Wim Hof - Dutch swimmer and stuntman, better known as "The Iceman" (The Iceman). Thanks to its unique abilities, it can withstand extremely low temperatures, as evidenced by its repeated world records.
There are many interesting facts in the biography of Wim Hof, which we will tell about in this article.
So, before you is a short biography of "Ice Man".
Biography of Wim Hof
Wim Hof was born on April 20, 1959 in the Dutch city of Sittard. He grew up and was brought up in a large family with 6 boys and 2 girls.
Today, Hof is the father of five children born to two women: four from his first marriage and one from his current marriage.
According to Wim himself, he was able to clearly realize his abilities at the age of 17. It was at that moment in his biography that the guy conducted a series of experiments on his body.
The beginning of the way
Already at a young age, Hof was free to run barefoot in the snow. Every day he became less sensitive to the cold.
Wim strove to do his best to go beyond his capabilities. Over time, he managed to achieve such high results that they learned about him all over the world.
The longest stay on ice is not the only record set by Wim Hof. As of 2019, he holds 26 world records.
Through consistent and persistent training, Wim has achieved the following:
- In 2007, Hof climbed 6,700 m up the slope of Mount Everest, wearing only shorts and boots. An interesting fact is that a leg injury prevented him from climbing to the top.
- Wim ended up in the Guinness Book of Records after spending 120 minutes in a glass cube filled with water and ice.
- In winter 2009, a man in shorts alone conquered the top of Kilimanjaro (5881 m) in two days.
- In the same year, at a temperature of about -20 ⁰С, he ran a marathon (42.19 km) in the Arctic Circle. It is worth noting that he was wearing only shorts.
- In 2011, Wim Hof ran a marathon in the Namib Desert without taking a single sip of water.
- Swam for about 1 minute under the ice of a frozen reservoir.
- He hung only on one finger at a height of 2 km above the ground.
For most people, the accomplishments of a Dutchman are phenomenal. However, the record holder himself does not agree with such statements.
Wim is confident that he managed to achieve such results solely thanks to regular training and a special breathing technique. With its help, he was able to activate the anti-stress mechanism in his body, which helps to resist the cold.
Hof has repeatedly argued that anyone can achieve about the same results as him. "Ice Man" has developed a health-improving program - "Classes with Wim Hof", revealing all the secrets of his achievements.
Science considers Wim Hof a mystery
Various scientists still cannot explain the Wim Hof phenomenon. You might be surprised, but somehow he learned to control his pulse, breathing and blood circulation.
It is worth noting that all of these functions are under the control of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn does not depend on the will of a person.
However, Hof somehow manages to control his hypothalamus, which is responsible for thermoregulation of the body. It can constantly keep the temperature within 37 ° C.
For a long time, Dutch scientists have been studying the physiological reactions of the record holder. As a result, from the point of view of science, they called his abilities impossible.
The results of a number of experiments prompted researchers to reconsider their views regarding the fact that a person is not able to influence his autonomic nervous system.
Many questions still remain unanswered. Experts can't figure out how Wim can double his metabolism without raising his heart rate, and why he doesn't shiver from the cold.
Recent studies have shown that, among other things, Hof is able to control his nervous system and immunity.
The "ice man" once again stated that almost any person is able to repeat his achievements if he masters a special breathing technique.
Through proper breathing and hard training, you can learn to hold your breath underwater for 6 minutes, as well as control the work of the heart, autonomic, nervous and immune systems.
Wim Hof today
In 2011, the record holder and his student Justin Rosales published the book The Rise of the Ice Man, which featured a biography of Wim Hof, along with a range of techniques to help withstand cold temperatures.
The man continues to devote time to training and set new records. For more than 20 years, the Dutchman has not let go of the desire for new tests and tests of strength.
Photo by Wim Hof
