Daily blog #17

Inhale.. Exhale

“Inhale through the mouth… and let go” are words often heard during a guided Wim Hof breathing session. If you haven’t heard of Wim Hof, you’re in for a surprise. Beyond the insane feats and world records is a meditative practice with numerous health benefits that is yours for the taking. If you have never heard of him, the man is truly remarkable and has built a huge following of people from all walks of life who “get high on their own supply”. He offers a simple breathing routine that anyone can do, and if you haven’t focused on your breathing, I recommend it. As the legendary Saulo Ribeiro says “if you don’t breathe, you die”.

You will start by performing 30 deep inhales through the diaphragm and then the chest followed by not an exhale but what he calls letting go. The idea is not to force oxygen out in order to retain more oxygen within the body’s cells. This is performed for 3 rounds with a breath hold after your 30th exhale, it is encouraged you time it. It also is important you follow his disclaimers and expect some light headedness especially the first time. Do not take this lightly warriors, follow the instructions and you will reap the rewards. People go their entire lives without breathing properly which can seriously lower the immune system as well as lead to poor decision making and a host of health related issues. A breathing practice will result in clarity of mind, focus, relaxation along with improving your body’s capacity to store oxygen. You will feel much more focused and sharp at the beginning of your day if you practice this plus, the ability to hold your breath under water longer than all your friends is kind of cool.