Wim Hof Method (Breathing exercise explanation + Benefits)

Hi Steemians! Ill like to share with you all this technique im practicing now since a month, and i can really feel the improvements that has made in my body and life, i feel full of energy after every practice, and also reduces stress or anxiety in an enormous way!

Before explaining the technique, who is Wim Hof? What is this Technique?

Wim Hof is a Dutch extreme athlete known as The Iceman for his ability to withstand extreme cold, which he attributes to his Wim Hof Method breathing techniques based on Tibetan Tummo meditation but without its religious components.

Hof claims that his Tibetan-based breathing method can help with or help alleviate symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, cancer, etc.

Wim Hof has set out to spread the potential health benefits of his breathing techniques, working with scientists around the world to prove that his techniques work. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America claims that by consciously hyperventilating, Hof can increase his heart rate, adrenaline levels and blood alkalinity.

Here a Step by Step of how to start with the Breathing exercise:

(1). Get comfortable

Find a comfortable place to do your breathing exercises where you won’t be disturbed. You can sit or lie on your back, but do not do this exercise whilst driving or standing up.

(2). Do 30-40 power breaths

Once you’re comfortable, you can start to breathe in and out 30 times. This is essentially deep breathing at a steady pace in and out through the mouth. Inhale fully but don’t exhale all the way out. As you inhale you should feel your belly rise and on the exhale, you should feel your belly fall. It may feel a bit like you are hyperventilating, but you are in control. Like me, you may also feel a tingling or lightheaded sensation throughout your whole body, when you do this for the first time. This is perfectly normal.

(3). Hold your breath

After doing 30-40 Wim Hof power breaths, empty your lungs of air and retain the breath for as long as you can without force. During the retention, I found it relaxing to close my eyes and focus on the space between my eyes. Just remember to set a stopwatch if you’re interested in recording your results. You might want to see how you progress with the breath retentions if you plan to do this regularly over a set period of time.

(4). Breathe in for 10 seconds

After the breath retention, take a deep breath in and hold it for a further 10-15 seconds, before exhaling.

(5). Repeat steps 1-4

Repeat the whole process for another three rounds. Remember to record your times down, so you can track your progression.

(6). Meditate after 4 rounds of power breathing

After the power breaths, you can then go into your regular practise of meditation or meditate for five minutes if you’re a complete beginner by closing your eyes, bringing your awareness to your breath and focusing on the space between your eyes.

Over time, you can gradually increase the amount of time you spend in meditation after the power breaths, but five minutes is sufficient for a beginner.

As with any new meditation or breathing technique, if it doesn’t feel right, stop doing it and trust your intuition. If you found the power breath exercise useful, I’ll be posting up more articles about the Wim Hof Method over the next few days.

Here the benefits! (Right click + Open image in a new Tab for Full Size)

Hope you all get big benefits with this method!