| Wim Hof | |
|---|---|
"Iceman" Wim Hof immersed in an ice bath |
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| Born | 20 April 1959 Sittard, Limburg, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Occupation | Record breaker |
Wim Hof (born 20 April 1959, in Sittard, Limburg) is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, commonly nicknamed the Iceman for his ability to withstand extreme cold.
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He holds eighteen world records including a world record for longest ice bath.[1] Hof broke his previous world record by staying for 1 hour, 13 minutes and 48 seconds immersed in ice at Guinness World Records 2008. The night before, he performed the act on the Today Show.
Dr. Kenneth Kamler monitored the event to explain the effects of using the Tantric practice Tummo to control one's body temperature. Tummo has been practiced by Yogi monks in Tibet. Wim describes his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures as being able to turn his own thermostat up by using his brain.
In February 2009, Hof reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in his shorts within two days. It took him only another two days to climb down.[2]
In 2007, he attempted, but failed (due to a foot injury), to climb Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts.[3][4] Hof has been criticized for his stated justifications for this attempt: "Edmund Hillary's ascent of Mount Everest was a testament to human achievement; my climb of Mount Everest in my shorts will be a monument to the frivolous, decadent nature of modern society."[5]
In 2009, Hof completed a full marathon (42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi)) above the polar circle in Finland in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F). Dressed in nothing but shorts, Hof finished in 5 hours and 25 minutes. The challenge was filmed by Firecrackerfilms, who make productions for the BBC, Channel 4 and National Geographic.[6]
Hof again broke the ice endurance record in 2010 by standing fully immersed in ice for 1 hour and 44 minutes in Tokyo, Japan.[7]
Hof was born in the Dutch town of Sittard, 2 kilometers away from the German border, and seven kilometers from the Belgian border.
Since his youth in the southern part of the Netherlands he has been interested in esotericism, Buddhism, Indian traditions, cultures and languages. He grew up in a Catholic family, with six brothers and two sisters as well as his father and mother.[8]
In November 2011, Hof and his student Justin Rosales published Becoming the Iceman, a book documenting their background, adventures, training, exclusive methods, and exercises used to attain the ability to endure extreme temperatures. The book proposes that it is possible for anyone to control their body temperatures. [9]