Wim Hof's daily routine: Rhythmic breathing, natural diet and no tech

'The Iceman' Wim Hof's daily routine: Rhythmic breathing, natural diet and good tunesThe motivational speaker rises with the sun, lifts weights in his garden, loves to set intentions and, of course, dips in a bath of ice

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I usually wake up with the sun. No alarm, no wearable. Just nature. I like to live as naturally as possible, waking up with the light and beginning with a deep breath. That’s the first thing. A conscious breath to start the day. It brings me right into my body, into my blood, into the moment.

Then I do a full breathing session. Deep, rhythmic breathing. I alkalise my body that way, and I can go minutes without breathing after exhalation. That, to me, is a biohack. It clears the residue, wakes me up clean. From there, I usually make a coffee and move into my physical routine.

Wim Hof

If I’m in the Netherlands or somewhere cold, you’ll find me outside in the dark at 5am, getting into a lake or my ice bath. That’s my cold exposure. Sometimes I swim across the lake in mid-winter. Not every day — that’s more mental training — but I’ll always get in, always feel the cold.

After that, I train with dumbbells in the garden. I’ve been doing it for decades. I’m 66 and still flexible enough to do the splits — that’s the power of habit. Discipline, habit, consistency. That’s the secret.

Read more: Wim Hof - ‘I’ve been called a madman for 40 years’

Flexibility is a part of my morning as well. I’ll stretch, move. Keep the body young. Then I set an intention. I tell myself: “Today I will live to the fullest. I will be strong, happy and healthy, no matter what comes.” That mindset, that prayer — it’s part of my mental training. I believe in the power of intention.

Wim Hof

If you don’t use your mind, it will use you. After that, I spend time with my kids. My youngest is 11 months old, and I walk with her around the garden and the pool, speaking Dutch — my native language. It’s a beautiful time of day.

I don’t eat in the mornings. My appetite usually doesn’t kick in until much later. I typically only eat one meal a day — around 4 or 5pm. That’s enough. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, long before it was called intermittent fasting.

I eat when I’m hungry, not by routine. And when I do eat, I avoid anything with chemicals. I don’t follow strict diets. No food politics. Just real food, from nature.

When I’m not eating, I might be fasting — especially if I feel the need to reset, or if I’ve gained a few kilos from travel or stress. Fasting, like cold exposure, is a powerful reset. It brings the body back to balance. Animals do it. We should too. It activates stem cells, clears out the old cells.

I work from home. My days are full — interviews, podcasts, retreats, events, music, books. I paint, too. I write poems. But it all begins after that morning regimen. That’s my foundation.

In the car, I listen to music — Pink Floyd, Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Rolling Stones, Beatles. Great voices, great messages. At home, I make music. I play piano, guitar, flute, percussion sometimes in the evenings to decompress — not as a professional, but with love. Music is my first love, always has been.

Wim Hof

In the evening, I wind down naturally. If I need help sleeping, I take a cold shower or do some breathing. That resets the body, clears the stress chemistry. Most nights, though, I fall asleep naturally. I avoid phones and screens. I don’t use trackers or apps; it’s just for calls and messages. No Whoop, no Oura. I trust my body. I don’t need data to know I slept well — I just feel it.

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I don’t take many supplements. My wife tries to give me some — vitamin C or whatever — and I take it, but I don’t rely on them.

Discipline, intention, connection to the soul. I don’t need AI. I don’t want to live in the past. I live in the moment. That’s where the power is.