Breathwork
Breathwork from a freediver
Slow, calm breathing that settles your nervous system. 15 minutes a day, from home.
What makes it different
Many breathwork classes use fast, intense breathing. A freediver's approach is the opposite. The goal is to breathe less, slower and more quietly, so your heart rate drops and your mind follows. It's the same calm freedivers rely on underwater, trained on land.
Four exercises to start
- Belly breathing. Let the belly rise and fall while the chest and shoulders stay quiet.
- Long exhales. Breathe out for longer than you breathe in. It's the fastest way to calm down.
- Box breathing. In, hold, out, hold, four counts each. Simple and steadying.
- Breathing less. Breathe a little less than you feel you need. This builds CO₂ tolerance without holding your breath.
Slow, never forced.Avoid fast, deep breathing before a breath-hold. It doesn't add oxygen and it removes the signal that tells you to breathe. Always practise seated or lying down, and never hold your breath in or near water.
Why daily works
Fifteen minutes a day beats two long sessions a week. Breathwork trains your nervous system, and nervous systems learn from repetition.
Draft · Gert to review copy CO₂Next readCO₂ toleranceWant the full program?
Train with me in Breathe with Gert
Start with the 6-Week Breathwork Challenge. 15 min a day, from home. No water needed.
2:100:50 → 2:10 · 26d
3:321:30 → 3:32 · 45d
5:042:45 → 5:04 · 62d