Wim yard

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Wim Hof ​​during one of his record attempts

Wim Hof (born April 20, 1959 in Sittard , Limburg Province ), also known as The Iceman , is a Dutch extreme athlete who holds 26 international records for enduring extreme cold, including the record for the longest ice bath. He broke this himself several times, most recently in 2011 when he stood up to his neck in ice water for an hour, 52 minutes and 42 seconds. He attributes his success to the Wim Hof ​​method he developed himself , which essentially consists of a special breathing technique and is said to have a positive effect on health.

successes

In February 2009, wearing only shorts and shoes, he climbed the summit of Kilimanjaro within two days . In the same year he ran a marathon north of the Arctic Circle in Finland within five hours and 25 minutes. In spite of temperatures of almost minus 20 degrees Celsius, he again only wore shoes and shorts. In 2007 he climbed Mount Everest at a height of 7400 meters , wearing shorts and sandals. However, due to a foot injury, he did not reach the summit.

Hof claims to be able to endure heat as well as cold. In September 2011, he ran a marathon in the Namib desert without drinking any water.

method

According to Hof, everyone can achieve similar successes to himself through his breathing technique, which has become known as the Wim Hof ​​method , which is based on the Tibetan meditation practice Tummo and essentially consists of thirty to forty deep breaths in and out followed by holding one's breath. It is also said to have positive effects on both physical and mental health by helping against arthritis , diabetes , multiple sclerosis , cancer and various mental disorders , among others .

Wim Hof ​​teaches his method through books, smartphone apps and group seminars, among other things. He is convinced that everyone can develop similar skills as long as they get involved. His eldest son Enahm is the driving force behind popularizing and marketing the method.

A University of Minnesota study found no particular physical disposition at Hof . According to another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2014 , Hof uses targeted hyperventilation to increase his body's adrenaline levels , his pulse rate and the leachate level of his blood. This enables him to consciously control and regulate his body's immune system and the development of inflammatory reactions in his own body. However, there is a lack of scientifically meaningful evidence for a possible “strengthening” of the immune system or a related protection against infectious diseases.

Private life

Wim Hof ​​is one of nine children. Hof itself has six children, three boys and three girls. Four are from his first wife, who committed suicide in 1995. His sadness as a result of the death of his wife was, according to his own statement, the main reason that he occupied himself with developing techniques to be able to endure in extreme cold. His second wife gave birth to their fifth child, a son, in 2003. Another son was born in 2017.

Web links

Commons : Wim Hof  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Erik Heedegard: Wim Hof ​​Says He Holds the Key to a Healthy Life - But Will Anyone Listen? In: Rolling Stone , November 3, 2017, accessed May 20, 2018
  2. ↑ a b c Joseph Angier: Iceman on Everest: 'It Was Easy' In: ABC News , April 14, 2009 (English).
  3. ↑ Background information on Hof at hofoutdoor.nl , accessed on May 20, 2018
  4. ↑ a b c d Documentaire VICE: Wim Hof ​​the Iceman. In: innerfire.nl , accessed on January 13, 2020 (Dutch)
  5. ^ Iceman Wim Hof ​​on Kilimanjaro Summit , youtube.com, accessed on May 20, 2018
  6. ↑ Daredevils: The Iceman , published September 18, 2009
  7. ↑ Helmut Hetzel: It doesn't get any cooler than this. In: Frankfurter Rundschau , June 2, 2010, accessed on January 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ Wim Hof's blog on innerfire.nl
  9. ↑ Marketing of the method through the company Innerfire BV
  10. ↑ Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , May 20, 2014, accessed May 20, 2018.
  11. ↑ Jörg Wipplinger: Wim Hof ​​Method: Does the ice cream man strengthen the immune system? In: Medicine transparent . February 28, 2020, accessed July 8, 2020 .
  12. ^ The Iceman Cometh. In: scottcarney.com , accessed May 20, 2018.
  13. ↑ Video from his everyday life in 1998 published on Wim Hof's YouTube channel , in which he can be seen with his first four children
personal data
SURNAME Hof, Wim
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Iceman, The
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch extreme athlete
DATE OF BIRTH April 20, 1959
PLACE OF BIRTH Sittard