Wim Hof: 'I've been called a madman for 40 years'

“Brilliant! Alright! Here we are!” An excitable Wim Hof settles down in his kitchen to talk ice baths, healthcare and whether or not he actually holds 26 world records. (Many beg to differ, but here we are.) Ironically, it is the record button on my screen that has caught his eye. “Great!” he cries out again, as the little red dot appears. I enter a quiet panic: he has done this before, hasn’t he? I take a deep breath as he nods in approval: in some ways this is the perfect introduction. Putting fear to rest through cool, collected breathwork is, in fact, the very premise of the Wim Hof Method.

Since it was formalised about 15 years ago, the Wim Hof Method has won plaudits amid some fierce criticism. Built on the three pillars of breathing, cold therapy, and commitment, it is rooted in the concept of free, holistic healing: an attractive idea which –