The Human Experience · Episode

Episode 77 – Wim Hof – The Iceman

A conversation with Wim Hof

Wim Hof is a world-famous extremophile. He is internationally renowned for his countless ice endeavors that range from being up to his neck in a cylinder filled with ice cubes for over 90 minutes, swimming…

Published
October 31, 2016
Runtime
53:44
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Wim Hof is a world-famous extremophile. He is internationally renowned for his countless ice endeavors that range from being up to his neck in a cylinder filled with ice cubes for over 90 minutes, swimming long distances under polar ice, running a marathon barefoot to climbing the Everest in nothing more than a pair of shorts.

All of these gained him worldwide fame and his nickname: The Iceman. Wim has shown what the human body is capable of once you find the flow within your physical and mental state. Right now he especially sees his new challenge in passing on his method to others to give everyone the opportunity to reach out and do more than what they thought they were capable of. Through the right training and exercises, you can strengthen your inner nature and prevent disease.

A new breathing method and the confrontation with the cold

As a first step, you can start by training the way you breathe. Wim developed his method by the teachings of nature. As a result, Wim ran half a marathon barefooted above the polar circle, climbed the highest mountain on earth in shorts, and many other achievements! Training the way you breathe and exposing yourself gradually and controlled to the cold can help you control and positively influence your immune system.

The benefits of Wim’s method

Besides helping you learn how to control your autonomic nervous system, Wim’s method has the following benefits:

  • Positive influence on the immune system
  • Positive influence on your mind and body
  • Improvement of blood circulation
  • Improvement of concentration and focus
  • Greater self-confidence and conscious development

Hof holds 20 world records, including a world record for longest ice bath.[2] Wim describes his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures as being able to “turn his own thermostat up” through breathing exercises.[citation needed]

2007: He climbed to 6.7 kilometres (22,000 ft) altitude at Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts and shoes, but failed to reach the summit due to a recurring foot injury.[3][4]

2008: He broke his previous world record by staying immersed in ice for 1 hour, 13 minutes and 48 seconds at Guinness World Records 2008.[citation needed] The night before, he performed the feat on the Today Show.[citation needed]

2009: In February Hof reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in his shorts within two days.[5] Hof completed a full marathon (42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi)), above the arctic circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F). Dressed in nothing but shorts, Hof finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes. The challenge was filmed by Firecrackerfilms, who make productions for BBC, Channel 4 and National Geographic.[6]

2010: Hof again broke the ice endurance record by standing fully immersed in ice for 1 hour and 44 minutes in Tokyo, Japan.[7]

2011: Hof broke the ice endurance record twice, in Inzell in February and in New York City in November. The Guinness World Record is now set for 1 hour and 52 minutes and 42 seconds by Hof.[8] In September, Hof also ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water. The run was performed under the supervision of Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels.[9]

FIND TRANSCRIPT HERE 

This was a phenomenal conversation recorded live from Wim’s hotel room just before he was to speak at the Longevity Conference in California. The presence, information and sheer energy in this episode is mind blowing.  

You will love this Episode!!!

Find Wim and his work Visit icemanwimhof.com.

Also find Wim here: www.wimhofmethod.com

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Transcript

A full transcript has been published for this conversation.

Click here for transcript

Ideas worth returning to

Quotes

Five substantial excerpts from the published transcript, lightly edited for clarity without changing their meaning.

  1. “It is no longer a matter of belief; we have data. From that data, we can learn to look at reality differently and experience a paradigm shift: this is possible. That possibility enters the subconscious, and we learn to be different. We lost this connection, and now we are bringing it back. For me, demonstrating that expanded consciousness is possible is only the beginning.”
    From the conversation
  2. “There is a sense of confusion, which may be why meditation and yoga have become such cultural phenomena. As human beings, we are looking for answers, some level of truth, and some level of connection within ourselves. The Wim Hof Method approaches that search through breathing exercises and exposure to cold.”
    From the conversation
  3. “It is no longer mumbo jumbo or hocus-pocus. It is the magic of our physiology, brought back as common sense for every person in the world. What I found in nature is not merely something to believe; it is what we are. I found the way nature meant it to be, rather than the way we thought it should happen.”
    From the conversation
  4. “This may be a new way for human beings to control the mind. We call it a great spiritual mystery because we do not understand it, but it is not distant or impossibly large. It is within us. We can bring it back where it belongs, reduce unnecessary pain and suffering, and support the work with science.”
    From the conversation
  5. “Going into ice water and climbing steep walls without gear was an attempt to find a silence deeper than my painful emotions. My wife was no longer there, and I had to be present for my children. It was a lesson far larger than I could absorb at the time. A broken heart is one thing; a world that feels senseless is another.”
    From the conversation

About the guest

Wim Hof

Wim Hof is a world-famous extremophile. He is internationally renowned for his countless ice endeavors that range from being up to his neck in a cylinder filled with ice cubes for over 90 minutes, swimming long distances under polar ice, running a marathon barefoot to climbing the Everest in nothing more than a pair of shorts.

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