Wim Hof Retention Timer
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Common uses for a wim hof retention timer
- Timing retention holds
- Tracking retention across rounds
- Structured breathing practice
- Recording session progress
In Wim Hof style breathing, each round consists of thirty to forty deep breaths followed by a retention — an exhaled breath hold — and then a recovery hold after a deep inhale. This page times the retention specifically, which is the part people want to measure and the part that lengthens noticeably across rounds.
Retention length is not prescribed; it is held until the urge to breathe returns. Ninety seconds is a common figure for a second or third round in someone practised, and first-round retentions are typically much shorter. The retention lengthening across rounds within a session is the normal pattern and not an achievement to chase.
Never in or near water, and never driving
This style of breathing can cause fainting. That is a documented, expected possibility rather than a rare accident, which is why the standard instruction is to practise sitting or lying down, in a safe place, never in or near water, and never while driving or in any situation where losing consciousness would be dangerous.
People have drowned doing breathing exercises in water. Practising in a bath, a pool, or before a swim is the specific thing this warning exists to prevent.
Hold until the urge returns, not to a number
The retention ends when the urge to breathe comes back. Timing it is for observation — seeing how it changes across rounds and across weeks — rather than for setting a target to beat.
Chasing a number is where this practice turns from a breathing exercise into a competitive breath hold, which is a different and riskier activity. If you find yourself pushing past a strong urge to breathe to reach a time, the timer has taken over the practice.
Who should not do this
Pregnancy, epilepsy, cardiovascular conditions, a history of fainting and several other conditions are commonly listed as reasons not to practise this style of breathing. If any apply, or if you are unsure, ask a doctor before starting.
Tingling in the hands and face and a light-headed feeling are commonly reported during the breathing phase. Stopping and breathing normally is always the correct response to feeling unwell — there is nothing in this practice worth pushing through for.
A common round structure. Retention times are observations of what people typically report, not targets — the hold ends when the urge to breathe returns.
| Round | Breaths | Typical retention | Recovery hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30–40 | 0:45–1:15 | 0:15 |
| 2 | 30–40 | 1:00–1:45 | 0:15 |
| 3 | 30–40 | 1:15–2:15 | 0:15 |
| 4 (optional) | 30–40 | Varies | 0:15 |
- Sitting or lying down only. Never in or near water, never driving, never anywhere fainting would be dangerous.
- Retention ends when the urge to breathe returns. Pushing past it to reach a number changes the practice into a competitive breath hold.
Sources
- Round structures reflect the widely published Wim Hof method format; retention figures are typical reported ranges rather than prescriptions , TheTimerLab — accessed 2026-07-28