Wim Hof Style Breath Technique

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Disclaimer: Do not practice the breath hold techniques while on or under the water. I am not a certified Wim Hof instructor. I share this introduction with links to Wim’s content so you can continue your practice as you desire.  

Wim Hof may seem like a bit of a wild man  but he has managed to turn an ancient yoga technique into a mainstream practice. Many people use this type of conscious breathing to control  pain and improve their health or physical performance. You will feel the calming of your nervous system after the first set. It works wonders with pain, anxiety and stress. Wim Hof uses it to hold his breath and go into cold water and achieve seemingly impossible stunts. He has many Guinness World book records for his antics and because of this he has introduced masses of people to something they never would have discovered. Watch the below video. The write up below is just a summary of his sequence.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCaZQqAs9I

My personal experience with this journey began in Aug of 2018 after a significant mountain bike crash that compressed a nerve in my back.  I was unable to lie down or sleep for 3 weeks. After discovering the Wim Hof technique I was able to reduce my pain level from a 10/10 to 5/10 with less than 5 minutes of breathing. Having worked with people in pain for over 25 years it blew my mind to find something that is so simple and free, yet so effective. I have been practicing this breath sequence since then and am blown away with all of its benefits.
Breath sequence.
30 deep abdominal breaths. Inhale fully until you can't inhale further, then Exhale 60% of your lung volume.  To exhale all you have to do is completely relax and allow the natural recoil of your ribs to expel the air in your lungs. As Wim says, “let it go”. Immediately follow this with another full inhalation so you are constantly breathing in a circular pattern.
After 30-40 deep breaths, on your next exhale, exhale fully by gently squeezing lower abdominal and then hold your breath for as long as you comfortably can. Then Inhale fully and hold a recovery breath for 10 seconds.
This completes 1 cycle. Repeat 3x.
At first it will seem like a waste of time  but after a few rounds you will see the benefits.
Best done on an empty stomach, while lying in a comfortable and safe position.

Wim guided breath sequence.
https://youtu.be/UZj1-pZYKrU

The Science
Wim has attracted enough attention  that many scientists have studied him and the effect of his technique. Recently three independent scientists have received the Nobel Peace Prize in physiologu and medicine  "for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability."
See a short animation and education here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfyDTcuX0SE&feature=youtu.be


More details about this science. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/blog/hormetic-hypoxia?utm_source=email-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-november-19


When you are comfortable with Wim Hof here is an Advanced yogic options to enhance your experience.
After you are very comfortable with the flow of the above sequence, you can start to perfect it by learning about yogic breath hold locks or yoga Bandhas. Mula bandha is a beneficial lock when holding an exhalation.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx_O4GmZxKQ


The Great Lock Technique - Maha Bandha. Full breath hold. This is most beneficial while holding an inhalation.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZ9eLub65Q