You’re about 10 minutes away from a guaranteed brain and body boost.
Our resident fitness buff, Ryan Cooper, has brought us plenty of challenging workouts designed to strengthen our bodies. But given that Cooper’s approach to fitness is holistic, he also advocates for integrating breath work into your daily routine. His go-to exercise? The meditative Wim Hof breathing method.
If you’re not familiar with this simple yet effective approach to breathing, Cooper is giving a crash course in this quick and approachable video. Cooper begins by voicing his support of the practice: “I’ve used [this method] daily for the last four or five years.” Why, exactly? “It’s incredible,” Cooper says. “It sets you up, it gets you focused, and it helps you make better decisions.”
Cooper then lays down and launches into a rhythmic cycle of breathing that involves taking deep breaths and holding your breath for varying intervals. The goal is to focus on breathing deep into your belly before exhaling completely. Before you know it, the cycle of breath will lull you into a meditative state. And since this tutorial clocks in at just over 10 minutes, it has disproportionately huge rewards: We’d say a day’s worth of mental clarity and calm are worth the time you’d normally spend wondering what you’ll get for lunch.
Oh, and if you’re curious about the identity of “Wim Hof,” he’s a Dutch athlete and motivational speaker famous for being able to withstand incredibly cold temperatures. His breathing methods are part of his personal philosophy — but Cooper doesn’t pressure anyone to prescribe to a whole doctrine. You can just adopt this simple breathing technique and leave it at that.
Enjoying that peaceful mindset? There’s more where that came from — Cooper is cutting a deal for Katie Couric Media readers: Using the promo code KCM50, you can get 50 percent off Cooper’s fitness packages. That includes workouts, meditation guidance, breathwork, yoga sessions, nutritional advice, and — at some levels — one-on-one training. Wellness has never felt so comprehensive.
