In this phenomenal interview with The Iceman Wim Hof, we discuss what I believe may be the edge and frontier of human potential. By studying Wim, who has achieved 21 Guinness World Records, scientists are building a knowledge base of what is possible for humans. As Wim trains others to do what he does, then he becomes less of an ‘outlier’ and ‘anomaly’.
This is why I asked him to talk with me. I am interested in learning how he accomplishes his feats so that I can apply his methods to my own life. My hope is that you will be able to take pieces of this interview and do the same with yourself, family, and business.
We discuss:
- Raising children
- Teaching others to handle adversity – The science of the body mind connection – Cold Exposure and Breathing
- Proof – Scientific findings and research
- His vision for teaching kids how to control their health, strength, and happiness (mood)
- Adjusting Mood (happiness) – The link between breath and mood state
- Eliminating depression
- The science behind his extraordinary feats
- His mission and vision for kids
- The benefits of cold immersion and breathing
- His favorite Guinness World Record
- His favorite experiment (performed on himself) to date
The Beginning of the Iceman
By the time Wim reached his teenage years, he was already running barefoot through the snow, comfortably. This was the beginning of a large series of confrontations with the cold, where every single time, limits were tested, and the outside world was stunned. Wim Hof is able to perform exceptionally, almost unnaturally, on what he is focused on during extreme situations. Due to our comfortable lifestyle today we are far removed from our natural body functions.
We breathe much more shallow which means that our body is not optimally supplied with oxygen. According to Wim, it’s not complicated at all: “What I am capable of, everybody can learn”.
Control over your inner nature
Wim has taught himself how to control his heart rate, breathing and blood circulation. All this is regulated by the autonomic nervous system. Science says that the autonomic nervous system is a part of the body you just can’t control, yet Wim can, by steering his hypothalamus (an area in the brain which regulates the body temperature). While the body temperature of an untrained person drops dangerously after exposing it to extreme cold, Wim is able to retain his core temperature around 37 degrees Celsius, constantly. Even after 1 hour and 52 minutes sitting in ice, Wim’s core temperature stays the same. Scientists around the world are baffled by this exceptional capability.
21 Guinness World Records
He has accomplished 21 Guinness World Records with the most exceptional and unique performances. Here is a sampling of those:
- Ice Endurance feat, which is set at 1 hour and 52 minutes
- Running a marathon above the Arctic Circle in shorts (the video of this is extraordinary)
- Running half a marathon barefoot above the Arctic Circle in only shorts
- Officially swam under ice for 66 meters, unofficially swam under ice for 120 meters with one breath
- Free climbing
- Hanging on one finger at an altitude of 2,000 meters
- Climbing the highest mountains on earth in only shorts (like Everest and Kilimanjaro)
- Full marathon in Namib desert without water consumption
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About Bill Murphy
Bill Murphy is a world-renowned IT Security Expert dedicated to your success as an IT business leader.
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