#128 | Jennifer Wendland | Top of The World

03/05/22 • 71 min

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 QUESTIONS
Shout outs to Andreas Pap, Marco Nones and Martin Zajac

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.com
For freediving courses and training in Dahab, Egypt, visit www.freediveandthrive.com
To support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/freedivecafe

For freediving courses, workshops and retreats in Egypt and Europe visit www.truedepthfreediving.com!

Previous Episode

#127 | Florian Dagoury | Mr. 10 Minutes

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.

For freediving courses, workshops and retreats in Egypt and Europe visit www.truedepthfreediving.com!

Next Episode

#129 | Stig Severinsen | Breatheology

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 yoga
Research on human physiology and neurology
Modern 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 Thelaus
Reminiscences 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

For freediving courses, workshops and retreats in Egypt and Europe visit www.truedepthfreediving.com!