Lessons learned from a living legend

When the extraordinary opportunity to meet and train with my freediving hero, the living legend William Trubridge presented itself, I didn't hesitate for a moment. The anticipation was the same as that of a little girl seeing her idol in the flesh for the very first time—it was a surreal moment, affirming that yes, he is indeed real!

As the day unfolded, the technique session was a treasure trove of wisdom and tips, most of which I had encountered in my readings and studies before. 

The pool session flowed smoothly until the moment arrived for William's 'Signature' Fixed Interval Pyramid Hypercapnic Table. I was determined to give my best, challenging not only myself but also fellow freedivers. Opting for added difficulty, as I always did in training, I chose to forgo my suit and completely drop the weights, contrary to the other divers who wore them. No weights plus no suit equaled more drag, more strokes, less efficiency, and less air in the lungs—a recipe for a 20% higher difficulty level.

Making it to the last three 'survivors,' I faced the challenge of a 36-second interval after completing over 40 laps on a partial exhale. With each stroke, I felt my strength go, but I urged myself to stay calm and dig deeper. When the final lap required more than five strokes, I knew it was time to stop.

Watching the last freediver battling the CO2 monster, my ego began to protest. Why did I stop? I should have pressed on! I should have kept the weights on and emerged victorious! Recognizing this childish and futile thinking, I chose to 'observe' rather than be consumed by it—the very technique I learned from William's Mental Immune System, an online course addressing precisely this type of challenge.

The lessons transcended the mere physicality of the strokes. Having recently set the women's Guinness World Record by completing 101 DNF laps underwater in one hour, maintaining a pace between 35-36 seconds, I knew I could have persevered.

I could have easily claimed victory in the table challenge by making it easier on myself—wearing a suit and keeping the weights. But that wasn't the essence of the challenge, was it? I love pushing my limits and extracting valuable lessons, especially when they prove to be tough pills for the ego to swallow.

True champions have nothing to prove to others; only to themselves. Thank you, William, for teaching me this valuable lesson, amongst many others.

For more information on William’s Mental Immune System go to: https://mentalimmunesystem.com/