Preamble
Wisconsin winters were getting really hard for me. Since losing weight back in 2013, the cold was getting painful to the point that by the winter of 2014 I was beginning to think I would have to give up my amazing IT job that I loved and move to a warmer state like Arizona.
So the search began. I was hoping to find some other way of dealing with the cold than run away from it.
How about running TOWARDS the cold instead of away from it?
Along my health journey, sometime in late 2015 I was introduced to the concept of this crazy Dutch Guy named Wim Hof. With an apt nickname of “The Ice Man”, he held several world records and claimed he had created a process to teach others to tolerate cold. After reading and researching him along with trying some of his free breathing, meditation and mini cold exposure exercises, I was convinced enough that I should at least give his process a shot. On May 1, 2016 I purchased and began the Wim Hof training course.
What is The Wim Hof Method?
It’s a system based on 3 Pillars (as they are referred to). The 3 pillars are Cold Exposure, Breathing, and Commitment. This system is designed to help a person be healthier, happier, stronger, and tolerate cold.
How is the course structured?
The course I purchased was an online 10 week course. I was given a PDF workbook (which needed to be modified or printed in order to fill out) and the first video which I would watch every day for the first seven days and fill out information in the workbook. For the next 9 weeks, I got a new video every week along with new procedures that I would replace the previous weeks video and I would watch it every day for that week.
What were my goals?
My main goal was very straight forward. I wanted to be able to handle Wisconsin’s below freezing temperatures without extreme pain. I was also interested in the calming aspects that people who had gone through his course had extolled in video and written testimonials.
Lastly, as the sign of an ultimate success, I was hoping to be able to dunk myself into an ice bath during the winter months and stay there for at least 10 minutes. No working out before hand to overheat my body, it had to be a sit down, meditate and breathe, then get into the tub and stay there comfortably. No extra “cheating”.
What was my experience?
It hurt initially, but it got better quickly. This was to be expected as I went into the exercise component of the program with a vengeance. Ok, I went into ALL of the program with great exuberance. Looking back, if I would have embraced the idea of getting healthier instead of hitting it all as hard as possible I believe things would have worked smoothly all the way through.
Week 8 got a repeat, because I did it on vacation in June and I couldn’t find water cold enough to be a challenge for me. So, I was able to finish the 10 week course in 11 weeks. Wim himself says to move along at a pace that is comfortable for you. If you haven’t mastered the week you’re on, repeat it until it is mastered and then move on. Sage advice in my opinion.
What were and are my results?
I can now easily withstand cold that would have previously paralyzed or had me cringing in pain. Any time of the year, I can turn the water all the way to cold and take a full shower (disclaimer: soap does not suds up in cold water). I take 5-7 minute walks with our dog when it is <10 degrees wearing a light T-Shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
At will, I can pop into swim trunks and sit in a snowbank or lay in the snow without becoming overly uncomfortable. Just in case you want to know, I spent 22 minutes with everything but my head submerged in ice water (35 degrees at the surface). That was me going for “a record”; it got a little uncomfortable around 20 minutes and the first shiver hit at 22 minutes at which time I got out of the tub immediately. I did not take any type of heated recovery shower or tub afterwards and was just fine.
I have noticed that my immune system is greatly improved as I hardly ever get sick. When I do get sick, the effects of whatever I have are both greatly minimized as compared to those around me, and the duration of the sickness is cut down as well. For example, my last cold hit me for about 2.5 days and didn’t slow me down much. My coworkers and wife who had it took 2-4 weeks to recover and were miserable and performance throttled for at least 1 week of that time if not more.
Closing
If you are looking to level up your health game, I think you would be well served to at least spend a few minutes researching The Wim Hof Method and even try it out if it resonates with you. Now go be the best you possible and thank you for reading!
That’s it! Thank you for reading! If you’re looking for more help in optimizing your own life and would like to engage my services, or have an idea for a blog post, feel free to contact me.
Wishing you happiness, health, and success!
-Gregg
