Wim Hof, better known as “The Iceman,” is a 58-year-old man from The Netherlands who made a name for himself with his ability to withstand extreme cold. He attributes this to breathing exercises which enable him to “turn his own thermostat up.”
Hof holds 26 world records for various feats involving extreme cold, from staying in an ice bath for nearly two hours to running a full marathon above the Arctic Circle in Finland dressed in nothing but shorts.
What’s more, Hof claims his methods can be learned by anyone. His breathing, meditation, and exposure techniques are scientifically proven and taught by practitioners worldwide, and Hof himself leads cold seekers on expeditions where they can learn his techniques firsthand.
VICE magazine caught wind of The Iceman’s story and he offered to take two of VICE’s American hosts on a journey to learn his methods while climbing a mountain. What they found and recorded in this 40 minute documentary was nothing short of astonishing. If you spend time in cold places, these techniques could save your life in dire situations. Or just keep you a little warmer.
