Wim Hof: "Why I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in shorts"

I will always embrace the unknown.

because it’s just more exciting than boring s#:t

Hi guys, in 2008 I came up with the idea to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in my shorts.

Nobody had done that challenge.

Up there they say it's very cold and windy and half the amount of oxygen.

But I took on the challenge.

It was in 2008 and I'm going back in time here looking at this video screen,

and doing this climb

going into the unknown.

So let's hit it and watch it.

There I see the mountain already.

That’s ‘Uhuru peak’ you just saw there.

It’s the highest peak on Kilimanjaro.

It’s height is at 5895 meters height. (19 340 feet)

And it feels like it’s within reach but it definitely isn’t

We just have a few days to acclimatize so pacing is of great importance.

To go up with caution and in control

and to not underestimate the lack of oxygen

which could result in fluids swelling up (Edema) or altitude sickness

because that would cause a lot trouble

But we see it...

For the first time and very clear.

Until you reach Mandara hut you’re still walking in the forest.

and then slowly but surely you leave the forest.

It’s very nice to see myself from 16 years ago.

I’m being pulled to the summit.

As long as the goal has not been met I’m going up in a fast pace.

There a risk in doing that but I know how to deal with it.

I also went up Everest.

We’ll see how things go tomorrow but first we go up for a bit.

Africa.

Do you understand why people think you’re a bit strange?

I get it but they don’t get it.

Then who’s the weird person?

I do understand why I’m like this

I love life and I love to challenge myself.

I just fully go for it and also discover...

possibly very meaningful things for mankind.

That’s only possible if you’re willing to stick your head out.

and you’re not afraid to look further than what is considered normal.

I did that because I had to.

It was my gut feeling.

I discovered these universal techniques.

You will not find that if you don’t search. And I searched.

And that’s why that is not weird

but is it weird to stay in that weirdness.

We’re dealing with many diseases and uncomfort.

People don’t know how to get out of that.

I do.

What can you bring to mankind?

What I can give mankind...

Roads and trajectories that have not been discovered yet.

where we might find things that can turn out to be very meaningful

This still needs to be scientifically verified

That’s going to happen very soon.

Wow...

So in 2008 I had not done real science.

and yet I was absolutely explaining my vision.

That I was going into the unknown to find things that are going to be very valuable for scientific understanding.

And feeling the gravity of that.

That’s what was driving me.

To understand that there’s more than meets the eye.

It’s there but if you don’t seek you will not find.

I found.

What could you set in motion?

I could bring the techniques that I have learned

so that people learn how to manage their own nervous system

to take back control over their diseases instead of being a victim

of the many diseases that are out there.

The vision was completely there.

And now everybody knows the outcome.

We showed that the autonomic nervous system and innate immune system can be deeply influenced.

Poa poa (Good good)

The important thing about this moment as that this was all my belief

The climb was a mirror.

to test my belief that with better breathing I was able to go past

physiological laws of high altitude sickness

We have to walk slowly here.

because we are acclimatizing.

Normally I would walk in a faster pace.

If I was already acclimatized I would probably go up to the summit today.

But that’s not possible

You need to increase...

the amount of red blood cells,

in your...

in your bloodstream

to avoid low oxygen in the body

Later that day.

Lot of rain.

I remember a lot of rainfall.

The weather’s quite bad right?

This is one of the worst thing that can happen

It’s just above freezing temperature, and there’s rain and hail.

It’s just not good to walk in these conditions.

To walk for hours on end in this rain?

on this height without being acclimatized?

That is asking for trouble and physiologically it won’t work.

You’re in a difficult rainy situation

and you don’t know where you go and how fast,

Nobody has done it before.

For combustion of energy you need oxygen.

There’s a lack of that on this height.

Approximately half the amount of oxygen is available here.

But for the energy combustion at this level you need a lot of oxygen.

So that’s too much for now.

Even for an iceman that’s too much.

I think it’s better to not continue.

and to act upon this situation

because I know what’s physiologically possible and what’s not.

We are not here to do crazy things.

We are not going up the mountain with this crew in the pouring rain.

Who would want that?

Who would do that?

That would be a crazy.

That’s not what I am.

I might be a bit weird but I’m not crazy.

Not that crazy.

I’d rather have the tranquillity of the cold.

I don’t mind if the temperature is below freezing point,

instead of walking through this rain and hail.

But we are going to summit this mountain.

That’s for sure.

The hail went down pretty hard.

and very long.

We’re happy that it’s over now and that the sun is setting.

But at 2 o’clock midnight it will probably be different.

But let’s do it.

That's one of my records.

I ran a half marathon barefoot

Those are both world records.

Back then nobody knew me.

And I was just that stranger doing incredible stunts.

“Hey this man must be crazy.”

but they also respected it in a way.

because they know it’s cold up there.

Oh this is swimming under the ice.

Oh my god.

I feel sick looking at that.

Iceman, you’re mad.

‘eccentric’, is I think the word we meant to use.

I hope you’re not married because I feel bad for your wife...

That’s why he’s... - I’m married.

Are you?

I’ve got five children.

Oh my God.

Does she ever worry or did she give up worrying?

No she knows I can do that.

She's confident.

I love my wife very much.

She loves me very much as well - I’m sure she does.

She would have to.

Iceman.

Yes.

Something unique

and special.

Well you've proved it's possible.

Best of luck for tomorrow.

Good luck to you.

Success

Lovely to meet you.

Good luck.

Success.

Goodbye. Goodbye. Bye. Bye.

Look at me sometime

The ‘Western Breach’.

The ‘Western Breach’ is the fast way.

The last bit was very difficult.

“Are we not there yet?”

I became exhausted because of the lack of oxygen.

I took the snowy route.

And that without using mountain shoes.

I had borrowed the shoes from a porter.

and those African shoes were very slippery.

It didn’t have any spikes on it.

I went up anyway.

If your drive is strong enough,

then material does not really matter.

It’s a hard mountain,

We’re already going to the top

Time to acclimatize was very short.

But I have have a good guide.

But so far so good?

Yes sir.

Good good.

A pioneering spirit is a spirit that is stronger than fear.

I can see that.

That was in him.

I can see the reflection of a soul that knows no fear.

The power of the soul is stronger than the fear.

Do you know why?

Because there is no death in a soul.

When the soul is present then you are able to do crazy stuff.

This was a path of spirituality.

A path that brought me into the unknown upon Kilimanjaro.

I see it and recognize it.

Beautiful right?

Beautiful mountain.

Beautiful mountain.

“Where there is a will...” they say in Dutch.

“... there is a way.”

and I found a way,

and I went on that path.

and that path is the path of your faith.

It’s not about the Kilimanjaro.

It’s not about going into the cold or doing the breathing.

It’s about learning how to tap into the depth of ourselves.

which contains so much more power.

Iceman!

Ok good.

Okay.

I will pose here.

Wow...

Time traveling.

Yeah.

Ok hey

Congratulations.

You're out now at ‘Uhuru’

“Freedom” Peak, Tanzania.

5895 meters (19 340 foot)

Africa's highest point.

World's highest free standing mountain.

of the world's largest volcanoes.

Welcome.

Congratulations Iceman.

Thank you.

We have done it.

Good.

What an adventure.

I always will embrace the unknown.

because it’s just more exciting then boring s$5t

Yeah sorry...

It’s what it is.

Now we can go home.

I’m going back to my wife and children.

Well done.

See you later.

Task accomplished.

So good to see footage from 16 years ago.

But the spirit was already there.

The clarity and vision was already there.

That is the most important thing I saw.

I didn’t earn any money with, it or even fame or anything like that.

Because nobody really knew me back then.

What I’ve learned from this...

Wow.

I already had the belief, the vision, the insight and clarity,

that breathing the cold and believing (mindset)

are able to tackle disease.

To get that within your control.

That’s belief.

Hakuna Matata.

Iceman!

Hakuna matata!

Hakuna matata!