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 temperature.
Wim is able to hold his breath with ease for over six minutes while his entire body is submerged under water. Cold water, obviously. It’s possible for everyone. The base lies in proper breathing.
At the TED conference held last year in Amsterdam, Wim Hof was a featured guest. Professor Maria Hopman of the Nijmegen Medical Centre explained how she had studied Hof’s abilities and provided three possible explanations.
1. He’s conditioned his body to accept extremely cold conditions.
2. He’s genetically advantaged.
3. His thoughts allow him to control his body.
Recently, Hof agreed to participate in tests that ultimately called into question the idea that his feats may be due only to physical conditioning. Scientists at the University Medical Centre in Nijmegen conducted various tests on Hof for a year, culminating in what they described as the most difficult test on March 31, 2011. That day, they tested Hof’s mental ability to influence his immune system.
The investigators concluded that Hof was remarkable, but that the experiment could not serve as scientific evidence until the same results could be obtained with larger groups demonstrating the same results.
However, so far, they have only been obtained in a single individual and therefore cannot serve as scientific evidence for the hypothesis that the autonomic nervous system and the immune response can be influenced through concentration and meditation techniques.
In addition, hardly any flu-like symptoms were observed