The Freedive Cafe Podcast

Tea Košnjek is a kinesiologist and a strength & conditioning coach working with Olympic-level swimmers and freedivers around the world.From pool to depth disciplines, she helps athletes optimise their performance by focusing on strength, movement efficiency, and mastering technique.Between 2018 and 2024, she was the technique and S&C coach for freediver Alenka Artnik, a multiple world champion and world record holder. Tea continues to support a wide range of freedivers globally—both pool and depth—in unlocking their full potential through strength and technique training.In this episode we discuss:Tea is from Slovenia, and has a background in competitive swimming.She studied kinesiology and started coaching strength and conditioning.Tea was inspired to look further into freediving when she saw the dives on Diveye.Tea collaborated with Alenka Artnik (episodes #57 and #154) for many years.What does ‘training' mean, actually?What are the most unique aspects of training for freediving, compared to other sports?What is periodisation and how to do it.What can we do during the base training phase?How gender differences influence training decisions.About how periods affect hormones and therefore training.Showing up for training, perceived exertion, mental condition and how it affects motivation.Deloading before the competition or event.Specific attention to each freediving discipline:(See the video version of the podcast on the True Depth Freediving YouTube channel for videos of exercises)FIM (Free Immersion)CWTB (Bifins)CWT (Monofin)CNF (No Fins)Comparing the depth disciplines to the pool versions.Tracking training and progress and what to track.How to recover from training.Supplementation (protein, creatine, omega 3, vitamin D)Sauna, cold plunges, foam rollers, etc.Advice for coaches on how to motivate and encourage our athletes/coachees.Tea's services and Instagram.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon Exclusive SectionWhy does she freedive?For freediving courses, workshops and retreats in Egypt and Europe visit www.truedepthfreediving.com!For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Huang Hua Yang is a former farmer and the deepest freediving athlete from the beautiful country of Taiwan. One of the deepest men in the world, he shares his freediving story and philosophy with us.In this episode we discuss:Huayang  joined us from Panglao, Philippines at the time of recording, where he was training for the Asian Freediving Cup.Comparing conditions in Panglao and Taiwan.Donny lived in Taiwan for ten years and started a freediving school there.Huayang was a farmer from the countryside close to Taoyuan, before he came to freediving in 2011.Talking of the beauty of Taiwan's Orchid Island.Shout out to Wayne and Yen at Weirdos Freediving and Wu How at Deep Soul.Huayang took his first freediving course in 2015, possibly one of the first PADI freediving courses.Huayang did his instructor course with JP Francois at Freediving Planet in Moalboal, Philippines.A question from Patreon supporter Tom Way about the freediving scene in Taiwan.Taiwanese diver Haixiang beats Alexey in DNF in competition.About the future of freediving competitions and their taking place in Asia.Huayang's journey to depth and competitions.Shout out to Huayang's coach Theo-Patrick Fourcade.What are the fundamentals of training for freediving for Huayang? How has it changed over time?Does he see any major differences in the training philosophies of Western and Asian freedivers?Comparing different training approaches of different coaches.Different athletes need different approaches.What does it take to dive deeper than 100m?Huayang's experience with lung squeeze and how to avoid it?His experiences with narcosis, how does it feel?The benefits of RV diving for training compressibility.How a week of training looks like for him at the moment.On teaching equalisation to speakers of different languages.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVE CONTENTWhy does he freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

David Mellor is an English freediver who started freediving at 48 years old achieved the incredible goal of freediving to 100m, in competition, at the age of 60 years old.In this episode we discuss:David and Donny sat down at The Little Blue in Dahab, home of True Depth Freediving, for this interview.David became a grandfather!David moved to Poole in England when he was 12 years old.He was a tool maker by trade and eventually opened his own factory.After three kids and a divorce David wasn't in the best of shape.David was 49 years old when he did his first freediving course.Shout out to Emma Farrell (Episodes #32 and #50) and Vobster Quay.He did his first competition when he was 55 years old.At the age of 55 David sold his business and moved into freediving full-time.He dived 100m (FIM) for the first at the age of 59 and did 100m in competition at the age of 60.Shout out to Harry Chamas (Episodes #49 and #73).Shout out o Gus Kreivenas (Episodes #30, #31 and #105).Shout out to Alice Modolo (Episode #117).Shout out to Federico Mana (Episode #84).David didn't have and LMC or Blackout until he was diving 100m!Shout out to Tom Peled (Episode #120).What was blocking David's equalisation at 85m?How important is strength training for David?Two exercises to improve your hypoxic tolerance (hypoxic runs and static).Experiences with squeezing.An over expansion injury.Does he do flexibility/compressibility training?Discussing David's experience with DCI in Dominica?Shout out to Jonathan Sunnex (Episodes #68 and Lost Episode #2).What is David thinking when he's coming up from a dive?David's mum is a total beast!How important is nutrition to David?Does he take any supplements?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon Exclusive Section!David's retreats with Echo Echo Projects with Lydia Gard and Martin Petrus, and teaching in the UK and other places.Why does he freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Marco Nones is one of the most influential persons in the development of freediving on Egypt's Red Sea and a coach to some of the best freedivers in the world.In this episode we discuss:We met for this interview at Only One Apnea Centre located in Reef Oasis Blue Bay Resort in Sharm El-Sheikh.Marco first came to Sharm in early 2000 as a scuba diving instructor.The AIDA World Championship was organised by Marco in 2007 and 2008.Marco is from Genoa, Italy.He started in the scuba business but had to choose freediving in the end.About Marco's contribution to the PSS education materials.Marco has been working closely with athletes in, and moving to, the elite level.How Marco trains his athletes.What positive and negative developments in competitive freediving has Marco seen over the years?Where should the aspiring deep freediver put their attention?Training all the rings in the system. What are the rings?The confusion of performance and training.Discussing the mouthfill factor, or ‘Delta' and how to train mouthfill systematically.Marco's thoughts on using pure O2 to aid recovery or avoid DCS after deep dives.On the topic of doping in freediving.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon Exclusive ContentWhat is the future of Only One Apnea? Why does Marco freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Enchante Gallardo is a Hawaii born freediving athlete who has recently surpassed the 100m depth.In this episode we discuss:Enchanted was born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii.She went to school in California and lived for many years in Puerto Rico.She did her first course with FII in Hawaii and immediately fell in love.She spent a lot of time around the water as a kid in Hawaii.About surfing and growing up surfing, and wild ocean conditions.Questions from Patreon supporter Philip.About training freediving in Hawaii, the set up and ocean life there.Congratulations on strong performances in both the AIDA and CMAS World Championships in 2024.A black out at the beginning of Vertical Blue last year and how Enchante recovered.How Enchante balances being a mom with two young boys and training for elite level freediving.How did she prepare for and periodise training leading up to the big competitions.Shout out to Enchante's coach Tom Peled.Base training, running, strength training and flexibility strategies.Her experience with squeezing.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon Exclusive ContentPlans for 2025?Why does she freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Heike Schwerdtner is a trainer of nurses from Germany and also the first woman to beat Natalia Molchanova's static apnea world record. A record that has stood for eleven years.In this episode we discuss:Heike recently broke the 11 year old STA record held by Natalia Molchanova.Shout out to her coach Rami Bladlav who appeared on episode #133Heike lives in Bavaria in Germany.Heike started swimming at 3 years and began training springboard diving from 7 to 12 years old, then was a professional swimmer until 18 years old.Heike started her apnea journey at 40 years old.Did apnea help release trauma?Did her childhood in the water contribute to her abilities?Rami Bladlav appeared on episode #133 of the podcast.She doesn't do much CO2 training.Big shout out to Heike's partner Klaus for his help in training.Does Heike use hyperventilation in her statics and how much?Heike's nutrition strategy and how much does she fast?Why does she choose a predominantly plant-based diet?What kind of supplementation does she use?Heike is a nurse trainer.Shout out to the Patreon supporters!A question from patron Tom about measuring blood glucose and its relation to hypoxia.A question from a patron Adrien about memory loss from long statics.A question from patron Marc about the day of the world record.Mental strategy for long statics.How dynamic training enhances static performance.Does Heike have her sights on the depths?What complementary apnea does she do?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS  - Patreon exclusive section!Another massive shout out to her partner Klaus! And to buddy Katerin!For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Lotta Ericson is co-founder, owner and manager of Freedive Dahab, the longest established freediving centre in Dahab, Egypt. She has a deep history in freediving as a competitive athlete and developer of the freediving education systems.In this episode we discuss:We are in Home Sweet Home, Dahab for this one!Lotta is from Sweden and was a social worker before moving to Egypt.Lotta's early days in Dahab, starting in 1998.Shout out to Tom Sietas, Episode #52 of the podcast.How Dahab has changed over the last 25 years.Disappearance of the Israelis.The old trip to The Blue Hole, state of the road etcAbandoned resorts, building projects along the coast.The trash situation in Dahab, out of control? Or better than ever?The state of Dahab's waters, reefs and fish populations.Did Jacques Cousteau blow up The Blue Hole?The development of freediving in Dahab and The Blue Hole.The birth of freediving competitions in The Blue Hole.What happened to the decompression chamber in Dahab? How freediving competitions have changed over the years.How Freedive Dahab came to be and it's many locations.Desert Island Questions - Patreon Exclusive SectionDoes Lotta still like Dahab?Why does she freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Samo Jeranko is an elite freediver and top-level coach to freediving athletes, based in Slovenia. In this episode we take a deep dive into the coaching and training strategies he employs for his clients and himself.In this episode we discuss:Samo was recently in Croatia for spearfishing and the sea temperature was worryingly warm.Samo Jeranko first appeared on episode #86 of The Freedive Cafe Podcast.Samo now has two long daughters of 3 and a half years old and 6 weeks old.How does having young children affect his ability to train?Samo is working as a freediving coach both in person and online.We discuss the Norwegian Method - the advanced training methodology of Norway's top athletes.A question from Patreon supporter Matthias about specific testing for his coached athletes.The importance of good aerobic and strength bases in the early part of the season.The biggest mistake freediving athletes make when planning their season.About the 10 x 50 DNF exercise and its value.How to train Co2 with dry exercises.A question from Patreon supporter Vittorio about using dry exercises to facilitate depth adaptation.How does Samo approach the situation where a client suffers from barotrauma?Thoughts on partially empty and fully empty lung dives.On the dangers of hyperventilation.Deep dive into the dynamics of strength training for freediving and periodisation.Differences between male and female athletes and the influence of the menstrual cycle on training.Tips on the best way to recover and get ready for the next dive session.Nervous system repair and recovery.The three fundamentals of recoveryTranscendental meditation.A question from Patreon supporter Darren about rebuilding trust after a blackout.Thoughts on the current state of freediving organisations and the doping scandal.For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Originally produced between 2019 and 2021, the Lost Episodes of The Freedive Cafe were originally released as exclusive content for Patreon subscribers, then lost to time. Recently unearthed in the Sinai desert, I can now deliver them for your listening pleasure!This episode with Johnny was originally released on Patreon in July 2020.To become a supporter of the podcast through Patreon visit:https://www.patreon.com/freedivecafeJohnny also appeared on Episode #68For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Stéphane Tourreau is an elite level competitive freediver from France.In this episode we discuss:Stephane first appeared on episode #5 of the podcast.Stephane was in Tenerife at time of the interview.Stephane spent 1.5 years in Dominica.How did he dive over 100m almost every three days in one year?What did his training look like, in general, while he spend those 1.5 years in Dominica?Call back to Episode #137 with Bizo Silva about potential for harm to lungs by breathing pure 02 for recovery.His experience of getting DCS at Vertical BlueAbout Stephane's rate of progression, and a 4 year lack of progression.The importance of careful planning and keeping a log.What are the benefits of passive exhale dives?52m on full exhale!Stephane's experience with squeezing.Experience with narcosis and adaptation to narcosis.Mindfulness as a tool for deep diving.What is the best way to increase hypoxic tolerance?Thoughts on doping in freediving.Why does he (continue to) freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Erika Schagatay PhD is a scientist based in Sweden and Dahab who focuses on researching freediving and apnea.She first appeared on Episode #42 of the podcast.In this episode we discuss:Shout out to Nathan McClatchey for saving this interview,  and Chou and Mireia in Barcelona!Erika's ‘Divelab' in Dahab.What is the apnea RAMP test?Genetics vs Training.Continued and upcoming research to take place.Lactate threshold, and diving mammals.Do aerobic training benefits also feed into apnea ability?On Frank Pernett's thesis on..New theories on the dangers of hyperventilation in serial/repeated, shallow diving.A question from Patreon supporter Tom Way about the perfect amount o2 and Co2 to have in the blood.It's easier to hyperventilate than you think.Detecting hyperventilation with a chest strap.Deep diving with accurate pulse oximetry.Lung atelectasis and pulmonary oedema.Is there a genetic component to strong desaturation and oedema?Different lungs may have different sensitivities.Deeper dives may not mean stronger dive response.Can arrhythmia cause black out?Blood pressure and freediving.The spleen effect is not part of the diving response.The strength of the dive response is not affected by hyperventilation.Clarifying the blood shift.What is myoglobin and can we use it? Increase it?How does caffeine affect the diving response?The effects of alcohol on freediving.Can you train for high altitude with apnea training?What role does CO2 play in high altitude adaptation?A question from Tom about an educational pathway into Erika's area of research.For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.comTo support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

Alenka Artnik is the deepest female freediver in the world. Originating from Slovenia, she transformed her life and broke free of her old bonds to pursue this amazing sport and its deeper dimensions.Alenka first appeared on Episode #57 of the show.In this episode we discuss:She was in Dahab for training at the time of the interview.What are the biggest changes Alenka has noticed in Dahab in the 7 years since she was last here?Alenka got married! Congratulations!Alenka's feelings on the recent doping scandal in freediving.What has changed most in Alenka's training over the last 5 years?The important role of Tea Košnjek, Alenka's strength and technique coach.How important is pool training for freediving?Alenka describes her approach to periodisation.How many times does she train strength at this time of year?The importance of balance in life, and treating oneself every so often.How does one maintain strength close to a competition?The importance of the mental and spiritual dimensions of freediving.How important is visualisation?What is Alenka's experience with narcosis?The importance of clarity of mind and vision and purpose in life.How important is having a training plan?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVEWhy does Alenka freedive?For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.com

Originally produced between 2019 and 2021, the Lost Episodes of The Freedive Cafe were originally released as exclusive content for Patreon subscribers, then lost to time. Recently unearthed in the Sinai desert, I can now deliver them for your listening pleasure!This episode with Davide was originally released on Patreon in October 2020.To become a supporter of the podcast through Patreon visit:https://www.patreon.com/freedivecafeDavide also appeared on Episodes #22 and #151For all episodes of the Freedive Cafe Podcast, visit www.freedivecafe.comFor freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.com

Kateryna Sadurska is a world record holding freediving athlete from Ukraine. Kate joined me at The Little Blue in Dahab to discuss her amazing 2023, how she trained for those huge dives and how her philosophy of freediving is evolving.She first appeared on Episode #139 of the podcast.In this episode we discuss:This was the first Freedive Cafe interview filmed at The Little Blue | Freediver's Oasis in Dahab.Kate first appeared on Episode #139 of The Freedive Cafe.A breakdown of Kate's last year including some incredible World Records in CNF.Congratulations on Kate's first 100m dive! No fins workshops with Stefan Randig.Donny is older than Stefan. Very important to note!Kate's challenges with equalisation and how it's progressing.Ukrainian boycott of competitions in protest at Russian athletes being allowed to compete.Dealing with the stress of Ukraine being under attack.Donny's one-man-mission to do away with alarms.What are the biggest changes Kate has made in her approach to training?Kate started working with Samo Jeranko for the 2023 season.Getting into the gym for the first time.When did Kate know she could do the world record.How did Kate and Samo periodise the training in preparation for the big competitions?What kind of strength training was she doing?How important is strength training for freediving?Did they use cardio training, too?Kate's best advice for no fins diving.The importance of managing buoyancy in no fins.How important has nutrition been for Kate?On plant-based/vegan diets.Is Kate taking any particular supplements for freediving?On protein supplementation.About Kate's swimwear brand (www.saobrand.com)Kate's plans for this year (2024).

Frank Pernett is originally from Colombia. He has been freediving his whole life and been involved in the deep freediving and freediving competition scenes for many years. He is currently based in Sweden where he is working towards his PhD under the watchful eye of freediving scientist Erika SchagatayFrank is a wealth of knowledge about freediving science and physiology and today we discuss some of the traditional topics of freediving science that interest us most as well as some new approaches to understanding the dive response and we talk in detail about what can cause lung squeeze and what protocols we might follow to prevent them.In this episode we discuss:Frank is from a Columbian island, San Andres in the Caribbean Sea.Frank has been freediving since he was a kid.He moved to Sweden to work on his Phd with Erika Schagatay.How Vertical Blue has changed over the years.What makes freediving such a unique sport?Frank's main interests and areas of research.Common misconceptions about freedivingDeep dive into the dive response (bradycardia and vasoconstriction).A description of vasoconstriction.The relation between vasoconstriction and depth.Is a lower resting heart rate better for freediving?CO2 and CO2 tolerance.About early contractions and stretch receptors.How is CO2 actually measured in the  body.Hypoxia and black out.How oxygen and CO2 are affected by fasting and diet.Lower temperatures to reduce O2 consumption.Franks experience with squeezes and how he overcome them.What would Frank research with unlimited funds?Why does Frank freedive?

Davide Carrera was born in Turin in Italy and began freediving as a child during his summers spent in Leguria.He has was part of the World Championship winning teams of 1996 and 2001 and established a FIM world record shortly after when he dove to 91m. He moved away from the competitive sphere in the end and went on to study yoga extensively, and he integrates that into his freediving, and it was his tale of solitary wandering across the mediterranean in his 28 foot trimaran that inspired my first interest in Davide.We first spoke 5 years ago on episode 22 of the freedive cafe podcast, now we meet, face t face in Dahab, to discuss his recent return to the very top tier of the freediving competitive scene and what it takes to dive 130m deep.In this episode we discuss:Thanks to Dahab Freedivers and Carlos Diezel for letting us use the Dahab Freedivers space.A possibly lost episode of TFC with Davide?!What brings Davide to Dahab after so long?Thoughts on changes in Dahab and seeing the positive before the negative.Thoughts on the recent doping scandal in the freediving world.A philosophical and spiritual approach to freediving.Why social media conversations are so flawed.What invigorated Davide to perform a 130m dive at this point in his career, what has changed over the years?About continuing to train through the winter in thicker wetsuits.New top-secret 8mm wetsuit material on the way?Training hard to dive easy.Davide's technique has grace and beauty, should that be a focus of freedivers?A question from Rodrigo about his beautiful monofin technique.About cakras.Why does Davide remove the nose clip so deep?Can Davide retrieve air at 100m+?Back when packing and mouthfill were cheating!Davide has only had one squeeze!Davide's experience with narcosis.Static at 110m!Davide calls Spain home now.Will his son, Nero, become a deep freediver?How Davide meditates, 3 or 4 times a day.What are 'Hurt Salutations'?Join me in Dahab, Egypt for premium freediving courses, training and workshops. Visit www.freediveandthrive.com to find out more.

Alexey Molchanov is a multi-world record holding and world record breaking freediving athlete and arguably the greatest and most consistent freediving athlete of all time.In this episode we discuss:This is the 150th episode of The Freedive Cafe!Alexey was in Cyprus at the time of recording, preparing for the AIDA World Championships.Alexey's thoughts on the doping accusations against Vitomir Maricic and Petar Klovar and doping in freediving.Is it time for new freediving organisations?Talking about Alexey's competition and how his training has evolved since we last spoke.Questions from patreon supporters Jordy and Matthias about Alexey's base training phase.Question from Zoe about the benefits of swimming for beginner freedivers.How does Alexey train his no fins leg lick?A question from Maurice about recovery protocols.The benefits of active recovery for Alexey's body type.A question from Emile about lung squeeze and how the experience of squeeze has evolved over the years.The importance of developing mobility of the breathing muscles and thoracic cage.A question from Bizo Silva (#137) about a special technique to counter contractions.Hypoxic tolerance and how it evolves over the years.Is no fins the key to improving hypoxic tolerance???What is Alexey's experience with narcosis and does adaptation come over time?A question from Kris about mental preparation before a dive.A question from several patrons about what Alexey thinks his mum would think about the way the freediving world has changed in the last few years.Why does Alexey freedive?

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Bevin Reynolds is a competitive pool freediver with multiple national and African continental records. Despite only coming into the sport 18 months before her first AIDA Indoor World Championships this year, she took home 3 medals and the title of Vice-World Champion.In this episode we discuss:Bevin is from the suburbs of Cape Town, South AfricaShe had an early affinity and feel for the water.Started in swimming school at a very young age.Getting into some bad habits at school.Bevin did an honours degree in biotechnology, biochemistry and microbiology.Bevin's experiences with the tragic loss of a best friend, coming out as gay and eating disorders.Moving from science into psychology.She is a swimming teacher to kids.The physical decline that came from too much desk work, and significant scoliosis.Living with pain.Sara Ferguson shout out out, swimming around Easter Island for plastic pollution awareness.A first pool session and making an impression on Ant Latimer.Shout out to the Freedive Cafe Podcast.Allergies and mouth-breathing.Callback to Episode #54 with Patrick McKeown.Shout out to Evan Walther, and Dean Chaouche.Callback to Jordy Duncan's on Episode #143Bevin is the first South African on the podcast.Bevin's first competition (3.5 months after her first course)Shout out to Samy Jeranko, Bevin's coach.About being nervous to crowdfund for the World Championships.Did she feel prepared for the World Champioships in Jeju, South Korea?Mental preparations.The stories we tell about ourselves, the false identities.The power of self-affirmation.How to deepen relaxation.The power of hypnotherapy.Has past competitive experience helped her deal with anxiety?Donny expands on his answer to Why Do You Freedive?What areas of freediving science interest Bevin most?Down the rabbit hole of nervous systems and genetics.Question from Patreon supporter, Matt Stow.When will Bevin start training depth?What stage of training is she at now?A question from Kris, Patreon supporter about advice she would give to her younger self.What does Bevin do outside of freediving for fun?Bevin and I discuss the recent doping issues in freediving.Shout outs to Bevin's partner, the freediving community in Cape Town, Samo Jeranko, crowd-funding contributors.How to find out more about Bevin.Why does she freedive?

Shadi Türk is a Syrian former fixer and journalist who worked through 10 years of the terrible war in his home country. After reaching his breaking point in this capacity he embarked on a journey of discovery which led him to Kaş, Türkiye, and the new adventure of deep freediving.In this episode we discuss:Shadi was born and raised in Syria and moved to Türkiye when he was 18, where he studied architecture.How Shadi became a fixer and a journalist.The psychological impact of seeing so much death and destruction.Shadi was working in Syria for 10 years in his fixing/journalistic capacity.The emotional toll of this experience.How did Shadi get out of Syria and into freediving?Embarking on a journey along the Lycian Way.How was Shadi's first experience of freediving?|His first competition was a World Championships!What is Shadi's motivation for continuing freediving? Shadi was doing around 80m after only 1 year of training!How Shadi ended up in the Philippines.Shadi's current approach to training for freediving.Experience with blackouts and squeezes?Shadi and Donny's experience of narcosis from 'shallow' dives.Could Shadi imagine taking freediving back to Syria?PATREON EXCLUSIVE - Desert Island QuestionsShout out to some people!Why does Shadi freedive?Join me in Dahab, Egypt for freediving courses and training the whole year round. Find out about my teaching philosophy at https://freediveandthrive.com

Khaled ELGammal is Egypt's deepest diver and the first to reach the 100m mark. Today we hear about how Khaled left a corporate life working in oil and gas to dedicate himself to training for and teaching freediving.In this episode we discuss:Khaled was fresh back from Kuwait where he was acting as safety diver for the CMAS Indoor World Championships.Shout out to co-host Jordy Duncan who is competing for Australia at the AIDA World Championships in Jeju, South Korea.Khaled is originally from Cairo.He left s corporate job in oil and gas to focus on freediving full time.He was a competitive swimmer when he was younger.AIDA Instructor Trainer and Egyptian National record holder.Shout outs to David Mellor and Dave McGoo.Shout out to Harry Chamas.How was the journey to 100m?What was the first 100m dive like?Shout out to Gus Kreivenas and what it's like to train with him.What kind of complementary training went into his training? Strength, flexibility?Shout out to Shaza at Sharkfit gym in Dahab.Training statics for depth?Khaled's experience with barotrauma.The benefits of instructing/coaching for maintaining a good base level of diving fitness.What are Khaled's plans for competition in 2023?Discussing the Egyptian freediving scene and the future of the sport in the country.The diving scene in Dahab town.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVEWhy does he freedive?Join me in Dahab, Egypt for freediving courses and training the whole year round. Find out about my teaching philosophy at https://freediveandthrive.com

Gary McGrath is the deepest ever self-propelled freediver from the UK, claiming a national record of 112m in CWT at 2022's Vertical Blue competition. In this episode we catch up with Gary since last years amazing Vertical Blue performance and examine the dark places in our mental environments, open up about depression, anxiety and seeking help, and sincerely hope you benefit from this discussion ❤️ Also watch on YouTube at Freedive and Thrive.In this episode we discuss:Second time lucky!Catching up with Gary since his 2022 Vertical Blue experience.The difficult and expensive process of getting to Vertical Blue.How does one get into VB anyway?Gary lost all his gear on the way to Vertical Blue!What turning up at the Blue Hole feels like.The journey from disqualification and COVID in 2021 to the UK national record in 2022.The Vertical Blue 2022 experience.Crowdfunding for Gary's next VB appearance:https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-gary-get-to-vertical-blueWhat changed in training for Gary between 2021 and 2022?Gary's experience with mental health problems.Depression, anxiety and how we deal with them, overcome them.Imposter syndrome in the freediving elite.Please feel free to reach out to Gary or myself if you are suffering similar issues.What advice would Gary give to his ten years younger self?Thank you for listening xJoin me in Dahab, Egypt for freediving courses and training the whole year round. Find out about my teaching philosophy at https://freediveandthrive.com

Miguel Lozano is one of the deepest freedivers in the world. He first appeared on episode #67 of The Freedive Cafe podcast!This interview is also available in video format on the Freedive and Thrive  Youtube channel:https://youtu.be/XW-Y_zBHixwIn this episode we discuss:Miguel and I last spoke in January 2020, recorded an interview and forgot to release it!About Miguel's Deep Camp in Dahab.The structure of the Deep Camp.What Miguel's been up to these past 3 years.Miguel's thoughts on the current condition of the freediving competition scene.Advice on equalisation (lack of rhythm and speed is the problem)Advice on dry training and complementary training for freediving.Advice for instructors who wish to train .Advice on periodisation for freediving training through the year.The evolution of the Freedive Cafe Podcast over time.On the use of dive computers and alarms in freediving.Advice on dealing with squeezes and thoughts on passive exhale diving and RV (residual volume diving).Advice on technicalities of training the different disciplines.How does Miguel do a 60 metre dive that takes 7 minutes ?!?!Shout out to Julia Mouce at Apnea Bali!Will Miguel return to world record attempts?Join me in Dahab, Egypt for freediving courses and training the whole year round. Find out about my teaching philosophy at https://freediveandthrive.com

Stefan Randig is a German competitive freediver based in Dahab, Egypt. He first appeared on episode #10 of The Freedive Cafe:https://freedivecafe.com/2017/10/01/10-stefan-randig-freedive-panglao/In this episode we discuss:The last time Stefan and I talked was in 2017, on episode #10 of The Freedive Cafe! (link above)What happened to Freedive Panglao?Stefan started his freediving journey in Dahab.Shout out to our colleagues in The Philippines.Dahab during COVID times.What's it like to raise a child in Dahab?Shout out to Carlos Diezel of Dahab Freedivers.At the time of recording Stefan was fresh back from Vertical Blue 2022, how was his experience?Shout out to Stefan's coach Dean ChaoucheStefan got a new National Record for CNF with a dive of 77m.Stefan is actually younger than Donny! So he should pay more respect to Donny!Stefan's approach to training.How the freediving lifestyle influences motivation.Stefan hasn't blacked out yet in his career.The difficulty of getting paid sponsorship in freediving.Stefan's plans for 2023.About the Deepspot challenge.Thoughts on getting to Blue Element in Dominica in 2023.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVEA shout out to some special people.

Jordy Duncan is not only my awesome co-host on the Freediving Journal News Dispatch, but an up and coming elite freediver in her own right. Jordy has only been diving for around 2 years but has managed to achieve distances in the pool of more than 200m, which for me is an absolutely mind-blowing achievement! Perhaps more interesting than Jordy's rapid rise as a freediving athlete is to see that in the context of where she's coming from.... Jordy has struggled with an eating disorder for much of her life and her discovery of freediving and applying herself to it has been instrumental in her recovery.In this episode we discuss:Jordy is originally from Townsville, North Queensland, and is now located in Brisbane.Shout out to Townsville and Cairns folks!Shout out to Jack Webb at Freedive Far North Queensland.Shout out to Ant Judge.Getting burnt out at a young age from swimming.Weight gain after quitting swimming.Start of a party lifestyle and drinking a lot.The development of Jordy's bulimia and what bulimia nervosa is as a medical condition.Crying out for help and not knowing how to ask.Jordy was offically diagnosed with bulimia nervosa at age 21.Working ski-seasons on Japan and France.First time going to hospital for recovery.Did Jordy know how underweight she had become?Why is bulimia a taboo subject?Comparing alcoholism and eating disorders.Jordy's discovery of freediving through Tinder!Black-outs and an underwater black-out.Starting coaching with Samo Jeranko (#87)Moving in with Amber Bourke! (#40)Jordy is one of the best pool freedivers in the world and only getting better!How, where and when does Jordy train?Goal to compete at AIDA Pool World Championships in June.Let's help Jordy get to South Korea!Jordy works for the Queensland state government in human resources.Jordy's plans for 2023.The ongoing struggle of our conditions and addictions.How does Jordy fuel herself for training now, and deal with food and the complicated issues she has with it?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveShout out to special people.Why does she freedive?

Pete Botman is a Canadian/Dutch freediving athlete and instructor based in Dahab, Egypt. He is a 100m+ diver,  multiple World Record holder in the CMAS Master's category and didn't start freediving until he was later in his forties.In this episode we discuss:Pete was born and raised in Canada but grew up speaking Dutch.He joined the swim team and competed at quite a high level until aged 16.Teaching, coaching, lifeguarding, and cross-country skiing.How difficult is cross country skiiing?The possibilities of youth and hangovers!Pete didn't start freediving until he was about 46 years old!About 10 years as a PADI scuba instructor leading up to freediving.Coming out of an awesome 2022 season for Pete.Pete and Olga Rodnova run Personal Best freediving together in Dahab, Egypt and Kas, Turkey.The difficulties of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on running a business.How to juggle training and teaching?Shout out to David Mellor and his first 100m dives!Stumbling blocks with throat squeezes and how Pete overcame them.Reverse packing and squeezing.Pete was 59 old years at the time of the interview.Age is no barrier to freediving!'Freediving is just about getting back up" ;)Donny gets 'narced' from dives deeper than 60m!Is narcosis just about nitrogen or are the other gases involved, too?Pete achieved world record in many disciplines in the Master's category in the CMAS Outdoor World Championship.The last championship and a rivalry with Jesper Stechmann and Jens Stoetzner.About being coaching to Giorgos Panagiotakis? Swimming with dolphins is the best kind of CO2 training!Comparing Egypt and Taiwan's climate.What does training session, week, look like for Pete?Fondly remembering the beer-can-in-the-ass chicken and thoughts on nutrition.Shout out to the Ukrainians who can't be diving right now!DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveShout out to some special people!Why does he freedive?

Tito Zappalà is an Italian freediver and coach. He worked under the eye of Andrea Zuccari at Freediving World in Sharm el-Sheikh for five years before moving up to Dahab when he currently lives and coaches.In this episode we discuss:Tito and Kat's plans for the winter.Only 3 people in 7 years who pissed him off!Tito is from the galaxy and the stars, and ... specifically from Sicily, Italy.Early start in freediving, spearfishing with his father.Selling the family gold for a Gopro.Tito's early work as an underwater photographer.Starting work with Andrea Zuccari at Freediving World.Working for Andrea for 5 years.Why did Tito move up to Dahab.Shout out to Kat4dive!Shout out to Gus Kreivenas!Tito's style of teaching and coaching in Dahab.Shout out to Ali of Aqua Maria! The episode before this one!Tito's first competition in the Blue Hole in 2021.Jumping from 80m to 100m in two dives!Tito's first 100m dive,Tito's World Record attempt in Variable Weight (VWT)What is Variable Weight?Shout out to Walid Boudhiaf and his 150m World Record in VWT.Shout out to Marco Nones!Shout out to Carlos Diezel of Dahab FreediversShout out to Stavros Kastrinakis of Freediving Club Greece.Detailed information on the training process for the World Record attempt.Is another attempt on the books?Biggest mistakes in freediving safety?Top tips for freediving equalisation.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveWhy does he freedive?Hello beautiful freedivers of the world, thank you for listening to the Freedive Cafe!I'm just here to let you know that I have decided to make the big move, and from March 2023 I will be be based in Dahab, Egypt, the world's freediving Mecca. If you want to learn freediving as a beginner, level up your current skills and understanding, or need personalised coaching and guidance in freediving and complementary practices like yoga and mental training, y

Ali Okab is the boss and face of the world-famous Aqua Marina, located right at the Blue Hole north of Dahab, Egypt.His restaurant is the starting point for all freediving adventures in the Blue Hole and the de facto family house for freedivers from all over the world.In this episode we discuss:Ali's full name is Ali Rekab Ali Ali Okab.Aqua Marina is a home for all the freedivers of the world.The challenges of running a restaurant at the Blue Hole.Ali's realisation about freediving and its people through the trials of the COVID era.Ali is from Alexandria.He was working as a taxi driver before moving to Sinai.Ali's initial confusion about the sport of freediving.A free freediving course from Lotta Ericson.Ali has been at the Blue Hole for 23 years!About the special service offered by Ali at Aqua Marina.The amazing food and the good price!AIDA supplied a defibrillator for the restaurant.How freediving in the Blue Hole has changed over the years.How to look after and care for this unique environment.Shout out to Mohammend, the thinking mind!Ali's new place in Dahab town.Hello beautiful freedivers of the world, thank you for listening to the Freedive Cafe!I'm just here to let you know that I have decided to make the big move, and from March 2023 I will be be based in Dahab, Egypt, the world's freediving Mecca. If you want to learn freediving as a beginner, level up your current skills and understanding, or need personalised coaching and guidance in freediving and complementary practices like yoga and mental training, y

Kateryna Sadurska is a multiple record holder and Ukrainian champion. Kat has a background as a synchronised swimmer and even made it to the Olympics in Rio to represent Ukraine in that sport, and later turned her attention to our wonderful sport of freediving where she has rapidly been rising to the elite levels, especially in her pool performances. In this episode we discuss:Katerina is from Mykolaiv, Ukraine.She has a background in synchronised swimming and did that for 17 years.Going to the Olympics and World Championships to compete.How Kat discovered freediving through underwater photography.Comparison of breath-holding skills in freediving and synchronised swimming.A first freediving competition in Poland.A first national record of 175m in dynamic monofin!A first depth course in Odessa, on the Black Sea.A first depth competition in Bonaire.Becoming a freediving instructor and working with Nataliia Zharkova.The most recent World Championships and her results.Out-break of invasion of Ukraine by Russia.Working at Freediving World Sharm El Sheikh, school of Andrea Zuccari.The lead up to Belgrade world championships, and training and lack of training.At the time of recording Kat's husband and mother were in Kharkiv, under pressure from the Russian invasion.Shout out to all the great Ukrainian divers who aren't able to dive at the moment.What are her current limitations to going deeper?Shout out to Amber Bourke!About No Fins and the possibility of a World Record.What complementary training does Kat do?How much help did a synchronised swimming background give her?Nutrition and the importance of Coca Cola.Has she had much experience with lung barotrauma?Crucial advice for aspiring deep divers.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONSKateryna's swimwear brand: https://saobrand.comWhy does she freedive?Hello beautiful freedivers of the world, thank you for listening to the Freedive Cafe!I'm just dropping in pre-episode here to let you know that I have decided to make the big move, and from March 2023 I will be be based in Dahab, Egypt, the world's freediving Mecca. If you want to learn freediving as a beginner, level up your current skills and understanding, or need personalised coaching and guidance in freediving and complementary practices like yoga and mental training, y

Denis Grosmaire was raised in the pacific island nation of French Polynesia, travelling for island to island as a kid with his mom, growing up in the ocean from a very young age. However, he didn't dive deeper than 30m or take a freediving course until he was 39 years old. After that he very quickly rose up through the competition ranks and now dives well over 100m. Denis also has a fascinating relationship with sharks. He spends hours and hours in the waters of French Polynesia with Tiger sharks and has fought hard to win some amazing conservation victories there.In this episode we discuss:Denis was in Dahab in August 2022 for training in preparation for competition.Denis is based on a remote island in French Polynesia called Tikehau.Denis grew up on many islands in French Polynesia.Selling a house and giving up and office job to become a freediving instructor.Long background in spearfishing and diving but didn't take a course until age 39, and didn't dive deeper than 30m!Opening a school in French Polynesia in September 2016.The difficulty of being a freediving instructor on French territory.A stressful first competition in 2018.The difficulty of training in Tahiti.Next competition was Vertical Blue in 2018 and got into the 90s!Denis had achieved 105m in FIM at the time of recording.Mental coaching.The importance of meditation and visualisation.What is Denis training plan?Finding tiger sharks to dive with.The devastation caused by shark finning and what Denis did about it.Protecting sharks and Polynesian culture.The problem of Chinese vessels coming into Tahitian waters to get shark fins.Advice for people who wish to interact with sharks.PATREON SPECIAL - Desert Island QuestionsDonny Mac can be found in Dahab, Egypt from March 2023 where he is teaching unique freediving courses, providing coaching for aspiring deep divers and offering yoga and other service. Everything he does can be found at www.freediveandthrive.com

Bizo Silva is an Emergency Medicine physician practicing in a trauma center in Northern California, USA. He specialized in lung ultrasound in trauma. Bizo took part in much of the basic research and development of methods on how lung ultrasound is practiced today. After working for a few years in a very busy trauma center in Brazil, he moved to the USA in 2007. He discovered freediving on a vacation to Hawaii, and shortly after decided to shift careers towards freediving medicine after he was blown away by the fascinating physiology of this unusual sport.In this episode we discuss:Bizo grew up in Brazil, went to med school there.He met his partner in New York and has lived in the US for 17 years.He has a masters in lung ultrasound and contusion.At what point did freediving enter his life?He started getting interested in freediving while on a trip to Hawaii.Took a level 1 courses with Ben Zyons.The difference between lung contusion and pulmonary barotrauma.Clarifying the term 'oedema', compared to contusion.Call back to Ep#21 with Ron Chapman, discussing the death of Nick Mevoli.What does 'lung squeeze' mean, exactly? (we don't know).What is remodelling of the vasculature around the alveoli?Not only a vasogenic adaptation, but also structural changes in walls of blood vessels.Shout out to Aharon Solomons and Tommy and Happy Birthday!Shout out to Juani Valdivia!What changes happen in the structure of lungs in high altitude situations?Altitude pulmonary oedema quite similar to lung squeeze.The gradation of different levels of lung squeeze. Not only hydrostatic stress but also sheer stress.Comparing CT scans and lung ultrasound.A portable lung ultrasound attachment for an iPad can be had for around 2-3k.Link to lung ultrasound study I participated in during the 2022 Taiwanese Cup.What issues did Bizo bring up with that study?What are B-lines? Why are they not the same thing as lung comets. Clarifying the terminology.How informative are lung ultrasounds to the trained observer?How quickly can the lung recover as long as there is no structural rupture.Development of condition similar to scar tissue/'pulmonary fibrosis'Why do some people squeeze more than other?Comparing the lungs of healthy individual smokers to long-term smokers.Donny's history with smoking.Uniformity of lung injury is important.Can a lung ultrasound detect COPD?Lung ultrasounds can only see the surface of the lungs.What was problematic about the conclusions of the lung ultrasound study?How ultrasound really works.Donny's lung ultrasound images. What is atelectasis and how does it generate B-lines?What is the value of checking SaO2 (oxygen saturation) after dives?What is CPAP and what can it do for us?The problem with pure O2!What is the benefit of recovery breath and should we still do it?Should we pack after the dive?Anecdote of a man who saved himself from heart attack with coughing.What is SIPE (swimming induced pulmonary oedema)?Difficulty of monitoring O2 and doing lung ultrasound while in the water.What is the current state of competition medical care?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVEWhy does Bizo freedive?Donny Mac can be found in Dahab, Egypt from March 2023 where he is teaching unique freediving courses, providing coaching for aspiring deep divers and offering yoga and other service. Everything he does can be found at www.freediveandthrive.com

Alex Llinas is from Colombia and holds several national records. He dived his first 100m during competition at this years AIDA World Championships in Roatan. His story of spending years in immigration limbo, battling cancer and losing his father before going on to become a top freediving athlete is truly inspirational.In this episode we discuss:Alex is from ColombiaAbout San Andres island, ColombiaThen to life in Medellin.From Colombia to Charlotte, NCA slightly complicated immigration issue...Leaving then real job for a life of freediving.Discovering he has lymphoma.Dealing with the effects of cancer treatment.A terrible infection that kicked his ass.Great dives at the Freediving World Cup in Sharm.What makes CNF so challenging, and what makes someone good at it?What has been limiting Alex so far is his equalisation.Switching from pain cave mentality to listening to your body.Alex's experience with lung squeezes.The 'culture of squeezing' in freediving.How structured is Alex's coaching and how is coaching from Vitomir Maricic?Shout out to Stefan Randig.The evolution of freediving as a serious sport.Alex was in the new Black Panther movie!PATREON EXCLUSIVE | DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS (www.patreon.com/freedivecafe)Shout out to influential people.Plans for the future.Why does he freedive?

Jani Valdivia is from Peru and is based in Tampa, Florida where he works as a neurosurgeon.He is also a member of the AIDA Medical Committee, President of AIDA Peru and a competitive freediver himself.He was first on the podcast on Episode #99For freediving courses, coaching, podcasts and videos visit:https://freediveandthrive.comIn this episode we discuss:Balancing life as a neurosurgeon and aspiring deep freediver.Training options in Florida.Getting ready for Vertical Blue 2022.What has Juani been working on recently?The risk of Decompression Sickness.The dangers of taking certain medications combined with freediving.Diuretics, beta blockers, alpha blockers, blood thinnersanti coagulants, etcOne dose to reverse the effects of a certain anti-coagulant cost 22,000$What is the difference between a beta blocker and an alpha blocker.Are any OTC medications or supplements of concern. Fish oil, vitamin E.Do certain preconditions make lung barotrauma more likely?Difference between immersion pulmonary edema and lung barotrauma and the spectrum between.Referring to the lung ultrasound study done by Andy Chi.Shout out to Bizo Silva.Things to look out for regarding lung barotrauma.Thoughts on permanent impairment from lung barotrauma.How much rest to take after lung barotrauma.Actions to take after lung squeeze.Warmings about aspirin and ibuprofen.Differences between DCI (decompression illness) and AGE (arterial gas embolism).The importance of having insurance in case there is an accident.Suspicions about doping in the freediving scene.What are Juani's plans for the future in this field?

Carlos Diezel is a freediving athlete from Brazil and manager of the world famous Dahab Freedivers school in Egypt.In this episode we discuss:Carlos is from Brazil.The underwater world of Brazil's coast.Discovering freediving at Julia Mouce's Apnea Bali, via Mike Board's Freedive Gili!Carlos is getting steadily deeper and loves depthCarlos is currently coached by Julia Mouce.The issue of diving for the numbers.Carlos did his last comp with a broken ankle!Discovering new layers of relaxation in Free Immersion.What kinds of complementary training does Carlos do to support his diving?Why and how could Carlos choose Dahab to live with his family?Carlos was a mechanical engineer in his previous life.Loving or hating Dahab, or both at the same time?Shoutouts to Dahab Freedivers founders Miguel Lozano, Pascal Berger and Stephen Keenan.What is the long term vision for Dahab Freedivers?Carlos' love of teaching.Some great advice for instructors.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS | PATREON EXCLUSIVEShout out to important people.How to find Carlos.Why does he freedive? 

Rami Bladlav is a top level athlete in Static Apnea competing for Sweden. He is nearing the 10 minute breath-hold mark.Today we talk about his journey from Iraq, to Mixed Martial Arts, to his passion for long breath-holding performances. In this episode we discuss:Rami is originally from Iraq, but grew up in Iran, then moved to Sweden at age 10/11Rami started sport with football, then eventually mixed martial arts.What is it like to be a fighter?Rami's fighting history.Rami has two young daughters.How did he come to discover freediving?Rami started off with a 187m DYN!He now focuses mainly on static apnea.Are there any similarities between STA and MMA?Did triathlon help with freediving, STA, lung capacity?Rami had a 9.5l lung capacity after packing last time he tested.Why static?!A question from Freediving Journal co-host Jordy Duncan about drive and motivation?Some chat about Rami's training methodology.Shout out to Erika Shagatay, episode #Shout out to Valdemar KarlssonHow did Rami injury his breathing muscles with packing?Shout out to Akim Ladhari.How many times does he pack and how?Advice for those wishing to improve their statics.Rami's thoughts on hyperventilation.Thoughts on food and nutrition.Best supplements for STA.Rami's interesting mental strategies for dealing with long statics.Another question from Jordy about plans after the World Championships.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONSRami's biggest influences.Why does he freedive?

Guillaume Néry is one of the most iconic figures in the freediving world. A World Champion, world record achiever and a filmmaker who has introduced the underwater world and freediving to millions.In this episode we discuss:Guillaume grew up next to the sea in Nice, France.Does going naked in the bed improve breath hold ability?Meeting Claude Chapuis, his mentor.Remembering Loïc LefermePioneers of the freediving world.How were the big dives performed back in the day?Guillaume's current approach to depth progression.Guillaume's changing approach to training over the years.The universal understandings of the elite level freediver.The full story of Guillaume's 139m dive and accident in Cyprus in 2015.Why did Guillaume retire from competition after that incident?Is Guillaume Nery really back on the freediving competition scene?A question from Patreon supporter Maria about Guillaume's pool diving.Why don't we like pool training?!A question from Patreon supporter David about achieving relaxation and CO2 tolerance during filming videos.How involved in the artistic process is Guillaume when making videos with his former wife Julie Gautier.Guillaume has recently released a new book: Nature Aquatique, currently only available in French.Coral Gardeners video and ocean conservation work Guillaume is doing now, and what we can do about the issue of ocean degradation.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveTime and relaxation.Why does he freedive?Shout outs to Claude Chapuis and Loïc Leferme.

Lily Crespy is a former molecular biologist turned freediving coach and instructor. She has represented France several times as an athlete in freediving competitions and is part-owner of the world famous Dahab Freedivers school.In this episode we discuss:Lily is from France.An accidental discovery of freediving, from pharmaceutical company to the ocean.Apnea Total on Koh Tao and a broken leg with a nice boy.Shout out to Julia Mouce at Apnea Bali.Shout out to JP from Freediving Planet and Thibault Guignes at Freedive HQ back in the day.The story of Stephen Keenan and his tragic passing from Lily's perspective who was there at the time on 22 July, 2017.Alessia Zecchini's attempted crossing of the arch at Dahab.How has safety improved at the Blue Hole in Dahab since this accident?Lily's own depth journey and taking part in competitions.Why did Lily decide to move from Dahab back to France?The therapeutic possibilities of freediving.EMDR as treatment for PTSD.How Lily is trying to integrate PTSD treatment with freediving experiences.Why is it so damn hard to teach freediving in France?About Enki, Lily's coaching services: www.enki-coaching.comWhy not go to Corsica?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVEThanks to some special people.Why does Lily freedive?

Today we are joined by Croatian athlete Lidija Lijic. Lidija is a 5 x world record holder, a World and European champion, a pilot, a climber, a mountaineer, an architect, a motivational speaker  and a Sea Shepherd ambassador. The strength of the Croatian athletes in freediving is well known, Lidija is not an exception. We talked about her Jump Blue Days,  running up mountains with a snorkel in your mouth, an incredible project in the Himalayas with Vitomir Maricic, her love of sport climbing and her possible plans for this years Vertical Blue....In this episode we discuss:Donny's first depth competition experience.New podcast incoming ... The Freediving JournalCourse dates for Donny's Dahab trip.Lidija is from Split, Croatia.Starting to train freediving in Italy.Becoming part of the Croatian national team.Lidija has been competing for about 15 years.The super-high level of Croatian freediving athleticism.Competing back in the Jump Blue days!Lidija is a glider pilot.She works as an architect in the boat-building business.Another of Lidija's hobbies is serious alpine climbing!About running up mountains with a snorkel in the mouth.About a project with Vitomir Maricic, freediving in the Himalayas.After a pause Lidija is getting back into training for big performances.Is she also into depth?What complementary training supports freediving? Sport climbing is a big part of it.Thoughts about nutrition. Lidija is a vegetarian.Lidija's environmental work and work she does with Sea Shepherd.About Lidija's work as an architect on super luxury yachts.|What interests does she have outside of freediving?Lidija is planning to go to Vertical Blue in 2022.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveOptions for coaching and workshops with Lidija.Motivational speeches and lectures.Why does she freedive?

Stig Severinsen has a degree in biology and a Ph.D. in medicine. He began experimenting with holding his breath as a child at the bottom of his parents' pool.Stig has played underwater rugby at an elite level, he's been a freediving world record holder, he's broken a few Guinness world records, he was the first to break the 20m breath hold barrier on pure O2 among other feats of human endurance, and now he works on spreading the word about his system Breatheology, a set of tools and techniques derived from 3 specific areas;The art and science of breath control and yogaResearch on human physiology and neurologyModern sport exercise training and FLOW psychology.In this episode we discuss:Stig's been on Youtube and using the internet for education and spreading his work for a long time.Stig's background and how he grew up and got into the underwater world.The wonderful worlds of underwater hockey and underwater rugby.Stig's early friendship with Carlos Coste.Is Stig still keeping up with the contemporary freediving scene?Shout out to Johan ThelausReminiscences on the 'Golden Age' of freediving.Shout out to Umberto Pelizzari.What kind of training methods did Stig and friends discover back in the day?Attitudes to training these days.Early experimentation with nutrition.Stig has achieved many firsts including the first 20 minute breath-hold (pure oxygen assistance).What is Breatheology?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon Exclusive

On today's show is Jennifer Wendland, Jennifer is a current World Record-holding freediver from Germany and unless anything has changed since we recorded this interview two months ago, currently holds all of the German national records, and has done for quite a long time!We talk about how she manages to balance training as a top-level athlete while working a regular human job, we compare athletes of other sports and talk about what challenges she faced over the years and how she overcame them.The preamble to this episode contains a rant by Donny about politics and sport and references the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the country of Taiwan. If you are easily triggered by these topics then please skip to 13:39 to start the interview.In this episode we discuss:Jennifer is from Germany.A bit of a background in competitive swimming, underwater rugby.Was underwater rugby popular in Germany?Does underwater rugby help with freediving?Hypoxia in underwater rugby?Jennifer had all the German national records at the time of recording!Shout out to Only One Apnea Centre and Marco Nones.Trying to link professional life to professional freediving.Jennifer works for an energy company.A bad experience in Dahab and the resultant water-fear.Equalisation has been the main challenge.Otovents, EQ tools and equalisation exercises.Shout out to Martin Zajac (Episode #71)The potential of freedivers who are trained from a very young age.How does Jennifer structure her training year?Jennifer's take on nutrition.Comparisons with top-level triathletes and the importance of improving the engine in the chest.Jennifer has never had any problem with her lungs (good flexibility and caution).Does being a world record holder increase her stress level?Jennifer enjoys cycling, board games and reading in her free time, but doesn't have much free time!The politics of CMAS/ German freediving system, etc.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONSShout outs to Andreas Pap, Marco Nones and Martin Zajac

On today's show we are talking to Mr 10 minutes himself, Florian Dagoury. Florian is  French freediver with more than 10 years experience in the sport and has reached in these last few years, the amazing performance of 10 minute in static apnea, his chosen discipline - a performance that very few in the world have achieved. Florian is based in Thailand, from where he joins me today. We'll hear about his journey as a freediver, his work in Thailand with his school Blue Immersion and how COVID has affected business there. We talk about the myocarditis he developed after his COVID vaccinations and how it has affected his athletic, breath-hold performances and we give advice to budding static apneists on how they can best improve their breath-hold times.In this episode we discuss:Florian was in Thailand for the recording, where has lived for 10 years.He started freediving at Blue Immersionm on Koh Tao, and eventually took over from Akim Ladhari.How are courses happening now during these tough COVID times?Florian is from France, in the suburbs of Paris.How did Flo come to focus on Static?Deep diving in Song Hong Lake, Thailand.Did Flo have a great static in the beginning, or did he have to train himself up from a more average performance?He hardly takes any days off from training static!Did he engage in much sport before he discovered freediving?Florian has achieved more than 10:30 minutes in static.The COVID vaccine, myocarditis story.There is no anti-vaccination message here.How did a previous bout of COVID affect future freediving performances?What 'official' protocol was followed to heal from the myocarditis?What is a typical week of training like for Flo at the moment?Training almost every day in static?Experience with over-training.Florian's method of pre-dive 'light' hyperventilation.3 best pieces of advice to improve your static and bonus!Nutrition and the crazy weight loss/fasting involved in the biggest performances.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS plus what Donny thinks of the French and how was it being featured on the world's biggest podcast?How to get in touch with Florian.Shout outs to Branko Petrovich, Aharon Solomons, Eric Fattah and his girlfriend.

Petar Klovar is a World Record breaking Croatian competitive freediver. In the 2022 CMAS World Championships he dived an incredible 92m in CNF (Constant Weight No Fins).In this episode we discuss:Is Croatia trying to take over the freediving world?Petar has gone from 70 to 90+ metres in 2 years of CNF!!He has a good background in swimming.Petar is from the coastal city of Rijeka in Croatia.Gym training for appearance and a spell in kickboxing.How has focusing on freediving affected Petar's physique.How did he get into freediving as a sport.What have been the highlights of Petar's freediving career so far?How much deeper can Petar go? He has his sights on the world record!How does the dolphin kick advantage or disadvantage Petar on his dives?What were Petar's equalisation problems and what did he do to overcome them?The value of daily dry equalisation practices.How is Petar preparing for the next season?Petar's experience with COVID19 and the after effects.What does Petar do in his 'normal human life'?Follow Petar's girlfriend's IG page for tattoo art! @ana_petko_witchPetar's take on nutrition.His experience with lung squeezes and the reasons for them.How he spends his free time.He and Ana both love bouldering.Find out more about coaching from Petar at adriaticfreediving.comMEMBERS ONLY EXCLUSIVE - DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONSShout out to Petar's supporters.Why does he freedive?

On today's show we have a Freedive Cafe favourite returning to the show. Founder of Immersion Freediving and the Freedive Live Podcast, Ted Harty came back and we had a conversation sharing some of our experiences and advice regarding the instruction of freediving. So this episode may offer up some helpful or insightful information for new or aspiring freediving instructors and my even hold a few gems for experienced instructors too.In this episode we discuss:Ted has moved to Georgia!About the 2022 Freedive Live SummitConversing on the art of instruction:Walk through the first open water session.Pre-dive session briefings.Saving money by not losing gear!The surface buoyancy test/surface safety test.Randomising rescue practices.Safety and equipment checks done before and during the session.The biggest beginner instructor mistake.How do you cope with student anxiety and water fear?A question from Patron Andrea Claussen... How do you deal with students who lack patience and have a tendency to push too hard (and risk injuries)?Managing varying abilities during a course, one student going ahead of another...What are some ways to make the whole experience more fun for the student?Why we're not covering EQ in this conversation.Managing student expectations.What separates a good instructor from a great one?

MT Solomons is a link to the early days of deep freediving before the modern competition era, along with her partner at the time Aharon Solomons they were there in the time of Pipin and Audrey, Umberto Pelizzari and Davide Carrera, a young Martin Stepanek was around, Kirk Crack, Tanya Streeter, a whole host of freediving royalty, a time when things were simpler in the world and also in freediving, when freediving was still very exploratory and deep diving logistics and training were being figured out as they went along.You'll also hear about the shared history I discovered I had with MT and Aharon with a place called Agios Pavlos in southern Crete in Greece, which blew my mind, and then we'll move on to talk about MT's life in Baja, Mexico, where she is running unique freediving training courses and we talk about her experiences with plant medicines and the ultimate potential of the deep diver outside of just training and performances.In this episode we discuss:MT was back in the UK for the holiday season when we spoke.About the Huniquin people, Ayahuasca ceremonies.How MT discovered freediving.Our shared history of Crete, Agios Pavlos, Triopetra, Derek Ireland and shout out to Helen and Phil at Yoga Rocks.https://www.yogaholidaysgreece.comHow Aharon Solomons introduced her to freediving in Crete.Diving with a yellow submarine!The days of early deep diving with Pipin Ferreras, Martin Stepanek,Umberto Pelizzari, Davide Carrera and Tanya Streeter.How MT got started in Mexico.The ecology and weather of the Baja Peninsula and the Sea of Cortez.How diving works in MT's area and the experience on offer.MT's relationship with plant medicine and how that experience ties in to the experience of freediving.The deeper experience of freediving and the possibilities of deep human diving.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVE

World Record Holder Vitomir Maričić returns to The Freedive Cafe to answer the legendary Training Talk questions!We also discuss his experiences with nitrogen narcosis and decompression illness.The Training Talk Questions are:What is your favourite freediving discipline and why? Do you have a coach and who do you train with? Do you periodise your training through the year? What kind of dry training do you do?Do you have a dry EQ practice, if so, what kind of exercises?Describe your favourite pool training sessions, if you train in the pool.How do you structure depth training sessions and how does it change through the year or the season?What are you doing, in your mind, in the 2 minutes before your deep dives?Do you do warm up? How? Or why not?Do you pack? How many times?At what depth do you begin your freefall?Do you count your kicks or strokes?Hands up or down on the ascent?Do you exhale before surfacing or remove the noseclip before surfacing?Do you do recovery or hook breathing?What is your experience with narcosis and how do you deal with it?Have you ever experienced decompression related symptoms?Do you drink coffee, alcohol or smoke?What is the one piece of nutrition advice you would give?Do you take any supplements?What lifestyle or mindset change helped you improve more than anything else? Which person, or persons have influenced your own approach to freediving the most?What do you like to do on rest days and do you have any strategies to speed up your recovery? Describe your deepest dive in detail.What is your favourite memory so far from your freediving journey?What was the best place you ever freedived?

Originally aired on Thrivers Podcast exactly one year ago, in this fascinating interview we discuss James Nestor's latest book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.James Nestor originally appeared on episode #19 of The Freedive Café when we discussed his previous book Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and what the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves.In this episode we discuss:How did the Coronavirus situation affect the release and promotion of the book?Was James nervous to go on Joe Rogan's podcast?What is the basic premise of Breath?What is the scientific backing for the information in the book?Why is mouth breathing so detrimental to health?The experiment documented in the book which James took part in with Anders Olssen.Traditional Native American views on mouth breathing.Practical advice on how to work with nose breathing.The earliest modern pulmonauts.Why should we be breathing LESS, rather than MORE!Link to Patrick McKeown interview on The Freedive Cafe Podcast.The story of Emil Zátopek.All about breathing slow and the 5.5 second rule.The importance of chewing your food properly!The right time and place for hyperventilation.Can CO2 be breathed for therapeutic reasons and to treat anxiety?What interesting titbits didn't make it into the book?DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS! Patreon Exclusive.James has another idea for a book!How can people find out more about James and his books?

Chris McKay was Chief of Safety at the 2021 AIDA World Championships in Cyprus and runs Freedive Tulum in Mexico.In this episode we discuss:How was Chris' whole experience of the AIDA WC 2021 in Cyprus?Did the issue with Taiwan flag negatively affect the athletes?Chris is from Queensland in Australia.A start in freediving through spearfishing.Enjoying depth but not competing.Comparing freediving to climbing.Chris came from a safety and rescue training background, working in adventure tourism.Talking about organising safety at Vertical Blue.Which competition memories stand out most for Chris.Remembering Sayuri Kinoshita.How has the safety situation changed over the years in freediving competitions?Identifying potential problems with divers and predicting possible negative dives.Chris' most challenging experiences during comps.Is there anything missing from rescue techniques in freediving education?A Patreon question from Mauricio about 'bad spots'.A Patreon question from Kai about rescue techniques.A Patreon question from Jan about becoming certified as a safety diver.A Patreon question from Christian about safety divers not taking part in competitions.Shout out to Linda Paganelli.A Patreon question from rescue swimmer Dalen about diving alone.About Chris' set up in Tulum, Mexico.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveHow to get in touch with Chris?Freedive Tulum

Tom Peled is a breath coach and freediving coach from Tel Aviv, Israel. Join us for this fascinating conversation on the power of the breath, working with trauma, helping athletes to their peak performance and much more.In this episode we discuss:Shout out to Madison and Alice ModoloTom is from Tel Aviv, IsraelHe joined the Navy when he was 18 and eventually became a scuba instructor.Discussing the diving conditions off the coast of Israel.Did Tom get involved in the competitive scene?Meeting up with Aharon Solomons!The research phase begins...How Tom's teaching methodology developed.How does Tom define breathwork and how is it applied?Helping victims of trauma with breathwork.Inspiration from the oxygen advantage method.How breathwork is integrated into the athlete's training strategy.Hypoventilation and reduced breathwork.When complementary training is and isn't useful.Tom's thoughts on the benefits of running.What a year of training would look like?Respiratory health, treating asthma, COPD with breath work.Tom's take on respiratory training devices.Tom's thoughts on supplementation, what is garbage and what is worth taking? Creatine, beta alanine, citrulline, NAC, ashwagandha.Mental work, long distance athlete's mentality.Talking about the 2 minutes before the dive, the "breathe-up".Hyperventilation - is it always bad?How to get in touch with Tom and get some coaching.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - Patreon ExclusiveTom's plans for the future.Why does he freedive?

Julia Mouce, Freedive Cafe favourite returns for her fourth appearance!Julia is the owner of Apnea Bali freediving school on the island of Bali, Indonesia and one of the most highly regarded professional freediving coaches in the world.Today we focus on the art of instructing freediving, from the beginning level, to coaching athletes at the top of their game.In this episode we discuss:Discussing the AIDA World Championships in Cyprus.Advice for instructors:Don't talk too much!Always say something positive.Don't get too serious with the students.Dive with your students.Don't discuss theory on the buoy.The value of putting the students feet first.Advice for coaching those struggling with EQ.Tips on coaching duck dives.Developments in freediving as a sport.Coaching and its value.Training smart and training silly.How negative performances can influence future performances.Finding the right coach to suit your personality.Don't be too proud as a coach.About the current situation for Apnea Bali and Julia in Bali.About Julia's coaching services.Julia still has a few coaching spaces left!

Fatima Korok is a World Champion freediver from Hungary.She first appeared on the show on Episode #110 and now returns to dig deep into her training methods with a special Training Talk episode.The Training Talk questions are:What is your favourite freediving discipline and why?Do you have a coach and who do you train with?Do you periodise your training through the year?What kind of dry training do you do?Do you have a dry EQ practice, if so, what kind of exercises?Can you handsfree? How deep?Describe your favourite pool training sessions, if you train in the pool.How do you structure depth training sessions and how does it change through the year or the season?What are you doing, in your mind, in the 2 minutes before your deep dives?Do you do warm up? How? Or why not?Do you pack? How many times?At what depth do you begin your freefall?Do you count your kicks or strokes?Hands up or down on the ascent?Do you exhale before surfacing or remove the noseclip before surfacing?Do you do recovery or hook breathing?What is your experience with narcosis and how do you deal with it?Have you ever experienced decompression related symptoms?Do you drink coffee, alcohol or smoke?What is the one piece of nutrition advice you would give?Do you take any supplements?What lifestyle or mindset change helped you improve more than anything else?Which person, or persons have influenced your own approach to freediving the most?What do you like to do on rest days and do you have any strategies to speed up your recovery?Describe your deepest dive in detail.What is your favourite memory so far from your freediving journey?What was the best place you ever freedived?

On today's show we have another amazing girl joining us, you know the girls are really the ones leading the way in terms of exciting freediving these days, and Alice Modolo of France is no exception. This year at the famous Vertical Blue competition she achieved the first ever 100m dive for a french female athlete and topped that off with a CMAS world record in CWT bifins with a dive to 95m. Alice has had a long and interesting journey in freediving, at one point giving up the sport for several years to focus on her career, then ultimatley giving up her career to focus on the sport. We'll hear all about the process she has gone through to bring her mind, her breath and her body into alignment with what is necessary to be a world record making freediving athlete.In this episode we discuss:How it's more complicated to teach freediving in France.A good performance at the French Championship and great year at Vertical Blue for Alice.Hats off to Alenka Artnik.Alice is from France and started freediving when she was 23 years old.Seasickness and issues with the water.Taking a 4 year break from freediving to pursue her professional career.Coming back stronger than ever.Alice is a dentist, but quit her job to pursue freediving!The benefits of working with a mental trainer for athletes.The influence of trauma on your performance as an athlete.Deep freediving is also facing fears and facing death.Shout out to one of Alice's coaches Tom Peled.Talking about yoga for flexibility.Strength training is important but softness and relaxation is more important.The importance of not overtraining and focusing on the specific training needed.Alice's approach to food and nutrition.What does Alice do in her free time?The impact of working with Federico Mana on her equalisation skills.A question from Patreon supporter Marc Sodoyer.A question from Patreon supporter Joshua about her mask/goggle set up?Shout out to Stavros Kastrinakis at Freediving Club Greece.DESERT ISLAND QUESTIONS - PATREON EXCLUSIVE SECTIONAnother question from patron Marc!Why does Alice freedive?

Gary McGrath is and English competitive freediver. His first appearance was episode #109.This is a Training Talk episode. The Training Talk questions are:What is your favourite freediving discipline and why? Do you have a coach and who do you train with? Do you periodise your training through the year? What kind of dry training do you do?Do you have a dry EQ practice, if so, what kind of exercises?Describe your favourite pool training sessions, if you train in the pool.How do you structure depth training sessions and how does it change through the year or the season?What are you doing, in your mind, in the 2 minutes before your deep dives?Do you do warm up? How? Or why not?Do you pack? How many times?At what depth do you begin your freefall?Do you count your kicks or strokes?Hands up or down on the ascent?Do you exhale before surfacing or remove the noseclip before surfacing?Do you do recovery or hook breathing?What is your experience with narcosis and how do you deal with it?Have you ever experienced decompression related symptoms?Do you drink coffee, alcohol or smoke?What is the one piece of nutrition advice you would give?Do you take any supplements?What lifestyle or mindset change helped you improve more than anything else? Which person, or persons have influenced your own approach to freediving the most?What do you like to do on rest days and do you have any strategies to speed up your recovery?Describe your deepest dive in detail.What is your favourite memory so far from your freediving journey?What was the best place you ever freedived?