WIM HOF METHOD | INSTRUCTOR MANUAL

Fundamentals Workshop

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copyright by Wim Hof © 2018

Dear WHM-instructor,

This manual is intended to provide the tools required for preparing and delivering a
WHM Fundamentals Workshop. Here, you will find the framework for the format and
content of a workshop. To create consistency between the workshops worldwide,
you’ll find information and techniques that make the blueprint of the Fundamentals
Workshop. Next, we encourage you to use your own expertise and flavor to expand
the workshop. If, for example, you want to put more focus on meditation or
endurance in the workshops, there is space for that. We hope you will organize
fantastic, successful workshops. Happiness, Strength & Health for everyone J. Good
luck!

Overview

Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Workshop 3

Safety and Contraindications 15

Research 16

Wim Hof Method Fundamentals Workshop

Before the workshop

Before the workshop starts, you can send participants an information package (PDF
format). This package provides a brief explanation of the three components of the
Wim Hof Method, as well as information regarding a 20-day cold shower challenge.
With this, participants can better prepare themselves for the workshop. In addition, a
health declaration has also been added for participants to complete at home.
However, we always recommend having a few physical copies at the workshop, for
those who forgot to bring it. You can find these materials in the Instructor’s Library.
When you send the information package to the participants, it is also possible to add
the workshop program.

Program

Duration: 4 to 5 hours (including lunch)

Program: Method (components), stretching exercises, ice bath

11.00 – 11.30 Registration

11.30 – 11.45 Introduction and program, with short introduction about yourself
(experience method)
11.45 – 12.15 Theory components
12.15 – 13.15 Breathing exercises (explanation, practice and debriefing)
13.15 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 14.30 Stretches (flexibility)
14.30 – 15.00 Breathing (short round) and changing clothes
15.00 – 15.30 Ice bath (30 min) + horse stance
15.30 – 16.00 Changing clothes, questions and closing

Introduction
You can start by welcoming everyone. It’s also nice to go through the program. Here
we also suggest you tell a personal story. Who are you? How did you discover the
method? What are your experiences with the method? Do you have an anecdote
about Wim? What is your biggest/best personal development using the method? Try
to make it personal, so you express your true feelings. Find storytelling techniques
to strengthen this.

Basic idea behind the history and method

It's nice for people to hear some background information about the method. How did
it start? How was it developed? In Wim’s books, syllabuses and documentaries, you
can find plenty of information about this. If you prefer using visuals to illustrate your
story, you can make use of the interactive talking board, which can be found in the

instructor library. You can start at the left corner of the talking board with Wim’s
story and how he used nature as his teacher. If you follow the road, you see how he
went from his first dip in the ice cold water of a pond in Beatrixpark in Amsterdam,
to his first world record, and eventually to scientific proof of his method. Next, you
can use the hexagons of the three pillars to explain each point in detail. Lastly, the
safety rules are also outlined on the talking board. It is not necessary to use these
graphics, but it might be a useful tool.

Here is a short summary:

For decades on end, Wim Hof has been training his body and mind in the most
extreme wintry conditions, in untamed areas. Nature has always been his teacher.
He found that breathing, as well as overall mindset, work more effectively under
these conditions, which, in turn, results in greater endurance to extreme coldness.
Throughout the years, Wim has further designed and perfected his techniques by
consistently examining his body and mind, and by continuously expanding his own
boundaries, time and time again.

His stunts landed him a great deal of exposure and the nickname The Iceman. Thus
far, he has been listed over twenty times in the Guinness World Book of Records,
including for:

• Climbing Mount Everest past the “death zone” (~7,500 meters) wearing nothing but
shorts and shoes (2007)
• Completing a full marathon in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F) above the polar
circle in Finland. He ran the entire race shirtless and finished the marathon in 5 hours
and 25 minutes (2009)
• Taking the longest ice bath ever recorded: 1 hour 53 minutes and 12 seconds
• Running a full marathon in the desert of Namibia with temperatures of 40 degrees,
without drinking any water

In 2007, Wim Hof’s feats were studied at the Feinstein Institute. The results showed
that Wim had developed the capacity to influence his autonomic nervous system.
This means he is capable of reducing inflammation in his blood. Ever since he fully
realized this, he has made it his goal to share his findings with the world. To curtail
critics and to look deeper into the possibilities of the method, he has intensified
collaborations with the academic world.

Science
In 2010, scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands, more specifically the
physiology department, conducted further research to examine the validity of his
method. Led by professor Hopman, Wim immersed himself into ice baths with each
session, lasting 80 minutes, while various measurements took place. Given the
promising preliminary findings, researchers soon initiated extra investigation. The
year after, this led to an experiment with endotoxin. During this study, they injected a
cell wall with the E. coli bacteria in Wim’s blood. Under normal conditions, this

should trigger an overreaction in the immune system and activate flu symptoms.
Wim, however, only suffered a mild headache. In addition, the results exposed how
Wim only produced half the number of defense proteins, in comparison to the other
subjects who participated in the test. Once again, the outcome determined that Wim
has the potential to govern his autonomic nervous system.

In doing so, curiosity arose if others who tried the method could achieve similar
results. The deliberate interference in the immune and autonomic nervous system
can have significant consequences in the area of health and illnesses. Considering
health is a diligent matter, and to make sure people are not given false hope, we
decided to work in close cooperation with Radboud University. In 2013, a research
team consisting of Kox and Pickkers examined whether others were also capable of
influencing their immune system and autonomic nervous system by practicing the
Wim Hof Method. The blood results of the group trained by Wim Hof unequivocally
demonstrated that the autonomic nervous system and immune system can be
influenced by people other than Wim himself.

New research is being done in the fields of pain relief, autoimmune disease and
brain research.

Basic understanding of the method and it’s components

Of course, the method will be discussed during the workshop. How extensively is up
to you, just be sure the information is correct. You can also use anecdotes again with
the various components. You can explain the method first and then go deeper into
each component (and do the exercises).

Who can benefit from the Wim Hof Method?

Positive results are not guaranteed, but the Wim Hof Method can help with many
different conditions - countless testimonials attest to this. Some speak of ‘miracle
cures’ while others have simply overcome their fear of the cold or improve sporting
performance. There are three ways in which this method can benefit you: healing the
body, reaching optimal performance, and reconnecting with nature.

Alleviating ailments
Many people find the Wim Hof Method to work as a complement (or alternative) to
modern medicine. It could certainly be a natural way to heal a variety of conditions.
The list is growing and includes, among others, the following:
• Increased pain tolerance
• Decreased insomnia and allowing for better sleep
• Alleviating symptoms of depression, fatigue, and chronic pain
• Breaking bad habits such as drug addiction and dependency
• Speeding up the recovery process for broken bones and other ailments
• Improving blood circulation, leading to more energy
• Turning a weak immune system into a powerful and healthy one

 • Overcoming fear of the cold and chronic behavior to cold exposure, such as
“shivers”
• Lowering levels of stress and anxiety

Reaching optimal performance

Many athletes, instructors and health fanatics use this method for the following
benefits:
• Gaining more energy in everyday life as well as while performing/training
• Improved focus, concentration, and creativity
• Better recovery times
• Heightened awareness and determination

Reconnecting with nature

The Wim Hof Method helps you connect with your own personal truth through feeling
and experiencing real life without any blind faith. This means you may experience
short stints of complete bliss, confidence, gratitude, and love. You may feel
reconnected with nature, and you may feel reconnected with yourself and your inner
being. This method will show you how to tap into your own inner fire and discover
your true nature, regardless of the beliefs you already hold.

Breathing techniques

Why is it important to breathe properly?

Begin with the importance of breathing. Why is it good to breathe properly? And how
do you breathe properly?

EXERCISE | You can start with an experiment. Let the people count how many times
they breathe per minute. Also, let them put one hand on their belly and the other on
the chest. Do they breathe from the chest or do they breathe through the belly?

Explain that breathing influences your nervous system and state of mind. Some will
breathe paradoxically, meaning they breathe in and their chest expands and belly
goes in. You will breathe in shorter bursts and activate your fight or flight system
constantly. This, in turn, influences your state of mind and physiology, and not in a
positive way.

There is a relation between breathing and anxiety; people who breathe more
superficially tend to be more anxious and are worse at focusing their attention then
people who breathe deeply and calmly. Breathe through the belly, deeply and calmly.

What is the Wim Hof Method Basic Breathing exercise? Discuss expectations and
safety
Explain what the breathing exercise looks like (explain the WHM Basic Breathing
protocol) and also what they can expect, e.g. light headedness, tingling in the hands
and feet etc.

EXERCISE | You can start with a ‘scientific experiment’. Let them breathe out, hold
their breath and count how long they can hold it for. Then do the same after 30 deep
breaths. It is a way to teach them a part of breathing - by experience.

You can then explain why they can hold their breath for longer afterwards: It
(temporarily) changes the ratio between CO2 and O2 in the blood; you are exhaling a
lot of CO2 out of the body. Because your breathing reflex is correlated with the
amount of CO2, and you just exhaled a lot CO2, you can hold your breath for longer.
CO2 is an acid, and thus your pH-level goes up, bringing your body (temporarily) into
an alkaline state.

Start doing the breathing

Give them the feeling that they are in control. Tell them that the moment they feel it
is too intense for them, they can stop doing the breathing exercises. Also, explicitly
tell them that when people feel the need to breathe during the retentions, they
should do so. Longer retention times are not necessarily better. In particular people
who have just started may prefer to inhale through the nose and out through the
mouth.

EXERCISE | WHM Basic Breathing Exercise (Protocol)

Follow these steps to do the WHM Breathing exercise (3-4 rounds)
1. 30-40 times: breathe in deeply, let your breath out;
2. Last breath fully out;
3. Fully in;
4. Let your breath go (unforced);
5. Hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe;
6. Breathe fully in;
7. Hold for 10-15 sec;
8. Let go, repeat cycle 3-4 times

This protocol is a guideline and way to start teaching the basic WHM breathing
exercise to your participants. They are written to guide somebody step-by-step
through the technique in the Fundamental Workshop.

Tell them also that everybody is their own teacher: ‘Listen to your body and get to
know what feels good for you. Learn from the signals your body and mind send you.
Use this as personal feedback to the application of the exercises on your body and

mind, and adjust the exercises to what is effective for you. Everybody is different, find
out what works for you!

Some more guidelines and tips

• Do the breathing exercises in a quiet/safe environment
• Do the exercises laying down or in a sitting position
• Advise the people who have never done the breathing exercises to inhale
preferably through the nose and out through the mouth
• Advise people to first inhale to the belly (belly comes up), then fill the chest
and then let go – unforced
• Give a small demonstration on what the breathing looks like
• Relaxing music is a beautiful add-on for the experience
• Do the breathing exercises all together. Some people will have longer
retention times than others. In the workshop it is best to explain that normally
during a retention you breathe fully in when you sense a breathing reflex. In
the workshop it is best to lead the breathing exercise all together and stick to
smaller retention times that work for everybody. See example below:

Round 1: 45 seconds
Round 2: 1 minute
Round 3: 1.5 minutes
Round 4: You can leave it open here

After the breathing, let them meditate for at least 5 minutes. After this, ask how they
feel.

Discuss the physiology of the breathing exercises

Now, everybody will be curious about what just happened. This is a good moment to
briefly explain what has happened in the body.

By doing the breathing exercises, more oxygen is distributed throughout the body in
a short time. Your mitochondrion, the powerhouses of your body, turn glucose and
oxygen into energy, and release carbon dioxide and water. To keep the story short:
By doing the breathing exercises you are producing a lot of energy in a short time.

The breathing exercises also raises the pain-threshold, which makes it easier to
withstand pain or the cold.

You are also bringing your body temporarily into a fight or flight response, so your
adrenaline level rises. In the Radboud study, they measured that people doing the
breathing exercises had more adrenaline in their body than people bungee jumping
for the first time.

EXERCISE | Push up exercise
An effective and powerful exercise is to compare the push-up set in a normal
condition and after one round of breathing exercises

Some questions that may arise:

My fingers tighten up— what is happening?

During the breathing exercises, you may experience involuntary muscle
contractions, known as ‘tetany’. Intensified breathing causes an efflux of CO2, which
in turn starts a cascade of ionization changes that lead to increased sensitivity in
nerve cells. These then require less excitation to provoke a muscle response, to the
point where muscles can contract spontaneously. The effects are typically expressed
most distinctly in the hands and feet, but can extend across the entire body. Barring
any preexisting medical conditions, this phenomenon is entirely harmless, and the
effects fade away within minutes. Over time, it may no longer arise at all.

My ears are ringing— is this normal?

This effect is known as ‘tinnitus’, and it has a wide range of causes and
manifestations.
For some people, practicing the WHM either induces or exacerbates the ringing,
while for others it changes the pitch. Conversely, those dealing with chronic tinnitus
often find relief in the calming effect of the breathing techniques.
The connection between tinnitus and the Wim Hof Method has various possible
causes. Medical research shows a direct link between pulsatile tinnitus and anemia,
which the WHM may exacerbate through elevated oxygen intake. The breathing
exercises also increase neural activity in the auditory brainstem, where the brain
processes sounds, possibly causing auditory nerve cells to become overexcited.
The scientific community continues to grapple with the particulars of tinnitus, but
has established that the phenomenon itself is harmless. In the vast majority of
cases, the ringing disappears with repeated breathing practice. If you find that, after
several weeks, the noise persists or intensifies, some underlying physiological
condition may be at play, and we recommend you consult a medical professional.
You are bringing your body into a stress response; I thought stress was bad?
There is a difference between long-term and short-term stress. With this method
you are giving your body a short term stressor, also called eustress. This is
something beneficial for your body. You can compare it with giving your body a
vaccine. In the short term, your body has to work hard to fight the intruder, but in the
long term your body adapts to it, and it doesn’t cause harm.

 Mindset/commitment

Explain why mindset and commitment is so important

Like anything in life, your mindset dictates your experience. To paraphrase Buddha,
“Our life is the creation of our mind.” Shakespeare meant something similar when
he said, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” With the
wrong attitude, this technique simply will not work to its fullest potential. For
example, if you don’t trust the method or yourself, you will quit early during your
cold showers before giving your body a chance to work its wonders. Cultivating a
‘strong’ and positive mindset is a critical part of our method. When you have a
positive mindset and are fully committed, it’ll help you go deeper in your breathing
and cold exposure practices. And, even better than that, you’ll be able to take that
mindset and incorporate it into your daily life: going to work, dealing with family
issues, and more. Remember what Shakespeare said, “thinking makes it so.”

Say a little bit more about the science involved

This is also backed by a proof-of-principle study. This study adds to a previous study,
published in 2014, on the ability to voluntarily influence a physiological stress
response in healthy men to induced inflammation, after WHM training. It is a study
that investigated how one’s expectancies might play a role in treatment outcome.
Indications were found that generalized outcome expectancy optimism is a potential
determinant of the autonomic and immune response to induced inflammation
after training. Participants with a higher outcome expectancy optimism suppressed
inflammation more than the participants with a lower outcome expectancy optimism.

Say a bit about how commitment can be increased

It’s important to know a little bit more about Habit Formation: ‘New behaviours can
become automatic through the process of habit formation. Old habits are hard to
break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioural patterns which
humans repeat become imprinted in neural pathways, but it is possible to form new
habits through repetition.’

You can explain to your participants that commitment is important to experience the
long-term effects. Ask them to think about when, where and how many times a week
they want to start practicing the method. Let them also think or write what barriers
will prevent this and what kind of solutions they can think of to overcome these
difficulties.

EXERCISE | Practice visualizing ice bath

EXERCISE | Practicing horse-stance (10 minutes) ; Explain it’s a very important tool
to warm up after the ice bath

 Cold training

Why expose yourself to the cold?

We live in a society today that is quite ‘comfortable’ compared to our ancestors.
When we are hot, we turn on the air conditioning. When we are cold, we turn on the
heater or put on a warm sweater. The truth is, we have mistaken ‘comfortable’ for
‘healthy’. There are many reasons why exposing yourself to the cold is beneficial.

Release happy hormones, increase energy and focus

Immersing yourself in cold water elicits a positive stress response throughout the
body in a similar manner to the breathing exercises already described. When this
happens, the body starts pumping out positive, ‘happy’ hormones while clearing the
mind, increasing your focus and giving you an immediate energy boost. Also, training
with the cold is an excellent stress adaptation exercise.

The mind and the cold stressor

Exposure to the cold teaches you how to handle stressors and pain. The cold causes
discomfort or pain, and you notice this in your body and in your mind. During cold
exposure, your body sends out pain signals. By using focus and breathing
techniques, you can learn to handle these pain signals differently. Dealing with
discomfort or pain in the cold teaches you how to handle physical and psychological
discomfort in any situation.

Training the cardiovascular system

By training with the cold, you are also training your circulatory system. This system
consists of 125.000 km of blood vessels. When you put all these vessels in a row, you
can literally circle the globe three times. This system is critically important for the
functioning of the body. When it does its job properly, the body functions better, as it
permits blood to circulate and transport nutrition, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones
and blood cells to and from the cells in the body.

Your body temperature is kept in check by the hypothalamus. A healthy body has a
temperature between 36.8 and 37 C (89.2 and 99.8 F). When exposed to cold, your
body automatically closes off the bloodstream to the less vital parts of the body
(legs and arms), so that more warmth can be kept in the core, the vital body
parts (the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and head). Your arms and legs temporarily
become a bit colder without risking damage. Thus the temperature can rise
and drop depending on the environment. When it’s hot your body begins to sweat,
causing vasodilation, vessels opening up, to get rid of heat. When body temperature
drops, the hypothalamus first sends nerve impulses to the skin to stimulate
shivering.

This, in turn, generates warmth through muscle activity. Secondly, certain blood
vessels in the skin contract, which conserves heat in the vital body parts. Your arms

and legs may begin to tingle. Exposing yourself to cold is a good way to train your
blood vessels and cardiovascular system. Compare it to training your muscles. Most
people who do a fair amount of exercises experience muscle pain the next day. Yet,
after recovery, the muscles have grown stronger. The same analogy applies to your
blood vessels. Longer exposure to cold leads to adaptation and the development of
brown fat, so that you can withstand the cold better. A beneficial is that this is also a
good tool to lose weight.

What is brown fat?

Brown fat is a type of fat tissue that can release energy directly (unlike white
fat, which stores energy), thus resulting in the production of heat. Newborn babies
have a relatively high amount of brown fat. However, this amount drastically
decreases over time. Adults are supposed to have none or hardly any left.
However, recent research found that brown fat can be present in active adults.
Furthermore, exposure to the cold, starting at 16°C, can activate brown fat
tissue. Thus, brown fat can be retained by means of low-temperature training,
irrespective of the person.

EXERCISE | cold exposure

Ice bath & warming up techniques
EXERCISE 1 | hands & feet in ice bath (optional)
EXERCISE 2 | 1-2 minutes in ice bath

Practical tips for the ice bath

Explain the 3 phases of taking an ice bath to the participants. You can tell them the
following: start by assuming a can-do mindset. Confidently enter the water, and take
deep, calm breaths. Embrace the cold and try not to react to it. Do NOT perform the
WHM breathing technique. Just try to relax, focus on your breath, and bring it into a
controlled, steady rhythm. Keep that same focus as you exit the water

Step 1: Before cold exposure: Prepare yourself by doing the breathing exercises (you
can do one or two rounds here). Try to visualize the ice bath. How does it make you
feel now? Try to visualize how you enter the cold and notice how you feel when
entering it?
Step 2: During cold exposure: Take deep breaths through the nose and try to relax.
Step 3: After cold exposure: When you get out of the water, the exercise is not done
yet. Keep your focus, and warm up by doing the horse stands. Try to visualize
recovery.

Is it necessary to take the cold shower directly after the breathing exercises?
No, it is not necessary to take the cold shower directly after the (breathing) exercises.
However, the breathing exercises will supercharge your body and mind. This will
make it easier to go for a challenge (move mountains). In this case, a cold
shower/ice bath. Another physical effect is that the pain threshold increases

because of the breathing exercises, which makes it easier to adapt to the cold. If you
are not able to shower directly after, do a mini breathing exercise before you step
into the cold shower (30 deep breaths and focus on your "challenge"). Good luck

Why do I shiver after being exposed to the cold?

When you expose your body to the cold, it automatically keeps vital organs at a
constant 37 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the rest of the body decreases as
the peripheral blood vessels contract, sparing heat emission. The heart rate
increases and breathing accelerates. When there’s enough warmth again, the
peripheral blood vessels in the arms and legs dilate and return to normal.
Consequently, the warm blood, in the core, mixes with the relatively cold blood,
which leads to a lower core body temperature. You can experience an after drop
after exposing yourself to the cold. Practice the horse stand to heat up from the
inside and keep your focus. To help prevent this, it is important to slowly build up
your exposure to the cold. Firstly, this gives your body time to gradually become
accustomed to the cold and, secondly, your body will begin to warm up faster after
cold endurance sessions.

Stretches and exercises

Physical stretches are important to the three components in the WHM. The goal of
the exercises is to:
• Enhance mind-body connection
• Improve blood flow circulation and flexibility
• Increase focus
• Improve stability and balance

Closure
Reserve some time at the end for questions. Discuss some takeaways and
potentially a follow-up too.

Package
After the workshop you can send the people a (free) package. We will provide you
with some materials for this. The package is a PDF explaining the basic exercises,
PDF Wim Hof Method Explained and any photos that you will take.

Safety and contra-indications

When the WHM is practiced in the correct way, it can contribute to a healthy, strong
and happy life. As the breathing techniques and cold exposure can affect the
physiology of the body, this can have profound effect on people in poor health or with
certain illnesses. Therefore, it is important to clearly explain the safety rules of the
WHM (e.g. the breathing exercises should always be done in a safe environment) and
make people aware of the contra-indications. Furthermore, pay attention to the
dangers of a shallow water blackout.

We also recommend to ask in advance whether a person has a medical problem. You
can do this by sending a health declaration, which is added to the information
package you can send before the start of the workshop. You can also always ask this
(again) at the beginning of the workshop. An indicator to check the condition of
people and whether they can practice the method is to ask if they can do sports and
if they can go to the sauna without encountering any problems.

We discourage people to perform the method in case of epilepsy, Raynaud’s

syndrome type II or pregnancy.

For any serious health condition, the participant should first consult their doctor.
Furthermore, additional care should be taken for some participants. This is
particularly the case for the following conditions:
• People who have heart problems, a blood pressure that is (much) too high and
use medications for this
• Kidney failure
• Angina Pectoris
• Raynaud’s syndrome (type I)
• Migraines - people can experience sudden migraines when entering the ice
bath. Therefore, it is advised to gradually build up cold exposure for people
with a history of migraines
• Shortly after an operation
• Panic disorder - during the breathing exercises and/or the ice bath a sudden
panic attack can occur. It is important to pay attention to these symptoms,
take the time to calm down the participant. When the person is guided
properly, the WHM can have many positive effects on the participant
• Cold urticaria
• Severe asthma - pay attention to the correct execution of the breathing
techniques

Remember that every person can respond differently to the method. Something that
works for one person, does not necessarily mean it will work for someone else.

Research

Present
Ongoing research in collaboration with various institutions including Radboud
University, AMC and Michigan

2018
Article: “Brain over body”–A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function
during cold exposure
Authors: O. Muzik, K. Reilly, V. Diwadkar - Wayne State University School of Medicine
In this paper, a brain imaging study was conducted to measure the relative
contributions of the brain and the periphery that endow the Iceman to withstand the
cold using his Wim Hof Method techniques. The results provide compelling evidence
for the primacy of the brain (CNS) rather than the body (peripheral mechanisms) in
mediating the Iceman's responses to cold exposure. They also suggest the
compelling possibility that the WHM might allow practitioners to develop higher level
of control over key components of the autonomous system, with implications for
lifestyle interventions that might ameliorate multiple clinical syndromes.

2015
Article: The Role of Outcome Expectancies for a Training Program Consisting of
Meditation, Breathing Exercises, and Cold Exposure on the Response to Endotoxin
Administration: a Proof-of-Principle Study
Authors: H. van Middendorp, M. Kox, P. Pickkers, A.W.M. Evers - Radboud University
Medical Center
This paper adds to a previous study, published in 2014, on the ability to voluntarily
influence the physiological stress response in healthy men to experimentally
induced inflammation, after WHM training. It is a proof-of-principle study that
investigated how one’s expectancies might play a role in treatment outcome.
Indications were found that generalized outcome expectancy optimism is a potential
determinant of the autonomic and immune response to induced inflammation after
training.

2014
Article: Voluntary Activation of The Sympathetic Nervous System and Attenuation of
the Innate Immune Response In Humans
Authors: M. Kox, P. Pickkers et al. - Radboud University Medical Center
In this paper, the effects of the WHM on the autonomic nervous system and innate
immune response are evaluated. A group of twelve people were trained in the WHM
before undergoing an experiment to induce inflammation, normally resulting in flu-
like symptoms. Compared to a control group who were not trained in the WHM, the
trained group showed fewer flu-like symptoms, lower levels of proinflammatory
mediators, and increased plasma epinephrine levels. In conclusion, the trained
group was able to voluntarily activate the sympathetic nervous system.

Article: Controlled Hyperventilation After Training May Accelerate Altitude
Acclimatization Authors: G. Buijze, M.T. Hopman
This report is written on the effects of the WHM on acute mountain sickness (AMS).
During an expedition to Mt. Kilimanjaro a group of 26 trekkers who are trained in the
WHM appeared to use the method to largely prevent, and as needed, reverse,
symptoms of AMS.

Frequent Extreme Cold Exposure and Brown Fat and Cold-Induced Thermogenesis:
A Study in a Monozygotic Twin
Authors: J. Vosselman, W.D. van Marken-Lichtenbeld - Maastricht University
Medical Center
This study tested the effects of a lifestyle with frequent exposure to extreme cold to
brown adipose tissue (BAT) and cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT). The experiment
compared Wim Hof, who is used to extreme cold exposure moments, to his
monozygotic twin brother who does not have a lifestyle with extreme cold exposures.
Both use the WHM breathing technique. The results showed that no significant
difference in BAT or CIT were found between the two subjects. However, Wim’s core
temperature dropped less compared to his brother and his subjective response to
the cold temperature was more positive. Furthermore, the body heat generated of
both brothers is considerably higher than the average person. Thus, it seems that
WHM breathing during cold exposure may cause additional heat production.

2012
The Influence of Concentration/meditation on Autonomic Nervous System Activity
and the Innate Immune Response: A Case Study
Authors: M. Kox, M. Hopman, P. Pickkers. et al. - Radboud University Medical Center
After Wim Hof claimed he could influence his autonomic nervous system and thereby
his innate immune response, this case-study research was conducted. His ex vivo
cytokine response was measured during an 80-minute full body ice immersion and
practicing the WHM concentration technique. In addition, an endotoxemia
experiment was conducted to study Wim’s in vivo innate immune response. The
results showed how the concentration techniques of the WHM seemed to evoke a
controlled stress response. This response is characterized by sympathetic nervous
system activation, which seems to attenuate the innate immune system. Here, Wim
Hof proved he was able to influence his autonomic nervous system.

2009
Cold test during meditation and breathing exercise in Oulu (Finland) led by Prof.
Oksa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YcteE0u59c)
A Dare Devil documentary on the Iceman and its attempt to run a marathon at the
arctic circle, wearing only shorts.

2007
Blood tests during meditation and breathing exercises in New York led by Dr. K.
Tracey

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