wim hof method of physical toughening- ever hear of it?

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http://www.bewellbuzz.com/health-tech/w ... abilities/
this method claims to do the following-
•Boost immune system and control it
•Control pain
•Lose weight by increasing brown fat (more brown fat means better utilization of that fat you don’t want on your body)
•Improved brain function (increased focus and concentration)
•Better circulation and vascular health
•Quicker recovery from stress
•Control over your emotional states (be happy more!)
it basically is progressive exposure to heat/cold plus deep breathing exercises combined with meditation. I can handle the breathing stuff but NOT the cold showers/ice baths.

i have not heard of these methods but i read about wim hof's feats multiple times in the record books (i collect them).

i would take cold showers more often if i didn't have to constantly freak about running out of water. if our drought were a person i wouldn't wait to go and eviscerate it.

i love the cold and california is a s***.

^^^wow you are a tough cookie

I actually read his book, or rather, tried to and then skipped to the exercises, read the instructions and sent it back. The meditation and training instructions are all online, anyway, but the rest of the book is new age gibberish.

That said, I do take cold showers, and am enjoying them, since I 'read' the book.
I haven't run outside in shorts yet, though.

The breathing bit is funny. You see, intense hyperventilation has certain effects, such as increased nerve exciteability - which might acvount for some of the control Wim Hof has gained over his autonomous nervous system.

Sadly, Hof explains the science very... New age-y and fundamentally incorrect.
Wikipedia gives a better overview of what's actually going on when you hyperventilate, but the jump from scientific fact to how one can actually gain some control over his immune system remains, so far.
But: it seems to work to some extent, and can be learned.

^^^wow you are a tough cookie

Thanks, but on the downside, I feel cold for hours afterwards.

Both Tummo and holotropic breathing are very much the same, btw. But at least Wim Hof 'admits' it's basically hyperventilating.

The funny thing about it is, they all sell it on the idea that you're increasing the oxygen in your bloodstream. But blood is usually 98% saturated anyway, and what you're really doing is getting rid of co2. And as co2 levels trigger the urge to breathe, you're training yourself to run on less oxygen, actually (o2 level staying the same, but no urge to inhale).
That, and low co2 widens the peripheral arteries, BUT contracts brain arteries, meaning: that somewhat drugged sensation is your brain being deprived of oxygen.

You can actually do this until you black out.
Not uncommon among apnoe-divers in training.

So, the science says it's not something you'd really want to do, but science admits it doesn't understand why wim hof can do what he does, and why it works for his students.

I can't have any further narrowing of MY brain's arteries, no sir