Win Hof Method Diary
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 449
Win Hof Method Diary
Day 1
Since getting up this morning I've felt lethargic and motivation is pretty much below zero.
For a few days now I've been considering starting the Wim Hof Method. One aspect of this method is to have a cold shower every day. So when it's winter and I'm exhausted by depressive feelings, you can understand that it is easy to put off attempting this method.
Maybe some of you are wondering what is the purpose of the Wim Hof Method and why I want to give it a go?
Well according to Wim Hof himself his method is backed by scientific research. According to him and the many people that have practiced his techniques, it helps the immune system, the autonomic nervous system, improve energy and state of mind. So basically your wellbeing.
The method is set in 3 parts: Stretched (or basic exercises), breathing and exposure to cold.
So I am writing this first entry just before I begin. I am absolutely dreading having a cold shower but somehow find I'm forcing myself to do it.
If anyone is interested, here is a short video explaining the basics of the method. And later I will give an update as to how I feel afterwards. I am hoping I can maintain this for a least a week and see if I feel any improvement over that period!
Since getting up this morning I've felt lethargic and motivation is pretty much below zero.
For a few days now I've been considering starting the Wim Hof Method. One aspect of this method is to have a cold shower every day. So when it's winter and I'm exhausted by depressive feelings, you can understand that it is easy to put off attempting this method.
Maybe some of you are wondering what is the purpose of the Wim Hof Method and why I want to give it a go?
Well according to Wim Hof himself his method is backed by scientific research. According to him and the many people that have practiced his techniques, it helps the immune system, the autonomic nervous system, improve energy and state of mind. So basically your wellbeing.
The method is set in 3 parts: Stretched (or basic exercises), breathing and exposure to cold.
So I am writing this first entry just before I begin. I am absolutely dreading having a cold shower but somehow find I'm forcing myself to do it.
If anyone is interested, here is a short video explaining the basics of the method. And later I will give an update as to how I feel afterwards. I am hoping I can maintain this for a least a week and see if I feel any improvement over that period!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
hmmm....I remember this guy claims his method can cure cancer and MS and heaven knows what else.
I'll just restrict myself here to saying be careful - Bodies of newly sober people aren't really geared to the kinds of extremes this method can promote.
D
I'll just restrict myself here to saying be careful - Bodies of newly sober people aren't really geared to the kinds of extremes this method can promote.
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 449
Hi Dee, I would like you to source where he mentions being able to cure cancer? I have seen a number of interviews with him and watched his online tutorials and I've never heard him mention that?
I just think to make a claim like that, it is important to have evidence because many people have benefited from these techniques!
Also what aspect of his techniques do you find extreme? He isn't expecting everyone to start off by jumping in the Atlantic ocean.
It is a gradual process! On his YouTube channel he has a safety information page. I don't think there has been any reports of it causing harm to anyone.
Even if people don't want to do the cold aspect of it they can still benefit from the breathing exercises.
I just think to make a claim like that, it is important to have evidence because many people have benefited from these techniques!
Also what aspect of his techniques do you find extreme? He isn't expecting everyone to start off by jumping in the Atlantic ocean.
It is a gradual process! On his YouTube channel he has a safety information page. I don't think there has been any reports of it causing harm to anyone.
Even if people don't want to do the cold aspect of it they can still benefit from the breathing exercises.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Big City
Posts: 3,895
I like this guy, have for a long time. That said I also know that many times, in my attempts to get sober, I would proscribe for myself a similar plan of strict exercise/diet/lifestyle modification, only to fail at that program and thereby turn back to the bottle. I don't mean to discourage you, focusing on my health in tandem with committing to sobriety has been very important to me. I just hope at Day 1 you aren't setting yourself up to fail. All that said, please let us know how it goes! Wim always seems like a man at peace with himself.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Originally Posted by Lonewolf22 
Hi Dee, I would like you to source where he mentions being able to cure cancer? I have seen a number of interviews with him and watched his online tutorials and I've never heard him mention that?
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.
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 449
Hi less gravity 
I don't see anything about it as something to fail in .....well I will start by giving you my legs than perfect attempt at it this morning.
Firstly I did some half-hearted stretches that I learnt when I did kick boxing. I already know from experience that stretching always makes you feel better. You eases the tension in your muscles and loosens up the body.
Then I watched his video tutorial on breathing. I pretty quickly felt more focused and not as 'stuck in my head'. So far so good.
then it came to the cold shower. When I thought of doing the cold shower exercise, I forgot to take into consideration that there is a drainage blockages in my shower and the shower quickly becomes flooded. That was the first problem. The second problem was that I discovered from say from 6-1 on the shower doesn't decrease the temperature all that much. It is only under 1 that the shower gets freezing. So it goes from 1 being warm to under 1 being absolutely freezing. This obviously isn't good because I need to get used to slightly warmer temperatures first because putting the body under shock is not healthy especially when you are a complete novice at this.
So how did it make me feel? Well having only spent a total of say a minute (maybe much less because when you are trying to keep yourself under cold water it seems like ages) I literally jumped out from under the shower haha
When I got out of the shower I felt reinvigorated. It felt good to challenge myself. I felt good that having had absolutely no motivation to do it this morning, I actually did it.
Though I wouldn't recommend anyone else to do this I am going to continue doing it at the cold temperature and just increase how long I stay under each day. It was way too cold though. Even when I put my hands under my hands went numb. And when I put my body underneath the water, yes it felt too cold too soon.
Hopefully when I ring maintenance to fix the drainage, they can do something to the shower to fix that also.
I don't see this as strict. I used to be fanatical about meditation and I used to push myself to a lot of extremes then.
I guess I am an extreme person in many respects but I don't see how this is extreme. What Win Hof himself is capable of, yes of course that is extreme and that is why he holds world records. It's the same as everything else you first start. You don't expect to do the best person in the world can do. You don't go out for a run for the first time and expect to be able to do a marathon.
Anyway, I don't see it as a competition in that respect. I don't see it as win or lose, pass or fail. I see as a method to get and see if it does improve my well being.
I don't see anything about it as something to fail in .....well I will start by giving you my legs than perfect attempt at it this morning.Firstly I did some half-hearted stretches that I learnt when I did kick boxing. I already know from experience that stretching always makes you feel better. You eases the tension in your muscles and loosens up the body.
Then I watched his video tutorial on breathing. I pretty quickly felt more focused and not as 'stuck in my head'. So far so good.
then it came to the cold shower. When I thought of doing the cold shower exercise, I forgot to take into consideration that there is a drainage blockages in my shower and the shower quickly becomes flooded. That was the first problem. The second problem was that I discovered from say from 6-1 on the shower doesn't decrease the temperature all that much. It is only under 1 that the shower gets freezing. So it goes from 1 being warm to under 1 being absolutely freezing. This obviously isn't good because I need to get used to slightly warmer temperatures first because putting the body under shock is not healthy especially when you are a complete novice at this.
So how did it make me feel? Well having only spent a total of say a minute (maybe much less because when you are trying to keep yourself under cold water it seems like ages) I literally jumped out from under the shower haha
When I got out of the shower I felt reinvigorated. It felt good to challenge myself. I felt good that having had absolutely no motivation to do it this morning, I actually did it.
Though I wouldn't recommend anyone else to do this I am going to continue doing it at the cold temperature and just increase how long I stay under each day. It was way too cold though. Even when I put my hands under my hands went numb. And when I put my body underneath the water, yes it felt too cold too soon.
Hopefully when I ring maintenance to fix the drainage, they can do something to the shower to fix that also.
I don't see this as strict. I used to be fanatical about meditation and I used to push myself to a lot of extremes then.
I guess I am an extreme person in many respects but I don't see how this is extreme. What Win Hof himself is capable of, yes of course that is extreme and that is why he holds world records. It's the same as everything else you first start. You don't expect to do the best person in the world can do. You don't go out for a run for the first time and expect to be able to do a marathon.
Anyway, I don't see it as a competition in that respect. I don't see it as win or lose, pass or fail. I see as a method to get and see if it does improve my well being.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 449
Originally Posted by Dee74
Hi Dee,
I don't see where he mentions during cancer in that article?
I have to agree though his fanaticism is bordering on delusion in the talk that is described in this article. I don't like that. It is preachy and makes you think he is more concerned about success rather than helping people.
But I won't take that away from his techniques and yes maybe he needs to be perfectly on what the benefits are of his techniques and what it definitely doesn't do.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Big City
Posts: 3,895
Excellent report! I can relate to your thoughts on being a person of extremes. I need to throw myself into things fully to feel that I'm progressing and part of things - whether that's deadlifting, vokda swigging or work etc so I know that aspect of addiction and life. Lucky for us there are lots of resources these days where we can commit to sober things like the Wim Hof method. At one point I think I downloaded his app to my phone, do you have it?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 449
Yeah I'm exactly the same gravity! Everything has to be a project for me if I'm going to do it otherwise I just lose interest and end up doing none of it all!
I did have the free app on my old phone but to be honest I remember it being really basic. I think it only had two tutorial videos on it. If I remember rightly the rest you had to pay for.
Plenty of resources on YouTube like. I would definitely like to see more research on his techniques. Like hearing him talk sometimes, I don't think he really knows the physiological changes at a chemical level. I mean there must be something to it if he is able to do what he does. I would just like it to be explained in a more scientific manner.
I did have the free app on my old phone but to be honest I remember it being really basic. I think it only had two tutorial videos on it. If I remember rightly the rest you had to pay for.
Plenty of resources on YouTube like. I would definitely like to see more research on his techniques. Like hearing him talk sometimes, I don't think he really knows the physiological changes at a chemical level. I mean there must be something to it if he is able to do what he does. I would just like it to be explained in a more scientific manner.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Big City
Posts: 3,895
Originally Posted by Lonewolf22
Have you tried any of his methods? Or do you know of other practices that are helpful for the body and mind?
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
I have never heard of this before. But hey, if it helps keep you motivated and helps you feel better, why not? I find focusing on exercise, diet programs really helps keep me on track. I also like to teach myself new crafts or start projects as a means to stay 'out of my head' so to speak. I'm always knitting or painting or doing some kind of art. I'm absolutely terrible but the end result isn't the goal...its just the doing.
I however will not be participating in the cold shower routine. No thank you
I however will not be participating in the cold shower routine. No thank you
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
