up:: [[Wim Hof Method]] tags:: #effort #note/develop # WHM Fundamentals Workshop > WIP, needs cleanup for workshop template Intention: * Participants free deep relaxation during the breathwork session * Participants can take the method home and practice safely on their own Happy, Healthy, Strong Three Pillars: Breathwork, Cold Exposure, Mindset Cite scientific papers whenever possible. ##### Benefits of WHM Breathing * Diaphragm is developed during the embryonic stage, and the most under used muscle * "The only muscle used is the diaphragm" * Diaphragm (70%) drives the intercostals (20%), the last 10% is forced inhale * Exhale is longer than inhale, every exhale is relaxation * Hormetic stress: acute asphyxia -> EPO (erythropoietin) with adrenaline -> increase red blood cells count * Alkalizing the blood, because CO2 is acidic, also the cause of tingling sensations. * ^ is important because nearly every electrical and chemical event in the body (energy production, oxidation, immune activation, cleaning up toxins) has an acidifying effect. At capacity, toxins continue to circulate, and calcium is take from bones to neutralize pH. Safety: never do breathwork while driving, standing, or near water. ##### Group Exercises * Candle blowout to show forced exhale, higher intensity * Push-up exercise, before = muscle fatigue (anaerobic), after = ran out of air (aerobic) ##### Benefits of Deliberate Cold Exposure * Hormetic stress, endorphins (endo-morphine) from pituitary gland * Increase in white blood cell count (WBC) * Conditioning and gaining control over vascular vessels * Brown fat, packed with mitochondria, UCP1 (uncoupling protein 1) interaction with ATP generation. Shivering -> Irisin -> Brown Fat gen/activation * The cold further enhances a "pineal" sympathetic nervous system, release endocanaboids and has an analgesic effect. * WHM is more 80% breathwork, 20% cold exposure. Talk about mechanics of breathing. ##### Stretches to prepare the body for relaxation. *Use breathwork* * Front fold (with engaged back) * Neck Stretches * Janu Sirsasana / Single Leg Stretch * Cat Cow (make note for vertebrate by vertebrate) * Child's Pose (hand on back) * Bridge (hand on sides)