Wim Hof, aka ‘The Iceman,’ is a Dutch extreme athlete famous for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures.
He once held a Guinness World Record for swimming under ice and for staying in full-body contact with ice for an extended time.
Wim Hof is best known for developing the Wim Hof Method, a combo of breathing exercises, cold exposure, and meditation.
He claims his method brings many health benefits, can stimulate people’s deep physiological processes, and help them realize their full potential.
Sounds intriguing, right?
We thought so too, so we delved deep into The Iceman’s daily routine to better understand how it works.
Still, if you’re thinking about incorporating the Wim Hof Method into your daily routine, we recommend doing further research and talking with your physician first.
How we researched this routine: All the information in this article was collected from Wim Hof’s website, social media posts, and interviews. We also included some reviews from people who tested his method.
In an interview with The Diary of a CEO podcast, Wim Hof stated that he usually wakes up at around 5:00 a.m., but that this is not set in stone.
The athlete describes himself as an early bird, particularly because of his “little one”…
“He’s just, every morning: boom! There he is and you’ve got to serve. […] I’m actually thankful to him because he makes the day longer and stronger. In the morning the energy is just bloody strong and clean.”
Wim Hof says the first thing he does when he wakes up is his deep breathing exercises.
(I) go deep. Cleanse deep. Of all the processing during the night, there’s chemical residue. I get rid of it. I feel great!
Wim also claims that the best time for breathing exercises is in the morning, “on an empty stomach.”
In an interview with Lewis Howes, he explained his process in more detail:
“Breathing is always there, conscious breathing. Right now I’m a man on a mission, and every day, I think about what I [have] got to do with upcoming research. I’m taking care of that within myself, then conscious breathing, of course.”
Wim points out that he enjoys drinking a cup of coffee with no sugar and just a little bit of milk, every morning.
Every morning, Wim Hof takes an indoor ice bath, in what appears to be a refrigerated case, and shares that:
If you die once a day, you know what life is all about. Amazing!
According to Wim Hof’s video, A cold plunge a day keeps the doctor away! he sometimes swaps the morning indoor ice bath for an outdoor cold plunge.
Based on our own research and the insights we got from Alan Silvestri, another practitioner, the benefits of cold plunges include:
Following the ice bath, Wim Hof warms up through various exercises, like the Horse Stance, where he:
The athlete also enjoys doing asanas and says that:
In one of his YouTube Q&A videos, Wim Hof shares some of his daily activities:
Before going to bed, Wim Hof practices one of his breathing exercises for better sleep.
“The deep breathing exercise, with the intention to go to sleep, to find peace, is to go deeply into the hormonal system, which is the endocrine system. And it shows that when we do the breathing, we spike in adrenaline and then it comes back because the body resets and the body knows that it needs sleep. So, the melatonin is then able to get in because you cleansed the hormonal chemistry of its cortisol and whatever held you from being able to go to sleep.”
After his breathing exercise, Wim Hof simply goes to sleep. In one of his videos, he shares that:
“After giving my best during the day, sleep comes automatically and naturally. It’s coming in and then I’m going to love the sleep. I love to doze off into a regeneration, reparation, into the dream state, into the deep sleep. Regenerate and get my batteries loaded, to start off from the morning fully energized.”
He also shares his views on how much sleep is needed in a Facebook video:
“When you feel rested and you feel energized is when you [have] had enough sleep. […] So, my routine right now is about six hours and then, I feel ok.”
Wim Hof revealed he doesn’t eat breakfast because it makes him feel “stuffed up.” He went on to share that:
“I really enjoy the feeling that I’m fasting inside a little. […] If you’re going to the cold, then the cold doesn’t come to you. And when the appetite comes, I just delay.”
When asked by the reporter if this was a type of intermittent fasting, Wim replied:
“Yeah, but I did this since I was a young kid. [It’s ] intuition.”
In the same interview, Wim dismisses the idea of having to eat three meals per day, explaining that:
“You should feel like any animal in the world is not eating when it doesn’t need to eat because it doesn’t think. It only eats when it feels [hungry]. And when it feels that it needs to eat, [its] eyes become bigger, becoming more alert, adrenaline starts to run, they become sharper, then all the systems are at work.”
Hof goes on to say:
According to Wim’s website, the Wim Hof Method is a combination of three main pillars that help people reconnect with themselves, others, and nature.
Let’s take a closer look at the three pillars of the Wim Hof Method, as described on the website.
Naturally, we all breathe to survive. However, Wim Hof encourages people to practice mindful breathing to unlock a whole new range of benefits:
To get a better understanding of what mindful breathing looks like, check out this Guided Wim Hof Method Breathing video:
Wim Hof claims that the right kind of cold exposure kicks off a chain reaction of health benefits:
Wim Hof believes that you can only master mindful breathing and cold exposure with patience and commitment.
Therefore, people need to enhance their willpower, determination, and focus to enjoy all the benefits of the Wim Hof Method.
Once they do, they can start discovering and mastering their minds and bodies.
Due to Wim Hof’s rise in popularity in recent years, more and more people are eager to test his method and routine.
So, let’s see what others have to say about it.
We’ll start with Zac Perna, a fitness athlete, author, and social media influencer, who interviewed Wim Hof about his routine and then tested it out.
Note that Zac likes to have a bit of fun in his videos, so you’ll enjoy this one.
In his video, Zac Perna shares some of his insights:
Our next review comes from Derek DeMike, an entrepreneur and YouTube influencer, who tried Wim Hof’s breathing exercises and cold plunges for seven days.
Check out his video.
Here are Derek’s main insights after each day:
Derek goes on to say:
“This past week I’ve had more energy, my mood has been better, and I’ve just been more positive throughout the entire day.”
According to Good Reads, some of Wim Hof’s best books to read include:
Yes, you can combine Wim Hof’s methods with other forms of exercise or wellness routines. According to his website, people are different, which is why each person should develop their own Wim Hof Method practice.
Wim Hof’s daily routine actually incorporates yoga and meditation. The main difference is the ice baths and cold plunges.
One of the main challenges people face when starting Wim Hof’s routine is getting used to ice baths and cold plunges. However, Wim Hof explains that people can overcome this challenge by taking regular cold showers and gradually building up to two minutes.
According to his website, Wim Hof believes that through his methods everyone can tap into their inner potential and enjoy the numerous health benefits.
