Wim Hof - Becoming the Iceman

Copyright 2011 by Justin Rosales

MIll City Press

212 3rd Ave North, Suite 290

Minneapolis, MN 55401

612.455.2294

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-937600-54-9

B ecoming the Iceman is a project inspired by Wim and Justin to show the world that anyone can adopt the ability to become an Iceman or Icewoman. The project's goal is to show that the ability to control the body's temperature is not a genetic defect in Wim, but an ability that can be adopted by anyone.

For many generations, we have been taught to fear the cold:

"Don't forget your jacket! You don't want hypothermia, do you?"

"Put your gloves on before you get frostbite!"

Of course, these are consequences of extreme cold exposure, but with the proper understanding, anyone can learn to use the cold as a natural teacher.

You may have seen Wim running around on television, barefoot in the snow or swimming in ice-cold waters. While he is doing those incredible feats, he isn't worried about how cold it is; he is enjoying himself.

Like any new tool, you must understand how it works before you can use it efficiently. This pertains to the cold as well. Wim is the epitome of what can happen if someone uses the cold to train the body.

You might ask, "How can you prove that anyone can learn this ability?" We're glad you asked...

As of Fall 2009, Justin Rosales had no experience with the cold whatsoever. He was a college student attending Penn State University. After Justin's friend, Jarrett, showed him one of Wim's videos on YouTube, they became exceedingly interested in understanding this ability. They wanted to see if it was possible for anyone to learn. So they thought, "Why not test it on ourselves?"

In Spring 2010, after speaking to Wim for several months via email, Wim invited Justin to attend a workshop in Poland for ten days. After many days of working as a dishwasher, Justin was able to pay for his trip to Poland and learn the technique of the Iceman.

With more training and countless experiences with the cold, Justin began to slowly adapt. The length of time he could remain exposed to the cold increased dramatically. He quickly realized that the technique to withstand the cold was, indeed, an ability that could be harnessed by anyone.

This book tells the tale of Wim and Justin's journey to Becoming the Iceman!

I have come to a point in my journey where I can finally say, "I did it." Now is the time to write about my experiences. I have been a pioneer all my life and I think it is best to finally share my wisdom with the rest of the world.

Fear and trust are the components of the human psyche. Though the path may be to ascend up steep mountains, I use no auxiliary tools, only my mind.

Many years ago, I lived in the Spanish Pyrenees, making money by working as a canyoning instructor. The beautiful canyons that surrounded me were made when water excavated natural doorways into the massive mountains of the Spanish Pyrenees.

To go canyoning safely, you need ropes, wetsuits, watertight buckets, backpacks, and a lust for adventure. These are the essential things needed to safely guide people through the labyrinths of rocks and steep walls.

The feeling is always good after a strenuous day in the canyons, simply because you have to comply with whatever nature dictates. The aching muscles are signs of a hard day's work.

When traveling through the canyons, it's important to stay centered and focus within. Don't worry about the fear; embrace it. Centering, instead of thinking too much, creates a physiological process that affects both the body and the mind. If you're centered, vertigo is controlled and every descent teaches you to trust the equipment and yourself.

There comes a point when the vertigo is nothing but a mathematical problem within the mind. Once you know the proof, you can reach the solution with practice. Doing this gives control over the mind and an understanding of your limits.

Using that serene point of view, anyone can begin to enjoy the grandeur of their surroundings during their descent. This is the moment that most people enjoy when they come to the Pyrenees.

I know the paths through mountains like a child knows the shortest and nicest way to his favorite spot. During our expeditions, I would point out the flora (plants), fauna (animal life) and the geological structures of the Pyrenees. In a way, it soothed the people that I led because it gave them an understanding of my experience and hopefully gave them more of a reason to trust me.

When we would finally reach the upper part of a canyon by focus, concentration and strength, my followers would begin to feel the fear inside of them. It is at this time that I would explain to them that the journey was about overcoming that fear and becoming stronger.

Overlooking the mountains, there are many beautiful monoliths standing alone, as if an enormous artist sculptured them. In my mind, one monolith stands out among the rest: El Huso (The Spindle). To me, it looks like one of the Stone Heads on Easter Island. It is the mysteriousness that catches my attention. Like a magnet, it draws me in.

One day, while I was traveling through the Pyrenees alone, I decided to examine the behemoth. As I got closer, the rock seemed bigger and bigger. Touching it from all sides, I calculated her height and the possible climbing routes. I then decided that I would soon tackle this majestic entity and climb this amazing rock with no rope or safeguards.

My fear and trust began to initiate their irrational beliefs of a near-death reality. My body tightened at the thought of falling. Now was not the time to climb.

Descending back the way I came, I contemplated how I would approach my climb. I went deeper into myself as I felt my determination growing stronger. I told no one of my plan to ascend the mysterious rock. It was my challenge and I had hoped that it would help me look deeper into my soul.

I began to train my body, doing pushups on my fingertips, pulling myself up on doorways using only my fingertips, and meditating on the single thought of climbing.

That's when the nightmares began. I dreamt that I was climbing El Huso and I was controlled by fear. It was an overwhelming sense of powerlessness that seemed too impossible to overcome.

Fear does not go away by itself. You have to confront your fear, mold it, then learn to control it in it's own irrational reality. Every human being has the power to do just that. To go deep within and confront your inner being is a powerful act. Going deep and developing the will power is the only way.

For days I continued training, visualizing the climb, concentrating on the hunger inside of me. I developed a determined focus that I knew would only grow stronger. The nightmares slowly began to fade, telling me that it was almost time to climb.

The day my nightmares stopped, I realized that the fear was gone and my trust had replaced it. Trust is the element needed to conquer fear. I went to where El Huso was located and eyed up my worthy adversary one last time. It was at that point that I realized I forgot my climbing shoes, but there was no turning back now!