banzaiengr
Level 6 Valued Member
Ever get out of a hot tub and roll in the snow? Man is that a trip... And here I thought the Iceman was Richard Kuklinski the contract killer.
Oh yeah, repeat, back and forth will really do ya. Have done in Minnesota where instead of snow roll it was a dunk under ice sheet in stream of water so cold it was nearly slush. Whoo-Hoo! Actually for that the hot phase was sauna, but very hot!Ever get out of a hot tub and roll in the snow? Man is that a trip...
Not so sure if that is Hof's m.o. but rather more very controlled slow breathing in attempt to maintain as much relaxation as possible. That's what I do in the shower daily.I think sitting in the snow, hyperventilating, is completely stupid. (imo)
I've found that doing that in the shower, alternating hot/cold makes the intial entry much more gentle feeling. The second cycle the cold feels much less shocking and by the third only minimally.Ever get out of a hot tub and roll in the snow? Man is that a trip...
I highly recomend taking cold showers. Wim Hof has a free mini-course which explains how to do it after signing up on the site. Start the shower warm and wash. Then change to cold. Expose the limbs first then shoulders and torso. Head last. Build up tolerance slowly. I have only a week's worth of experience, but I am sold. Not so sold on the breathing unless you are coping with extreme cold.
Depending on where you are located...my water temp fluctuates 10-15 deg F between winter and summer and this past couple weeks has been noticeably on its warming trend.In fact, I sometimes wonder if my water temp isn't cold enough to really get the benefit, but maybe that's just because it seems warmer now. It was cold when I first started.
My background is computational (biophysics), but my work deals with drugs that modulate the immune system, and I have a few things to say about this list. Cold-exposure is a thing that many like, and I'm not knocking it, but a few things on this list are red flags for pseudoscience.[proposed benefits of Wim Hof Method include]
Alkalize blood a bit
Reduce inflammation
Improve overall autonomic tone
Increase immunity
Anti-depression/mood elevation/euphoria
Better sleep
Over time increase brown fat stores-->increased calorie burn/metabolism
Dramatic increase in ablility to adapt to environmental temperature changes
My background is computational (biophysics), but my work deals with drugs that modulate the immune system, and I have a few things to say about this list. Cold-exposure is a thing that many like, and I'm not knocking it, but a few things on this list are red flags for pseudoscience.
#1: Controlling breath in general is likely to have some effect on blood pH, since breath removes CO2 from the bloodstream, reducing acidity. For most people, this process is autonomically regulated by the brain, so you'd only need to intentionally alkalize your blood if this regulation isn't working. Charitably, the claim is that WHM improves regulation of blood pH, which would only be beneficial to people whose poor regulation is causing some problems. The idea that there are many such people is dubious. Low-level, chronic acidosis is generally regarded as non-symptomatic, whereas if acidosis is actually causing you problems, you should consult a doctor (severe, acute acidosis can put you in a coma very quickly).
#2: "reducing inflammation" vs. "increasing immunity." Inflammation is an immune response. Claims that a particular intervention will reduce inflammation and boost the immune system simultaneously should therefore set off alarm bells whenever you see them. Such contradictory effects suggests cure-all marketing, i.e. smoke and mirrors.
Again, this doesn't mean that Wim Hof has nothing useful to offer; I just want to offer some medical perspective.
#1: Controlling breath in general is likely to have some effect on blood pH, since breath removes CO2 from the bloodstream, reducing acidity. For most people, this process is autonomically regulated by the brain, so you'd only need to intentionally alkalize your blood if this regulation isn't working.
Wiki said:The Bohr effect enables the body to adapt to changing conditions and makes it possible to supply extra oxygen to tissues that need it the most. For example, when muscles are undergoing strenuous activity, they require large amounts of oxygen to conduct cellular respiration, which generates CO2 (and therefore HCO3− and H+) as byproducts. These waste products lower the pH of the blood, which increases oxygen delivery to the active muscles.
#2: "reducing inflammation" vs. "increasing immunity." Inflammation is an immune response. Claims that a particular intervention will reduce inflammation and boost the immune system simultaneously should therefore set off alarm bells whenever you see them. Such contradictory effects suggests cure-all marketing, i.e. smoke and mirrors.
Again, this doesn't mean that Wim Hof has nothing useful to offer; I just want to offer some medical perspective.
There are a few studies that shows the biological effect of the WHM (the breathing and meditative part). Breathing has a direct effect on blood chemical (without entering into details, it is all about gas regulation - look for Bohr effect and co).The other thing I wonder here is how much of this WHM is placebo and how much biologically actually effectual.
This is key.The older I grow and the more I learn, the more I realize that intelligent and effective folks focus on the practice while keeping an eye on the theory.
WHF as it was presented when I followed the course is based on three pillars (breathing, meditation and cold exposure), so indeed, none should be taken in isolation.I’ll finish by saying that Wim’s use of breathing is to help endure exposure to cold therapy, which is the core of his method. It’s unfair to him and his method to harvest out the breathing practice and discuss it in isolation.