wim method

The Wim Hof Method revealed

The breathing technique (which is really a form of meditation) developed by Wim Hof is similar to the meditation forms practiced by the Himalayan monks mentioned earlier on in the article.

This is what it consists of:

    Get comfortable.
    The first step of the Wim Hof is simple. Sit down in a meditation posture — whichever one is most comfortable for you.

    Then, make sure you can expand your lungs freely without feeling any constriction.

    Wim recommends that you do this practice after waking up, since your stomach is still empty. You can also do it right before a meal though.

    The next step is to take 30 power breaths.
    Wim says to imagine you’re blowing up a balloon. Inhale through the nose or mouth and exhale through the mouth in short but powerful bursts.

    Keep a steady pace and use your midriff fully.

    You should close your eyes and do these power breaths 30 times.

    You might experience tingling sensations in the body or light-headedness. That’s normal when you’re a beginner.

    “The Hold”: retention after exhalation.
    After you’re done with your 30 power breaths, draw the breath in once more. Fill your lungs as much as possible (but without using any force).

    Then let the air out and hold for as long as you can, again without using any force.

    Hold your breath until you experience the gasp reflex.

    Recovery breaths.
    Now, inhale to full capacity. You’ll feel your chest expanding. Once you are at “full capacity”, hold your breath for around 10 seconds.

    That’s round one. Repeat about 3 times.

    Now you’re done with the breathing exercise.
    Take some time to recover — I’d recover 5-10 minutes. Don’t over-exert yourself, especially in the beginning.

Do this exercise daily. After a while, you can add another “round” or two of the exercise.

So again, in summary:

    Sit down comfortably, make sure you can expand your lungs without feeling any constrictions

    Blow balloons 30 times

    Breathe in fully

    Breath out fully, hold (but don’t force it) until you feel the gasp reflex

    Inhale fully and hold for about 10 seconds

    Repeat about 3 times

    Relax and “feel” your body for 5-10 minutes

Now, please keep in mind I am not a doctor or health professional. It’s probably best if you consult a pro before you do these exercises, especially if you have had problems with your health in the past.

Starting out, I did feel a little light-headedness (which I hear is a pretty common thing). For this reason, you should not do any of these exercises underwater, while driving, standing up, etc.

(If you do feel light-headed, take a break.)

With all those disclaimers out of the way, I will say this:

After doing these exercises for several months now, I have never felt better.