Available in Australia for 3-weeks only this May/June
MEET CHALLENGE WITH PRESENCE.
A rare experiential workshop for teams and leaders to improve performance, decision-making and resilience under pressure.
This is not a keynote and not a motivational talk.
It is a guided, lived experience by multiple world record holders in the ultimate physical and mental feats - plank, freediving and ice & cold endurance - that helps people understand how they respond to stress, discomfort and challenge — and equips them with practical tools they can carry into the workplace and into life.
The physical challenges are simply tools to reveal how people respond under pressure.
In high-performing environments, pressure is inevitable. The question is not whether people face stress — but how they meet it.
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Why this matters at work.
In most organisations, pressure is not the exception — it’s everyday reality: deadlines, expectations, constant communication, responsibility for others. Over time, this builds not just mental load, but physiological stress.
And when pressure rises, people don’t rise to the occasion —they fall back on patterns.
Patterns of:
- reactivity instead of clarity
- control instead of trust
- pushing harder instead of regulating
- or disengaging altogether
This isn’t a lack of motivation or discipline.
It’s how the nervous system has learned to respond.
In many environments, performance is driven by pressure, ego, control and pushing harder. But sustainable performance comes from a different place — awareness, regulation and the ability to stay present without resistance.
The ability to stay calm, present and clear under pressure is not a personality trait.
It’s a trainable skill.
And it cannot be learned through theory alone.
It has to be experienced.
The way your team responds under pressure directly impacts performance, culture and results.
WHAT YOUR TEAM WILL EXPERIENCE?
This is not a passive session.
It’s a guided, measurable experience.
1. Baseline Experience — Meeting Pressure
Participants are introduced to the core principle: how the mind responds when the body meets discomfort.
Early on, they are guided through a simple plank and breath-hold challenge — without prior instruction.
This creates an immediate, personal baseline and reveals how each individual currently responds under pressure.
2. Breath & Nervous System Training
Participants learn how breathing directly influences their physiology, mental state and decision-making.
They are introduced to practical tools to regulate their nervous system — shifting from stress and reactivity into a more calm, focused and controlled state.
These techniques are simple, immediately applicable, and highly relevant to everyday work situations.
3. Guided Challenges — Training Presence Under Load
Participants are guided through a series of optional, fully scalable physical challenges.
This is where the learning becomes real.
Rather than pushing harder, they learn how to:
- stay present in discomfort
- reduce unnecessary tension
- respond with awareness instead of reaction
This creates a direct experience of performing under pressure differently.
4. Integration — Applying the Shift
Participants revisit the initial challenge, this time applying what they’ve learned.
This creates a clear, tangible shift — physically and mentally.
The session closes with guided reflection, helping participants connect the experience back to:
- decision-making
- communication
- leadership
- and everyday pressure at work
The result is not just insight — but a felt understanding of how to meet challenge with more calm, clarity and control.
Note: Everything is designed to be safe, inclusive and adaptable to all levels of fitness and experience.
OUTCOMES FOR YOUR ORGANISATION:
When people learn how to regulate their response to pressure, the impact extends beyond the workshop into everyday performance.
Individuals gain:
- calm and clarity under pressure
- practical nervous system tools
- more sustainable performance habits
Teams experience:
- less reactivity, more trust
- clearer communication under stress
- stronger cohesion in challenging situations
Organisations benefit from:
- more consistent performance
- better decision-making
- reduced burnout patterns
- a shift towards sustainable, human-centred performance
These are not theoretical insights — they are directly experienced and immediately applicable.
What does it really take to hold a plank for almost 10 hours?
It's not brute strength.
It’s the ability to remain calm and present when the body and mind are screaming to stop.
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
Meet...Joska Salek
The Czech Man Who Redefines What's Possible under Pressure, Author
Most people associate high performance with talent.
Others represent something different — what becomes possible through choice, discipline and self-awareness.
Joska Šálek is one of them.
At 48, he chose to change direction — stepping away from patterns that no longer served him.
Seven years later, he holds three Guinness World Records:
-
Longest abdominal plank (male): 9h 38min 47sec
-
Barefoot half marathon in snow & ice: 1h 50min 42sec (surpassing the previous record held by Wim Hof, widely known as “The Iceman”)
-
Weighted plank (18 kg): 1h 25min 02sec
The achievements are remarkable.
But what matters more is how — and why — they were achieved.
Joska’s work is not about pushing limits for the sake of it, but about understanding how the mind responds when the body meets discomfort — and how to stay present in those moments.
Having also faced significant life challenges, including wrongful imprisonment, his perspective is grounded in a simple principle:
Even when circumstances are outside our control, how we respond remains our responsibility.
Today, he brings these principles into organisations — helping teams understand how to stay present and effective under pressure.
Michaela (Miska) Werner
Working with breath, awareness and the nervous system
Michaela Werner is a freediving athlete, coach and Guinness World Record holder based in Newcastle, NSW.
Her coaching work connects with millions around the world and focuses on helping people reconnect with calm, clarity and trust in themselves.
Freediving teaches one powerful lesson:
You cannot fight water.
If you do, you lose.
Instead, you learn to relax, regulate your breath and move with awareness.
Michaela also holds two Guinness World Records:
-
Longest Distance Underwater in 1 Hour (Female)
2,525m — Dynamic No Fins (25m × 101) -
Longest Distance Underwater in 24 Hours (Team, Breath-Held - under review) 98km — Dynamic No Fins (25m × 3,920)
In this experience, she guides participants through practical tools for breathing, awareness and nervous system regulation — helping them stay calm, present and clear when it matters most.
In corporate environments, she helps teams translate these principles into calm, focused and effective performance.
Together, Joska and Miska bring two complementary worlds:
- land-based endurance
- and water-based awareness
"When people imagine someone who can hold a plank for almost 10 hours, or their breath for over 6 minutes, they picture the chiselled body it must require.
Very few imagine the chiselled mind."
Workshop Format
The experience can be delivered in a simple, flexible way depending on your team and objectives.
The Experience
We offer one complete, carefully designed experience that combines:
- Documentary screening exploring Joska’s journey and the deeper “why” behind performing under pressure
- Keynote insights - connecting extreme performance to everyday leadership, decision-making and stress
- Experiential workshop - where participants apply these principles in real time
This multi-layered format allows participants to:
- Connect emotionally through story
- Understand the principles intellectually
- And experience them directly in their own body & mind
which drives stronger retention and engagement.
While this is the recommended structure, the experience can be adapted to fit your organisation — whether that means a shorter session, a longer offsite format, or integration into a wider event.
Delivered personally by Joska Šálek and Michaela Werner during their limited time in Australia.
Bring "Meet Challenge with Presence" to your organisation
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