I’m continually looking for things that reinforce my belief that anything is possible. Whether it be naturally improving eyesight, an Age Grouper winning IRONMAN, or following a guy that wants to live forever. But these stories rarely show up in traditional media because today’s news is a number’s game.
I’m not interested in people telling me to use sanitizer wipes, I’d rather hear that exposure to germs is necessary for your immune system. I don’t need someone telling me to stock up on milk because the roads will be slick in the morning. And I certainly can’t take another cute blonde telling me to get a flu shot.
I want to hear about people who are pushing the limits and don’t settle, not predictable words written by an underpaid producer and read by a handsome guy in make up. I want information that inspires and shakes.
About two months ago, I was having trouble sleeping (probably worried about the new landfill zoning) on a cold dark night and by chance I landed on a mind-blowing Joe Rogan Podcast. Right there before me was “The Iceman,” Wim Hof, bursting with energy and sharing his secrets for being alive: Deep Breathing and Exposure to the Cold.
Hof owns 20 world records related to extreme weather feats, including: climbing Mt. Everest and running a marathon at the arctic circle in -4 degrees; both wearing only shorts, and standing neck deep in a tank full of ice for one hour and forty four minutes.
He credits his ability to control his autonomic nervous system (turning up his internal thermostat through breathing) and says this ability can be learned. He also says the things he is doing only scratch the surface of human capability and there is evidence these relatively simple techniques are capable of reversing many of our modern day diseases, including Parkinson’s.
There is really cool movement going on outside of the mainstream. People all over are refusing to accept limits by pushing the endless possibilities of humanity.
IRONMAN is a great example because it’s turning into the modern day version of the marathon. The more that people do it, the more we realize it’s not as impossible as it seems. What’s next?
In a world of polluted airwaves it’s hard to escape negativity, but people like Wim Hof are cutting through the noise with explosive discoveries, many of which are proven by science. And if a guy like him, in his 50’s, can also finish a full marathon in the Namib desert without water, I gotta believe I can find a better approach to hydration for a silly little thing like IRONMAN.
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Check out this film on Wim Hof produced by Vice.