According to Hof’s theory, certain changes are now occurring inside the body. There is no need for breathing.”Īnd then the seconds begin to tick by, with the guy holding his breath. When the last breath is absorbed, Hof says, “OK, now let it go, and stop. He has him take 40 of these breaths, during which blood-cell oxygen levels rise to the maximum amount possible. He tells his new pupil to forcefully suck in a big lungful of oxygen (“Fully in!”), then exhale normally (“Let it go!”), in a modified form of hyperventilation. “Every person will be happy, strong and healthy! We’re awakening people! Then peace will come on this Earth! These famous actors, they’re gonna go up Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts! After that, the world will know!”Īt about the same time, the owner of the Airstream trailer, a string-beanish fellow, rounds the corner, takes a seat, and just like that, Hof has him taking deep breaths to demonstrate the cornerstone of the WHM. “We’re on the brink of change of awareness and consciousness!” he says. He speaks loudly, rolling his R’s in grand fashion, as only a Dutchman can, and, when talking about the WHM, his eyes turn almost feverish. As usual, he’s shirtless, scraggly-bearded and happy to expose what for a 58-year-old man is an impressive array of muscles. He’s come to the States to participate in a Michigan-based medical study and to try to find donors to help support his cause. Today, Hof has plopped himself into a chair next to a gleaming Airbnb-rented Airstream trailer set high abovea coastal California canyon. He wants to change the world.Ĭhasteness, Soda Pop, and Show Tunes: The Lost Story of the Young Americans and the Choircore Movement

In all, he has claimed 26 world records for his various feats, including the Guinness World Record for longest ice bath (1 hour, 52 minutes and 42 seconds), enabling him to rightfully be called “the Iceman.” But that’s not enough for him. It doesn’t matter to him that over the past few years he’s become some kind of global cultural phenomenon, making media appearances all over (Discovery Channel, ABC, NBC, National Geographic Channel) to provide the lowdown on not only his breathing technique but also his nearly superhuman ability to withstand cold, which is another part of his method and always a crowdpleaser. Here he is, claiming to hold the secret to curing MS, arthritis, diabetes, fear, depression, anxiety, pain, PTSD, bipolar disorder, cancer, you name it, and nobody seems to care. Wim Hof’s position on big-big-name celebrities like Jim Carrey, Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise is that they are going to help take himand his far-out, revolutionary, health-restoring way of deep breathing, known as the Wim Hof Method (WHM), to the next level.

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