ROTTERDAM, May 23, 2011 (Times of India): The Iceman’s students look wary as they watch him dump bag after bag of ice into the tub of water where they will soon be taking a dip. The plan is to try to overcome the normal human reaction to immersion in freezing slush. Instead, under the direction of ” Iceman” Wim Hof, the group of athletes is going to stay in the water for minutes practicing his meditation techniques, seeking possible performance or health benefits.
Hof, 52, earned his nickname from feats such as remaining in a tank of ice in Hong Kong for almost 2 hours; swimming half the length of a football field under a sheet of ice in the Arctic; and making the Guinness record books for running a half-marathon barefoot in Finnish snow in deep subzero conditions. He also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2009, wearing only sandals and shorts.
Hof tells his students meditation in the cold strengthens mind and body. Some scientists also say ice bath treatments may have circulatory benefits for athletes, or help them recover quicker after training, although this remains controversial. For most people, hypothermia begins shortly after exposure to freezing temperatures without adequate clothing.
Hof says he can endure cold so well because he has learned to activate parts of his mind beyond the reach of most people’s conscious control, and crank up what he calls his “inner thermostat”.
Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery at Brooklyn Hospital Center said he wasn’t surprised at Hof ‘s ability to influence his body temperature, given the growing body of evidence that Himalayan monks who practice “Tummo” meditation have similar abilities.