What if improving your breathing could be the key to conquering wipeouts, boosting performance, and mastering your mindset in the water?

Surfers often focus on physical technique but overlook the power of their breath. In this episode, we explore how mastering rhythmic breathing, focus, and stress management can transform the way you surf—helping you stay calm under pressure, recover faster, and tap into the flow state when sitting out the back.

1. Discover how breathing affects your nervous system, brain waves, and even the acidity of your blood, allowing you to optimize oxygen use and performance in the surf.

2. Learn practical techniques like rhythmic breathing, peripheral vision awareness, and diaphragmatic training to handle high-pressure surf conditions and recover effectively.

3. Gain insights from Nam Baldwin’s experience training world-class athletes like Mick Fanning and applying his BET (Breath Enhancement Training) methods to improve both surfing performance and safety.

Unlock the secrets to better surfing through breathwork—tune in now to transform your performance in and out of the water!

For more, visit BET Training and check out Nam Baldwin's upcoming ebook on breath hold training for surfers.

Key Points

• Nam Baldwin introduced Breath Enhancement Training (BET), a program to help surfers deal with high-pressure moments and improve breath holding, breathing, and resetting after challenging situations.

• Rhythmic and even breathing can influence the heartbeat and assist the heart in pumping blood and oxygen more efficiently.

• Proper breathing techniques, such as breathing low into the lungs first, can optimize oxygen release from hemoglobin and improve oxygen efficiency.

• During stressful situations, maintaining an open focus or peripheral vision can help calm the brain and reduce stress response.

• Practicing diaphragmatic breathing exercises can strengthen the diaphragm muscle and improve the mind-muscle connection for better breathing under stress.

• Short breath-hold exercises, such as 40-second breath holds with minimal rest, can help build tolerance to carbon dioxide buildup experienced during wipeouts.

• Nam discussed working with professional surfers like Mick Fanning to improve their breathing and stress management through BET training.

• Nam recommended morning breathing routines to establish rhythmic breathing, activate the diaphragm, and prepare the body for the day's activities.

https://www.nambaldwin.com

http://www.bettraining.com/

For the passionate surfer—whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer—this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we’ll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we’re here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more—so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner or intermediate Surfer to advanced.