Extreme athlete Wim Hof has a Wigan disciple teaching his methods in Thailand

Stuart Wilson is the first and only Level Two officially certified Wim Hof Method Instructor in Thailand.

The Wim Hof Method focuses on three pillars: breathing, cold therapy and mindset.

It was the subject of popular BBC One programme Freeze the Fear back in April in which celebrities took on epic adventures and freezing temperatures with Iceman Wim Hof.

Stuart began teaching the course in Bangkok in 2019 at Breath Inspired, which was founded by his wife, who is the first and only Thai Wim Hof Method-certified instructor in the world Kam Waritsara, also known as the Thai Ice Woman.

The 45-year-old left Wigan for a job in the financial industry in Dubai before relocating to Thailand for work seven years ago.

He still works in the industry but teaching WHM is a passion of his

Stuart was inspired to learn the method after feeling like he had “burnt out”.

He said: “For most of my life, I was a stress-head.

“I was always competitive, coming from Wigan I was playing a lot of rugby and I loved going sky-diving every weekend.

"It was my friends that noticed a change saying I’d become emotionless and now I’ve come to learn I was burnt out.

"I wasn’t depressed but I wasn’t happy, I was in robot mode.

"People said to try things like medication but it wasn’t for me then one of my friends recommended him and I decided to sign up to his expedition.”

Stuart has trained with Hof three times: the Winter Expedition in Poland, the Summer Expedition in Spain and the Advanced WHM Course in The Netherlands.

He has also just completed another summer expedition in Spain as an instructor alongside the man himself.

Stuart said: “The first expedition I went on in Poland, I actually stayed in Wim Hof’s house.

"On day one he came in and said right take your clothes off and let’s go.

"We went on a trek across snow and ice in our swim shorts to this icy river.

"Two others and I were at the back of the queue and he went ‘you three get in!’

"It was intense, I started screaming!

"He told us to let go and relax and it was then I began to reset from everyday stress.

“The one in Spain was quite poignant as one day I just burst out crying and I had no idea why; it was a release.

"I’ve just got back from teaching on the week-long summer expedition alongside 10 other instructors and Wim himself.

"Although I was teaching, I was also learning advanced techniques.

"People came from places like Hawaii, Canada and Australia not just for the adventure but to help with physical and mental illnesses.

"It was mind-blowing.

"I decided to become an instructor because I wanted to teach the method to people like me.

"I couldn’t believe how many people in Thailand wanted to take part.

"Since 2020, around 1,000 people have completed our course.

"More and more people want to do it; it’s great.

"I’ve got friends back in Wigan who want to learn so I might come and host an event at some point.”