WHM BREATHING - who here does it?

You had a headache for 14 days?

On and off yep, tension headache. Dr knows so no amateur diagnosis or judgment thanks

Slight thread hijack: does anyone do cold exposure with Reynaulds disease? Are there any hacks?

I did do it for a while, but didn't particularly like it. Prefer my standard meditation and breathing exercises.

Also did a couple of years (straight through winter) of cold water swimming in just trunks and a cap. No health miracles occured, but I did enjoy it. The only reason I haven't kept it up is since we moved is the sea's not so fun here, lucky to see your hand in front of you and luckier if you see the jelly fish.

Slight thread hijack: does anyone do cold exposure with Reynaud's disease? Are there any hacks?

Someone mentioned on another thread that his wife with Raynaud's started cold water swimming and made a difference. I don't have Reynaud's but I started  having a cold shower twice a week and it's made a significant difference to how cold I feel.

started  having a cold shower twice a week and it’s made a significant difference to how cold I feel.

So from feeling “a bit cold” to “I’m bloody freezing!”by any chance!  😂

Slight thread hijack: does anyone do cold exposure with Reynaud’s disease? Are there any hacks?

I don't know if I have Reynauds for definite or anything (not seen a doctor about it), but when I've got in from very cold rides and started to warm up I can have this horrendous burning and feel like I want to rip my skin off across my stomach, thighs and lower legs.

Every shower I have now, I have my normal shower and then whack the control to fully cold for thirty seconds.
I don't experience any of those same tearing your skin off feelings.
Maybe it's to do with duration and therefore cold penetration? 🤔

I can get that proper ice cream head feeling, but seemingly no similar symptoms to my skin.

I don't know about measurable health benefits but I'm quite used to the feelings that cold water immersion can bring, and how good it can make you feel.

First thing I would always do kayaking was do a few rolls to 'cold-up'. Splash cold water in your face before a challenging rapid, that kind of thing.
Made you feel refreshed and focussed.

Sounds like you are trying to warm up too quickly from being very cold...the old person advice (the stuff grandparents tell the grandkids) is to warm up gently and slowly from being very cold. Stops chillblains and other stuff...it might just be that.

I've no medical training or personal experience of this.

WHM?

Wimm Hoff Method

Wim Hof. Charlatan Grifter famous for inventing breathing, a technique for being able to do things. Also famous for being a total shit to his family and wives, and for taking an enema in a public fountain. It should as no surprise to anyone that someone who teaches people to swim in ice in their pants as a body-count.

Wim Hof is living proof that if alternative medicine worked, it would be called medicine

I've never watched or read WH but I did enjoy the book Breathe and feel that meditation is probably good for you, I've certainly felt amazing at the end of a yoga class.

Some of the claims in Breathe about the technique Wim uses seem a bit unlikely.

taking an enema in a public fountain

Lake Geneva? Never felt so clean.

'I don’t know if I have Reynauds for definite or anything (not seen a doctor about it), but when I’ve got in from very cold rides and started to warm up I can have this horrendous burning and feel like I want to rip my skin off across my stomach, thighs and lower legs.'

That sounds like standard hot pains to me - try winter climbing when your hands get wet.. 🙁 .  Answer - more clothes, insulation and windproofing

He's definitely a questionable character, given his past and his claims. IIRC he was an alcoholic with associated MH issues, so maybe there can be a bit of compassion in relation to that.

However,the breathing method itself is nothing new in the world of yoga and breathing practices. Other breathing practices are available 😉

don't do the WHM breathing but I've been doing yoga for about fifteen years so have my own practices for that. Read the WHM method book last year and have been doing daily cold showers for a year now. Started off jumping around in there for about fifteen seconds, now I can stand there comfortably for between 5-10mins. Funnily enough it's about relaxing and controlling the breathing. Excellent way to wake up in the mornings. Thing is now  everytime I walk along a river bank I find myself looking for good places to get in. Don't think it'll be long before I'm cold water swimming.

@nickc take a deep breath... Try again...

It's a shame that he has become so associated with cold water therapy/swimming. I know dozens of cold water swimmers and none practice any particular breathing technique so the two things shouldn't necessarily be conflated.

As Nickc says, utter grifter. Appeals to similar types that will be suceptible to various conspiracy theories in my experience. Same personality as Russell Brand, Andrew Tate et al, with a different modus operandi. These types are ever more dangerous in the age of social media and populism.

I tried it for a while but I think I prefer just doing breathing exercises and go cold water swimming.
I think he started it all with the best intentions but now that big money is involved I get the feeling it is all being corrupted. Def a strong essence of grift going on now.

The naysayers - what harm can the breathing exercises and cold water do?

There are obvious and proven benefits to both.

Ignore the person and look at the process holistically - how can it not be beneficial?

Because it has nothing to do with it, and everything to do with his genetics. His own brother did some the things Wim does a while back without doing all the breathing shit just to show what made up nonsense it all is... I think to date something like nine people have lost their lives doing stupid shit because of him

I've never understood why people invest special made-up powers in other people and then still defend them when they turn out to be charlatans, who're just after your cash...

@nickc struggling to see where you address the question?

There are obvious and proven benefits to both.

Are there though?

Like I said already, don't think the two things work in parallel. If you want to go cold water dipping/swimming then breathe however you feel most comfortable - but just remember to breathe.

I haven't noticed any benefits to my health from the cold water swimming other than it feels nice. No difference in illnesses etc.
Mentally it helps though.
I still am highly skeptical of the whole wim hof industry though

struggling to see where you address the question?

You asked "where's the harm" I told you nine people have died trying to re-create what he does. I reckon that pretty much covers it.

@nickc  pretty safe in the shower I think at 5 degrees and doing the breathing techniques in my bed!!

Aren't the breathing exercises just fairly standard controlled breathing? I learned them as part of CBT/Mindfulness.

Yep just easier to talk about being grouped into a "method"

Fairly play, also apologies if my initial dismissal came across as rude....if it's working to mitigate your headaches then good stuff. Maybe take a look at some mindfulness stuff....Jon Kabat-Zin (I'm spelling that off the top of my head) is a good resource for this.

I'm have a very low tolerance for the likes of Wimm Hoff, hence the tone of my initial response. One of my very best mates gets taken in by lots of these conspiracy theories (including Wimm Hoff). He ended up in a Buddhist cult at one point, I genuinely worry about him a lot.... he's as nice a person as you could ever wish to meet.

Lol no worries Tom

I hardly ever get headaches, a couple of goes at the old hyperventilation breath holding thing gave me a massive headache both times so I was out…as others have said I fail to see the link between the breathing and cold stuff. As far as I can tell, getting used to the cold is just about repetition and acclimatisation.