Hello Hello!
In 2020, I thought I would try something new and do a Challenge Post at the beginning of each month! These posts will consist of my reviews of different challenges I do over the course of the previous month.
So, this month, I am going to talk about my experience doing the Wim Hof Breathing Method!
Many of you may know Wim Hof as ‘The Iceman’- he is an extreme athlete known for his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures, swim underneath ice for extended periods of time, and hold his breath for minutes on end. He has done other world-record breaking activities, like running a barefoot marathon(!) on ice and snow. He attributes his ability to his ‘Wim Hof Method’, which includes meditation, breathing techniques, and building up his tolerance to the cold.
So, when I came home from college for winter break, my family had started to do this breathing technique. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first. Breathing? That isn’t a big deal. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a try, and here is how it went:
The Wim Hof breathing technique was created to oxygenate your cells and blood, therefore increasing your energy. It increases blood flow to your brain, which is shown to improve mood, focus, clarity, and memory. It also improves circulation, which is helpful when you expose your body to extreme temperatures. The improved circulation also can increase athletic performance and stamina!
The video I have been doing (mostly everyday) is 11 minutes, and consists of the following:
30 deep breaths in and out
1 minute breath hold
15 second recovery breath hold
30 deep breaths in and out
1:30 minute breath hold
15 second recovery breath hold
30 deep breaths in and out
1:30 minute breath hold
15 second recovery breath hold
And you’re done!
The first day, I was surprised to find that I could hold my breath for longer than I thought. The deep breaths, at first, kind of made me nauseous, which I obviously wasn’t a huge fan of. I definitely wasn’t able to do the full breath holds, but overall it wasn’t bad!
Over the days, the nausea I was experiencing went away, and I slowly built up the breath hold. Sometimes I can even pause the video and hold my breath for longer!
So, what benefits did I experience?
Firstly, I found the method pretty relaxing! Taking ten minutes and really being conscious of my body and my breath made me really aware of how I was feeling. So often I find we go through our days totally unaware of our actual emotions and why we feel a certain way.
Also, just taking 10 minutes to clear my mind I found made me more productive throughout the rest of the day- I went into the day excited rather than stressed!
Another major benefit I noticed was actually cold tolerance! I am not sure if I can attribute this completely to the breathing method but I noticed walking outside, I didn’t feel as chilly, and I can take cold showers more easily. I have found, especially in the cold showers, that I can control my breathing and calm my muscles down enough that I can actually begin to enjoy the cold water.
This benefit is strange but I think is actually pretty useful- since I have been able to slowly build up my lung capacity to hold my breath for longer, it may benefit me in my swimming, but also in a potentially dangerous situation that requires me to hold my breath!
Overall, I think the most important benefits for me are the mindfulness aspect of the method, and the cold tolerance! I think this breathing method overall is a great way to improve your health and wellness. Being fit isn’t necessarily just exercise, it is also being mentally fit. Doing the Wim Hof breathing method has helped me a lot- in 2020, my health goals is total wellness- and I think this breathing technique is a really important part of that!
Here is the link for the video I have been using!
Here is the tutorial to do the breathing correctly
Here is Wim Hof’s website!
Have you tried the Wim Hof Method? What did you think?
Did you like this challenge series post? What challenges would you like to see in the future?
Have a great week!
Love,
Grace // Just A Veg ♥
Mindfully Grace 