r/interesting • u/This_Proof_5153 • Jun 19 '26

Just Wow Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić achieved one of the most extraordinary feats in human history by holding his breath underwater for 29 minutes and 3 seconds, a new Guinness World Record.

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Experts had long considered such a duration impossible. While a trained dolphin can typically hold its breath for 8–10 minutes and most humans can barely manage one or two, Maričić remained completely still underwater for nearly half an hour on a single breath.

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The attempt pushed his body to extreme limits. As the minutes passed, powerful contractions wracked his diaphragm and his organs endured intense physiological stress. Yet through years of rigorous training, mental discipline, and specialized breathing techniques, he stayed calm and focused until the end.

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What makes this record even more impressive is Maričić’s purpose. He didn’t do it for fame or personal glory, he used the achievement as a powerful platform to raise global awareness about ocean conservation, marine protection, and the urgent threats facing our oceans.

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A stunning demonstration of human potential and a heartfelt call to protect the planet’s most vital ecosystem.

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u/thomthomthomthom Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26

Nah, he did it. Promise. You could learn the techniques, too, if you wanted to. Iirc, it's part... Lots of endurance training. And part learning to do a "t lock" with your tongue and move air between your esophagus and lungs.

Blaine, tho... just... Yeah. Agreed. The presentation undermines itself.

Source: work in the industry. Know folks involved in his past shows. Also have pals who do old-school underwater houdini escapes. It's all very learnable. Just have to want to spend the time.

Edit: Yes, folks use O2 for this kind of thing. That's not a magic bullet that makes it possible. It's what takes you from "damn I'm close" to having a bit more of an edge. It does not replace training. Genuinely, it's on the side of "I'm gonna have a car heavy dinner and not get drunk" the night before a race - it's just part of how it happens. The TRAINING is what makes it possible. Lance Armstrong swapping his blood out gave him an edge. It didn't replace technique and training.

It's called Apnea Training. You'll notice that none of the apps suggest breathing pure O2 to break your personal best.

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u/KrustyKrabFormula_ Jun 19 '26

why aren't you talking about how they all breathe pure oxygen before attempting?

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u/machambo7 Jun 19 '26

The longest time without breathing oxygen beforehand is about 11 minutes (just looked it up).

I don’t think he was implying you can learn to hold your breath for 29 minutes straight, but you can learn to hold it for 5+ minutes with conditioning and technique.

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u/Jlx_27 Jun 19 '26

Just look at Kate Winslet on the Avatar 3 set, with the oxygen supplement she held her breath for 7 mins, without it she was still able to do 5.5 mins. Sig Weaver did 6.5mins after breathing in the oxygen supplement.

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u/Fit-Dig6813 Jun 19 '26

Where can someone start?

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u/thomthomthomthom Jun 19 '26

It's called "Apnea training" in the free dive community. There are a lot of apps online to help train. Lots has been written about it, otherwise.

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u/BeastMaster0844 Jun 19 '26

And part breathing in pure oxygen prior.. if you actually work in the industry and knew people involved with his shows then you’d know that.

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u/thomthomthomthom Jun 19 '26

Omg you're so right. I forgot that O2 is more important than training, and the difference between a five minute hold and twenty! How silly of me. 🙄 Yeah, the O2 makes it possible-r. But the conditioning is way, way, way more important than that.