Ice Ice Baby

By N. Moreau

On a chilly morning such as the one I am writing this article on, I yearn for nothing more than a warm blanket and the hearth of my cozy bed. Wim Hof, however, most likely yearns for colder, freezing temperatures beyond the scopes São Paulo can offer. Known as “The Iceman”, Wim Hof is a Dutch extreme athlete know for withstanding polar temperatures. To most readers, this might sound like torture, but to Wim Hof the cold is an escape, almost like a natural-born Yeti.

Born in 1959 in the Netherlands, Hof wasn’t always an ice enthusiast. He endured a long period of depression after his wife’s inexplicable suicide, but he came out a stronger man, one who is connected with nature and one who found salvation in freezing. He developed his ability for controlling his body's response to cold through manipulating his breathing and creating his own method of meditation; after breathing deeply in and out around 30 times, one should hold their breath for as long as comfortable, and then repeat. Hof’s technique is believed to increase oxygen intake, therefore reducing stress, improving focus and mental clarity. He attributes much of his ability to this breathing method, saying that it enhances the body's ability to adapt to and endure harsh temperatures and other environmental conditions.

Hof first gained media attention in 2007 when he climbed the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, proving to the world that either “cold is psychological” or he is, secretly, the abominable snowman. Since then, he has set 26 World Records all for activities related to extreme cold, including the longest ice bath ever and the fastest half marathon barefoot on ice and snow.

Apart from his super-human achievements, Wim Hof has also become quite a popular man in the realm of health, fitness and wellness. His methods for manipulating his mind and therefore his body are unlike anything else and have been proven as a way to improve physical and mental well-being. Hof became the “alchemist of his own chemistry”; the way he can influence his nervous system and immune response challenge previously held scientific ideas about the limits of human physiology, proving more and more the power of the mind.

Overall, the power we have over our minds and reactions to the world around us can't be understated. With the right mindset and training, humans can achieve anything. Most of us don’t really explore the potential of our minds and bodies, but with the correct discipline, maybe I can force myself to leave my cozy little haven. Though I may not be any Wim Hof, I will admit I always feel more energized after a cold shower. Hopefully, Hof’s story will inspire you to sit down, breathe, and chill (as in freeze, mindfully).