For those wondering, Wim Hof is a Dutchman who is famed for his breathing techniques. Without going into too much detail, the Wim Hof method as it is known involves lots of quick inhaling, followed by an eventual exhale. The point behind this is to fill the lungs with oxygen which supposedly helps expand your lungs and improve your cardiovascular health as a result. His techniques have also been written into a best selling book that can be read here.
However, the Wim Hof method is more than just a theory. Wim Hof himself has tested it out on several, successful occasions. For instance, he has walked naked through snowy conditions and swims in freezing canals on a regular basis. As a result, BJJ practitioners such as Joe Rogan have shown interest in Wim Hof and preached about the potential health benefits. So, what does this method have to do with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
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Breathing is key to success in fighting, ask Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie has put a lot of his MMA success down to controlling his breathing. It may sound obvious but if you can control your breathing then you can control your body. This method was coined the Ginastica Natural method and has been around for a while.
Looking closely at both breathing techniques, they actually have a lot in common. If you look at the breathing of Rickson Gracie for instance, you can see him doing quick inhales to fill his lungs up. Unsurprisingly, his son Kron Gracie also had great success using this method and even secured gold at ADCC with it.
With this in mind, it’s quite clear that breathing techniques can and do help you in combat. Perhaps the biggest endorsement of this is Rickson Gracie himself who has spoken highly of the Ginastica methods. In modern day MMA, the likes of Alistair Overeem has also spoken highly of using it when fighting in UFC. So, why is controlled breathing so important for BJJ?
Why breathing is so important in BJJ
If ever you’ve had a competition, you may know too well how important breathing is. Even regular competitors will confess to gassing out far quicker than they do in the gym. Even if you come home with a gold medal, you may still feel tired in comparison to regular training. So, why is this? Well, the answer is that you are competing under stress whereas in the gym it’s more of a casual setting. Basically, competition nerves and adrenaline can wipe out your performance and ruin everything.
This is where the Wim Hof method comes in. After warming up adequately, you should start using the Wim Hof technique. This isn’t something you can just turn on without ever using before and you should be training it for weeks or even months beforehand. Like drilling moves, it should be something you practice on a regular basis and build up your form.
Anyway, once warmed up you can then start your breathing. Remember, this involves mass inhaling followed by a large exhale. After doing this for a few minutes, your body should then feel full of oxygen and ready to compete.
In practical terms, once you’ve got your lungs filled with air you should be ready to perform more efficiently. Instead of gassing out early and panicking, you’re more likely to perform for longer and at a higher level. Not only this but another benefit is that your mind will also be cleared. In brief, the Wim Hof method doesn’t just improve your bodies performance, it also improves that of your thinking. As BJJ involves quick, critical decision making – keeping your mind active is vital.
It should be added, the Wim Hof method is not some kind of magic tool to defend chokes. For instance, if caught in a guillotine, it’s not a good idea to start inhaling rapidly. This is clearly a stupid idea that could have serious health consequences, so make sure you do the technique before your match. To sum up, the idea is to breathe more efficiently. Obviously, humans will naturally breathe, but under stress, your mind can shut down. This is where the Wim Hof method comes into its own.
Other long-term benefits
As has been covered, the bulk of the Wim Hof method is ideal for improving your breathing and serves a very practical purpose. However, it also has other benefits that are linked with its training. The most prominent of these for any BJJ practitioner is that it improves your immune system. Anyone who has trained for years will testify that this is imperative for BJJ.
Basically, you will often run down your body by overtraining or mixing with other people. This is what can lead to common colds and other illnesses. As a result, you may fall ill and miss training as a result.
Overall, this could be a couple of weeks per year, depending on how much you train. This is where the Wim Hof method comes in. In short, it will improve your immune system that should in turn lead to more time on the mat. This will eventually lead to more training which quickens your learning and improvement.
How to train the Wim Hof method
As mentioned, it involves a lot of quick inhales and this is something that you will have to build up over time. Put another way, it’s like training the strength of a muscle and takes time to build up your strength. Although we’ve spoken about the benefits, it should also be noted that you should train the Wim Hof method safely. It’s common for new users to feel light headed by quick inhales as your body doesn’t get to exhale.
The result is that some inexperienced users can even faint at times. In some rare cases, some people have even died whilst using similar breathing techniques whilst in water. Having said this, if you follow the correct Wim Hof rules and practice sensibly then you should be fine.
This can be done in the house on your sofa and is often used before having a cold shower. The idea is to build up your immune system and tolerance to harsh environments. However, it can also be used in the gym before training. Instead of doing a 20 minute warm up, you could choose to instead warm up for 10 minutes and dedicate the other 10 minutes to practicing Wim Hof breathing methods. Ideally, this should be done on your own in quiet to avoid distractions.
Specifically, the Wim Hof method involves quick inhalations until your lungs are full, this will depend on your tolerance. After this, you should follow up with a huge exhale for as long as possible. After this, you should inhale again in one large motion to fill up your lungs. In short, the idea is to fill up your lungs with oxygen and control your breathing. Thinking about this in BJJ, the point is not to panic and breathe inefficiently.
Some people combine this with cold showers, but for BJJ it’s completely your choice. Another way of thinking about the Wim Hof method is that it’s similar to meditation. Physically, it resembles a lot of the breathwork that is seen by Buddhist monks. Some users also report feelings of peace and euphoria after using it which shows just some of the other benefits.
Wrapping things up
Overall, the Wim Hof method is ideal for BJJ practitioners. Whether a seasoned competitor or a casual hobbyist, it offers something for everyone. However, it should be taken seriously. It’s not something you can dip into 5 minutes before training with no prior practice. With this in mind, it can take some people years to master. Having said this, for the average person you should start to see results in a few months.
In a sport dedicated to strength and conditioning and cardio work, this method makes sense to pay attention to. Arguably it’s less draining than running with similar results when performing. In conclusion, the Wim Hof method is great at improving your mat cardio. Not only is it useful for BJJ, but it is also used in other martial arts as well as mainstream sports such as cycling and sprinting. As a final note, make sure you practice it safely and most of all enjoy the benefits that it brings. More information can be found here.
