Join us in this episode of Never Been Sicker as world record freediver William shares his journey from breaking records underwater to helping people manage stress and anxiety. Discover how the techniques he developed for freediving can be applied to everyday life to achieve mental calmness and improve overall well-being.
Episode Highlights:
00:01 - Introduction
Michael introduces the episode and guest, William.
00:25 - William's Background
William explains his background in freediving and his world record achievement.
01:57 - Freediving Explained
Michael and William discuss the basics of freediving and the importance of staying calm underwater.
04:22 - Rising Mental Health Issues
Discussion on the increasing mental health issues globally and the impact of stress and anxiety.
06:19 - Applying Freediving Techniques to Life
William talks about how freediving techniques can help manage everyday stress and anxiety.
09:22 - Origin of the Mental Immune System
William shares how he developed his Mental Immune System through freediving.
11:52 - Practical Applications
Michael and William discuss the benefits of staying calm and making better decisions in stressful situations.
15:58 - Breathing Exercise Demonstration
William guides a simple breathing exercise to help manage stress.
21:22 - Subconscious Reprogramming
William explains how to reprogram the subconscious mind to respond calmly to stress.
23:48 - Environmental Factors
Michael highlights the importance of addressing environmental factors in mental health.
26:32 - Final Thoughts
William provides closing remarks and additional resources for learning his techniques.
27:06 - Conclusion
Michael wraps up the episode and thanks William for sharing his insights.
About William
William Trubridge, BSc, MNZM
AA Instructor, AIDA Instructor Trainer
William learnt to swim at the age of 2, and could freedive to 15m at 8 years old, but didn't begin serious training for the sport until 2003. Initially he studied in Italy under Umberto Pelizzari and other members of the Italian Apnea Academy, helping to found Apnea Academy International with English translations of the texts.
In 2005 William was the first freediver to dive at Dean's Blue Hole, now recognised as the world's premier freediving venue, and site of the annual Vertical Blue event. There, in April 2007, he broke his first world record in the discipline of CNF (Constant Weight No Fins), diving to 81m.
Since then he has broken this record multiple times, and in 2010 he became the first human to descend to 100m (330 feet) during Project Hector, an event aimed at bringing awareness to the plight of New Zealand's critically endangered Hector's and Maui's Dolphins. In July 2016 he furthered this record to 102m (334 feet) as part of the Steinlager Born to Defy project, broadcast live to NZ television.
William has also broken the world record multiple times in the Free Immersion discipline, most recently with 124m (406 feet) at Vertical Blue, in May 2016.
In 2019 he became the first person to complete an 'underwater crossing' of a major channel, swimming only underwater over the course of 934 breath holds to cross the Cook Strait between New Zealand's North and South Islands in 9 hours 15 minutes.
The Mental Immune System was devised by William Trubridge. Freediving requires complete mental and physical calm in order to succeed. Far below the surface, any panic or excitement will increase oxygen use, leading to a failed dive, or even worse. Freediving is like a test tube experiment in stress-management, and the techniques that William has devised in his career have helped him in setting 18 world records, and becoming the first and only human to dive past a depth of 100 meters with no assistance of any kind. In our modern lives, calmness is just as important when we dive into the difficulties we face at home and in the workplace. The powerful techniques of the Mental Immune System can be implemented here also, with the same effect as they have in the depths of the ocean.
https://mentalimmunesystem.com
https://www.williamtrubridge.com/links
https://www.instagram.com/willtrubridge/
