked Wim Hof's wonnabies getting frostbites running in shorts on snow, ice.
You must condition your feets for it and use some info and science. Some info in text here under my video -

 

[johan131]

He is very well known in the Netherlands, many people mention him when they discover I run barefoot. Didn't know about the frostbite. Einars reaction makes a lot of sense to me. I run barefoot summer and winter, sometimes have frostbite, but mostly because of combination of wind and fog and cold (no freezing temps, just a little above it does the trick...). For me always a sign to back of a little or take more dirt roads and trials instead of asphalt. It feels warmer.

Eyeopener for me is cold among other things activates your systems that prevent inflammation etc

 

[Gordon]

Eyeopener for me is cold among other things activates your systems that prevent inflammation etc

If it's true ...

 

[Johnson Murray]

If it's true ...

I bet it is not.

 

[johan131]

Why?

 

[IraR]

Thanks, Einar. Go, Latvia! My grandfather was from there! I'm been kind of a "moderate" fan of Wim Hof and his methods: I don't go barefoot on real ice and only occasionally during a very light dusting of snow. I have gotten minor frostbite, especially with salted snow, as you mention, so I have been very careful! I find Wim's method has use in warming the legs, feet and hands in the ranges around and slightly above freezing on dry roadways. I have also seen Wim's Finland video with Wim getting very bad frostbite. Many methods of martial-arts-style moving meditation techniques I've studied in Chi-Kung and Tai Chi also teach about both concentrating energy in the core, the Dan-Tien, first, before conducting energy and heat to the extremities, and I wonder if that works in warming the core, although not as well as clothing! Wim also usually wears a hat, I noticed. I don't have the interest, or the patience or the regular time, for this kind of extreme training. Still, I think forcing the skin to adapt, under limited conditions, has its benefits.

 

[Jaap Francke]

Wim Hof is always mentioning 'scientific research'. Researches did look into his capabilities and his achievements which are certainly extraordinary. But in terms of scientific proof backing up all his claims: that's very thin.

I have mixed feelings about this guy:
- I did start cold showering because of him, which I feel is good for me (no "proof" though). "use it or loose it" also applies to our capability of handling cold tempararure (brown fat, etc..)
- I think his claims that his breathing techniques influence our immune system is bullshit.
- ...

 

[IraR]

It's not just breathing techniques alone involved: I'm no expert, but from what I've heard from some of Wim's videos, he has mentioned "the mind" several times, so it seems there's mostly thinking involved here. I've also heard him discuss mood and psychology, especially in conjunction with his wife's suicide and the challenges of raising his children by himself.

So it sounds like what Wim is talking about is using a type of "meditation." He's clearly been a student of yoga and Asian martial arts. In any of these, "breathing techniques" are just the introductory step or exercise, a way of relaxing the body as well as using the extra oxygen to make the mind more alert and aware and then focusing the mind's awareness on the body. Then the mind's attention has to be guided towards a particular goal, such as, in yoga, relaxing musculature around the lower back and hip joints or neck and shoulder joints.

I find that even without much meditation, my varying mindset/mood influences the way I experience the cold. It is when I feel low and weak and vulnerable, what I call "too much 'yin,'" and I am cold and/or wet, that I get sick. When I'm highly-energized and think of "bracing" myself for it as a challenge to be experienced, I'm usually fine. So, when my energy or mood are low and it's time for a cold run, I'll elongate the spine and straighten up, attempt to deepen the breath to make me more alert and aware, try to release some stress and tension in neck, shoulders, back, and hips, say and think "Go get 'em, tiger!" (my favorite mantra), or perhaps sing a chorus of Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," to put me in a more "yang" mood. Then I warm up the abs and other core muscles by pushing and pulling my tummy in and out a few times to "activate the core" and give it some extra heat and blood flow. Finally I'll throw some kicks and punches in the air to activate some extra blood flow to the extremities. Or else I'll just actively visualize doing all of these. I'm sure none of this works as well as Wim Hof's methods, but I figure it's a similar idea!

Wim's claims of "scientific" credibility are impressive, but any claims involving so much "mind control," meditation, and psychology are going to be difficult to document, so I don't know how he can expect any of this will be "proved."

Many of my teachers use breathing techniques for this purpose, but I think anything that helps us optimistically face (with a degree of acceptance and submission as well as a degree of strong will to overcome) and meet life's challenges will positively influence our immune systems.

 

[flammee]

There's plenty of success stories on youtube about wim hof -method, so it probably works. Feels like I will try it.

I have not been overly convinced by Wim's explanations what happens in the body when doing breathwork and cold exposure stuff.. But there's plenty of information available what happens in the body when you do that stuff.

Cold exposure causes mitochondria biogenesis (more mitochondrias are created) on location of cold exposure on body. Mitochondrias make the heat in body. Thyroid makes thyroid hormones (T3) that are needed in that process. Cold exposure also causes urge to hyperventilate, which induces fight-or-flight response. That releases norepinephrine hormone, which cause brown fat make more heat, heart pump more blood and some arteries dilate and some constrict. It also makes energy more available from fats and glycogen. And Multiple effects on the immune system - the effects are complex, with some immune processes activated while others are inhibited.

Breathwork of Wim Hof method is probably meant to induce fight-or-flight response without cold exposure. Because there's breath holding involved, it has some indenpendent effects. Because hyperventilation makes carbon dioxide low and it's high carbon dioxide that causes urge to breathe, it's easier to get deeper into oxygene deprivation. When there's lack of oxygene in the body and higher carbon dioxide, spleen contracts and releases red blood cells into blood, which makes blood has better capacity for oxygene transportation. Wikipedia don't tell if this effect is bigger with deeper oxygene deprivation, though. But atleast it's possible to do longer full body immersions (bit risky though) or just facial immersions, which cause diving reflex which has it's own set of effects - the cardiovascular system displays peripheral vasoconstriction, slowed heart rate, redirection of blood to the vital organs to conserve oxygen, release of red blood cells stored in the spleen. Also sticking your face in ice water works because the vagus nerve in your face is connected to nerves in the rest of your nervous system throughout your body. By using this simple trick to get the nerves in your face used to the cold, it will translate over to the rest of your body as well, and allow you to tolerate ice baths and cold showers far more easily.

So by doing breathing and cold exposures it's possible to get more mitochondrias and red blood cells and practice probably makes fight-or-flight response and diving reflex more efficient - faster and stronger?


BTW, makes me wonder if nasal breathing is that useful when running.. Sounds like this fight-or-flight would be better. Maybe body actually shouldn't be in rest and digest mode when exercising.