David Rutherford Show: “22 Minutes Without Air” – World Record Holder Stig
By The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
December 15, 2025
📍Stig Severinsen is a four-time world champion freediver, multiple Guinness World Record holder, and the first human being to hold his breath for more than 20 minutes. Known globally as “The Human Dolphin,” Stig combines elite physiology, Eastern philosophy, and decades of scientific research to explore the limits of human potential.
In this conversation, Stig and Rut go deep into:
How Stig learned to hold his breath for 22 minutes
The Viking childhood that shaped his connection to water
Training Navy SEALs, fighter pilots, and elite performers
The biology of breath, CO₂ tolerance, lactic acid, and nervous system control
Why modern medicine misunderstands the mind-body connection
The psychology of pushing past fear and physical limitation
Breathwork as a tool for mental toughness, resilience, and healing
The story behind his world records, including the under-ice swim
How anyone can begin training their breath today
Stig brings together science, nature, and spirituality in a way few people can. This episode is a masterclass in human performance.
Follow Stig: https://www.breatheology.com/
Next Steps:
- 🏫 Get coaching by David Rutherford: https://www.froglogicinstitute.com/
- 📕 Get David's novel, The Poet Warrior: https://www.ballastbooks.com/ballast-bookstore/the-poet-warrior
- 📰 Sign up for David's weekly newsletter for free coaching tips, updates, and more: https://davidrutherfordletter.substack.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 - Early Childhood, Connecting To Water, Inspired By Nature
17:01 - What Ignited Stig’s Competitive Spirit & Will To Be The Best?
32:23 - Breaking World-Records & Pushing Human Limits
42:30 - The Physiology of Freediving
01:02:41 - Mindfulness, Performance Psychology, The Power of Breathwork
01:14:37 - Conditioning The Mind & Body For Superhuman Performance
01:37:04 - Coaching World-Record Setting Athletes
01:48:32 - Where To Learn More About Stig & Breatheology
Follow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck
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This story originally appeared in The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show