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April 15, 2025 72 mins

On today’s episode of “Harder to Breathe'', host, founding drummer of “Maroon 5”, and licensed therapist, Ryan Dusick is joined by co-host and actor Brian “Duck” Maillard for a conversation with “The Deepest Man in the World”, Pro Athlete William Trubridge.

 

William holds 18 World Records in Free Diving, a sport in which an individual dives straight down into the depths of the ocean… for as long and as deep as is physically possible. It requires an incredible amount of both mental and physical strength to perform such a feat, and for William, holding off intrusive thoughts and anxiety is truly a matter of life and death.

 

As you might imagine, having such an incredible skill set and resume has given William a  unique understanding of the human mind. The conversation dives into some deep territory, including navigating black-outs and unsuccessful dives, as well as fostering the ability to truly separate our human fears from our human instincts.

 

It’s perhaps the most pure form of harnessing mental energy, and bridging the gap between the body and the mind is what the “Harder to Breathe” Podcast is all about. It’s not often we have the chance to speak with a world-record holding athlete, and it’s a fascinating conversation that absolutely lives up to the hype.

 

 

0:00:36 Introduction & Mixing Things Up

0:04:18 Duck’s Self-Described “Ticks”

0:05:45 Ryan’s Self-Described “Ticks”

0:08:42 Today’s Guest: William Trubridge

0:12:36 William Trubridge Joins the Podcast & Speaks on his “Freediving” Origins

0:16:21 Choosing to Make Diving Competitive

0:18:35 The “Blood Shift” & Changing Physiology Underwater

0:20:20 Learning to Maintain Composure

0:23:49 Anxiety in a Life & Death Situation vs. Everyday Anxiety

0:26:26 Unsuccessful Dives & Blacking Out

0:31:21 Consciousness Beyond Our Own Thoughts

0:32:27 Listening to Instinct and Not Fear

0:37:23 The Effects of Water Pressure at Depth

0:39:31 Exposing Himself to Narcosis

0:40:19 Outdated Evolutionary Tools for Human Survival

0:43:25 Reprogramming your Subconscious

0:48:04 The Polyvagal Theory

0:54:43 Your Free Tool: The “3 Second Gap”

0:58:16 Becoming More Calm Through Diving

1:00:21 Fighting Off Hyper-Vigilance

1:09:22 William’s Coaching & Conservation Programs

1:11:48 Wrap Up & Conclusion



More About William Trubridge:

 

Official Website: https://www.williamtrubridge.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willtrubridge/

“The Mental Immune System” Program: https://www.mentalimmunesystem.com




Ready to Dive Deeper?:

https://www.ryandusick.com/

BenBella Books Author Page - https://benbellabooks.com/authors/dusick-ryan/ 

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Harder-Breathe-Memoir-Finding-Recovery/dp/1637742339/ 

WWSG Speaker Page - https://wwsg.com/speakers/ryan-dusick/ 

Psychology Today Therapist Profile - https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/937599 



Stay Up to Date on the Podcast: @hardertobreathepodcast

 

Follow Ryan on Social Media:

 

IG - @ryan_michael_dusick

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-dusick-ma-amft-26460894/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.m.dusick

Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/RyanMichaelDusick/ 

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