There exists a special breed of athletes whose impressive accomplishments have been tremendously overshadowed by those of the most well-known athletes of today. This breed of athletes does not play with a ball or compete in the way that others do; instead, they literally test the limits of their bodies in the rawest form—genuinely putting mind over body in a way that most big-name pros could only hope to imagine. Just as there are people who have developed abnormally high IQs, there are people who have mastered control over their bodies. These unsung heroes are the freaks, the mutants, the seemingly fantastical people who inspire wild fiction. Among them is Wim Hof.
Cold is not a word that Wim Hof is familiar with. Aside from holding 20 world records involving enduring extreme cold, including being immersed in an ice bath for over 98 minutes, Hof has also climbed Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro in nothing but shorts and shoes (temperatures were as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit). Hof also went more than the extra mile when he completed a full marathon above the Arctic Circle in a little over five hours. Hof is, to say the least, a freak of nature.
The impressive resume that Hof has garnered for himself over the years does not go without question. How does he do it? Can I do it too? Does he worry about hypothermia? All of these questions have answers, but not all of them are simple. Hof explains his mysterious method of resisting the cold as an ability to “turn his own thermostat up.” Hof believes in the power of yogic breathing, which is called Tummo. Tummo, which means inner heat, is a special type of yoga that (unsurprisingly) is intended to allow you to control your inner heat. In his six-step exercise, when done correctly, the student will be able to take control of and regulate their bodily temperature. Hof has written a book entitled Becoming the Iceman, which guides people along the way to invulnerability from the cold. Interestingly enough, hypothermia does not affect him, seeing as his blood flow remains at a healthy level. Currently, Hof is being studied by Maria Hopman of the UMC St. Radboud Nijmegen Institute in order to get a good understanding of his phenomenal ability. Although Hof is still somewhat of a mystery to science, Hopman has concluded that he has control over his autonomic nervous system. This control allows him to regulate his breathing rate, heart rate, and body temperature. Hof does not shiver, nor does his heart rate increase as his metabolism doubles. There are still many unanswered questions regarding Hof, but the way to an enormous scientific breakthrough is slowly being uncovered.
Without a doubt, Hof has disproved the impossible. Unlike any other professional athlete, Wim Hof has truly overcome any mental blockades. His form of athleticism transcends the traditional definition of the word itself and makes a category of its own. Athletes of this caliber are few and far between but are equally as notable as any conventional athlete.