Page 28 - WOM August 2018_FINAL_SPREADS_Neat
P. 28

and overcome them. He says that the   second week, have 2 x 30-second     fat for heat generation through fat
       cold became his teacher. It taught   intervals of cold water bursts with   oxidation. This has mitochondrial
       him everything about himself, what   your normal shower. Over a couple of   effects in cranking out more ATP.
       he feared, what he despised, most    weeks, you build this up to 2-minute   The more mitochondria there are, the
       importantly it taught him he wanted   intervals. The next week, finish one   better our aerobic capacity will be.
       to be. “The cold is merciless, but it is   shower with 5 minutes of cold water   Cold exposure increases the number
       righteous as well”.  By embracing the   until eventually, the hot water tap   of mitochondria (mitochondrial
       cold, he was able to heal himself from   doesn’t even get a look in.      biogenesis). The more BAT you have,
       the trauma of the past. “To me, cold is   This is managed with calm,      the better your body becomes in               hold, you should notice a significant   to Wim, I naturally had a couple of
       God. I do not endure the cold. I love it”.  controlled breathing and a    burning fat for energy.                       difference in the times. Over weeks and   questions to ask for my own growth
         Many years later, at the behest of   commitment to overcome fear and                                                  months, the duration of breath holds will   and development. At the end of the
       his children, e decided to share his   anxiety. Stepping into a cold shower   BREATHING                                 increase significantly, so to the benefits.  interview, I took my opportunity to ask
       message with the world. As his fame   or an ice bath in the middle of winter   Wim’s breathing technique is similar to     The theory of this technique (and   him what do I need to focus on? How
       and story spread, more and more      requires a meditative-like state. The   holotropic breathing and some of the       there have been a number of published   can I improve? I sat in anticipation,
       people started to seek him out; elite   water wills you into it and you are a   techniques used in Kundalini Yoga,      studies on Wim, utilising this method)   waiting for the heavens to open and
       athletes like world surfing champion                                      but it is uniquely his own.                   is that it changes and lowers the     the seas to part, for the answers of the
       Kelly Slater and big wave surfer      The cold is merciless, but            To begin with, he recommends 3              content of carbon dioxide in the blood.   universe to be imparted upon me.
       Laird Hamilton. UFC fighter and K1                                        sets of breathwork. Each set follows          Carbon dioxide is acidic, which means   It is at this point that I need to make
       Champion Alistair Overeem and big       it is righteous as well.          the same cycle. Begin by either               the PH levels in your blood becomes   2 things clear; first of all, Wim is not a
       mountain freeskier Johnny Collinson.                                      lying down or sitting comfortably.            more alkaline.                        guru, and nor does he proclaim and/
         In addition to this, Wim has now   willing participant in the process.   Focus on the breath in, first fill the                                             or aspire to be. He is a man, who
       taught his method to thousands upon    One of the main benefits of        diaphragm and then the lungs to               COMMITMENT                            through his own tragedy, trial and error
       thousands of people, spreading his   cold exposure is the release of      full expansion. Either through the            The third pillar of the Wim Hof Method   developed a method that worked for
       message and inspiring others. The    norepinephrine into the brain, where   nose or the mouth. As Wim explains          is an expression of mindfulness and   him, he verified it with science and then
       message is not to be like him, but to   it is involved in vigilance, focus,   “it doesn’t matter how you get it in      willpower. Having the strength to do   taught it to others. The second point
       find the limits of your own potential.   attention and mood. It has also its role   there, just get it in”. On the breath   things when you don’t want to. Stepping   is that he is fluent in 11 languages and
       He now runs seminars all around      in pain, metabolism and inflammation.   out, completely relax, and do not          into a cold shower in the middle of winter   even though he is a skilled linguist, he
       the world, he has online training    This response is mediated by the     breathe all the way out. Leave about          requires a sense of purpose. It is about   is quite efficient with his words.
       programs and training centres in the   sympathetic nervous system (fight-  30% of the air in your lungs.                the commitment you make to yourself     He told me two things “breathing
       Netherlands, Poland and Spain.       or-flight). Norepinephrine can rise by   Continue this process for 30 to 40        to overcome your fears, to put yourself   is the single most important thing you
         Wim’s method is simple. It has 3   200-300% with cold immersion near    breaths. On the final breath, exhale all      in a difficult situation and control your   can do for your body” and that I should
       very basic pillars:                  0 degrees Celsius for 20 seconds,    the air out of your lungs and hold it.        emotions, to the point of calmness,   “breath more”.
                                            3 times a week.                      You may have tingling sensations, a bit       clarity and control.                  If you would like to find out more about
       COLD THERAPY                           Cold also activates cold           of lightheadedness, some spasming,                                                  the Wim Hof Method or attend one of his
       The advice is to start slow, build your   thermogenesis, a way for the body   it’s all okay. When you need to breathe      Speaking personally, I have been   upcoming seminars:
       fortitude, resilience and commitment.   to produce heat. The health benefits   again, take a deep breath in and hold    a practitioner of his method, the     Melbourne, 9th December 2018
         A recommendation would be, in      of cold thermogenesis are due to the   it for 10 to 15 seconds, exhale and         cold therapy, the breathing and the   Sydney, 16th December 2018
       the first week, finish each shower   activation of brown adipose tissue   repeat the process.                           commitment for the past 2 years. So,   Gold Coast, 23rd December 2018
       with 30 seconds of cold water. In the   (BAT), a form of fat that burns regular   Between the first and last breath     when given the opportunity to speak   Please go to http://www.wimhofmethod.com





       26  WORD OF MOUTH      SPRING 18                                                                                                                                                                  WORD OF MOUTH      SPRING 18   27
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33