Freediving world record holder Severinsen visits OCM
PETALING JAYA:
Stig Severinsen is known as “The man who doesn’t breathe”.
Discovery Channel even called the Dane “The ultimate superhuman” when they did a documentary on him in 2013.
Combining yoga and his knowledge of physiology in freediving, Severinsen became a record holder of four freediving world records.
He achieved two Guinness World Records in 2010. In March that year, he swam 72 metres under ice wearing only swimming trunks and goggles in Grenada.
The following month and at the same venue, after inhaling pure oxygen, he held his breath for 20 minutes and 10 seconds in a tank full of sharks.
In May 2012, he was awarded the record of longest time breath held voluntarily by Guinness World Records for holding his breath for 22 minutes.
This record was achieved in a tank at the London School of Diving with the water cooled to -1ºCelcius.
Severinsen also set a new world record for longest swim underwater at 152.4m while wearing a wetsuit and monofin in April 2013 in Qorlortoq Lake in east Greenland.
Severinsen then announced that these would be his last record attempts and he would concentrate on teaching.
“I’ve always loved water, from splashing around as a baby to trying to grab as many rubber animals in a single breath. After holding my breath for 22 minutes, I actually feel quite OK.
“The most difficult time is usually before the dive but then I get into my zone,” said the Aalborg-born Severinsen, who took up freediving in 2003 after being recommended by his underwater rugby coach.
Severinsen was in town on Thursday to meet Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi. He plans to do a coaching clinic here next year.
By the end of his first year of practising, he had already broken three records but spent almost a decade perfecting his meditation technique before setting the 22-minute dive.
“You have to get into a truly meditative state and you leave all your troubles behind. To do this I like to focus on one subject, something like a loved one or a journey I’ve taken.
“All of us actually have this ability. We have this ‘inner dolphin’ in us and we share that reflex with all mammals.
“This reflex will lower your heart rate and change your brainwave activity. In a normal state, your brain would be in beta, but once you relax and feel good it goes into alpha.
“That is a great state of mind and often linked to an experience of extreme joyfulness and happiness,” said Severinsen, who holds a Masters in biology and a PhD in medicine.
He has even written a book called Breatheology to help people control their breathing.
Severinsen has coached many top athletes like multiple Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, 2012 London Olympic medallist shuttler Mathias Boe and 2016 Rio Olympic medallist swimmer Mie Nielsen.