Music

Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.

Modern technology has provided us with an unprecedented amount of comfort.

For example, with just a turn of a dial, we can ensure that our homes are always set at a perpetual 71 degrees,

even if it's blazing hot or frigidly cold outside.

But what if our quest for technology enabled comfort has actually made us physically and mentally weaker and sicker?

What if our bodies actually need discomfort to truly thrive in flourish?

My guest today explores that idea firsthand in his book,

What Doesn't Kill Us, How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning

Will Renew our lost evolutionary strength.

His name is Scott Carney, he's an anthropologist and a writer, and in his latest book,

he investigates the sometimes crazy sounding claims of a Dutch daredevil and profit of intentional stress exposure named Wim Hof.

For a year, Scott followed Wim's method of physical vitality that consists of daily hyperventilation breathing exercises

and cold exposure to see what it would do to his physiology, and the results truly astonished him.

Along the way, he interviews scientists, researchers, and athletes who are at the forefront of exploring

why embracing environmental discomfort is the missing key to overall health.

On today's show, Scott and I discuss Wim Hof in his claims,

the health benefits of exposing ourselves to the cold,

and how hyperventilating may help you do more push-ups than you ever thought possible.

If you enjoyed our content on the health benefits of cold showers,

you're going to love this podcast.

After the show's over, check out the show notes at a-wim.is-slash-cold-exposure.

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