BREATH TRAINING FOR SURFERS
Build Confidence in the Surf - From Beginners to Big Wave Surfers
NEWCASTLE, NSW
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FIND COMFORT IN DISCOMFORT:Â
Unlock the power of your breath to stay calm, strong, and focused—no matter the ocean conditions:
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Master Recovery Breathing – Bounce back faster between sets with techniques used by elite freedivers.
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Understand the Urge to Breathe – Learn what’s really happening in your body—and how to stay in control.
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Strengthen Your Breathing Muscles – Train smarter with exercises that build endurance and power.
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Increase CO₂ Tolerance – Stay relaxed and clear-headed, even during long hold-downs.
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Activate the Dive Reflex – Tap into your body’s natural response to conserve oxygen and boost stamina.
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Train Your Nervous System – Shift from fight-or-flight to calm and focused, right when you need it most.
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Build Daily Habits – Apply simple, proven routines that enhance your performance in and out of the surf.
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These techniques are designed to help surfers like you breathe better, recover faster, and stay in control-even in challenging situations.
Ready to take action and elevate your surfing to the next level?
KNOWLEDGE BUILDS CONFIDENCE.
WHEN YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU’RE DOING, YOU CAN BREAK IT DOWN INTO SIMPLE, MANAGEABLE STEPS—AND PERFORM AT YOUR BEST. THAT’S WHEN FEAR FADES, AND CONFIDENCE TAKES OVER.
| Minimum Age | 16 |
| Days | 1 |
| Theory & Land exercises | 3 hours |
| Pool Training | 3Â hours |
| Min/Max number of participants | 5Â -Â 8 |
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“You can’t control the ocean—but you can control how you meet it.”
Michaela Werner
MEET MICHAELA
Michaela Werner is a passionate freediving coach and competitive athlete who knows how to stay calm under pressure—and she’ll teach you to do the same.
She’s a Guinness World Record holder in Dynamic No Fins (DNF) freediving, having swum over 2.5 km underwater in one hour without fins, holding her breath for a total of 42 minutes! Watch the world record attempt here on her YouTube channel. Her achievement was as much mental as it was physical—and that same mindset shapes her coaching today.
Through her Breath Training Clinics for Surfers, Michaela will help you:
- Stay calm in challenging conditions
- Â Hold your breath longer
- Â Recover faster between sets
- Â Build real confidence in the surf
Michaela can dive 50m deep, hold her breath for over six minutes and dive 200 meters underwater on a single breath. When she’s not coaching, you’ll find her meditating on Redhead beach at sunrise, running up and down the sand dunes (while holding her breath), bodysurfing, or playing in the waves with her three kids.
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BOOK NOW
We're all equal before a wave.
Laird Hamilton
GET TO KNOW YOURSELFÂ Â
Why train in the pool? Because the last place you want to face breathlessness and panic is under the biggest wave of your life.
Pool training gives you a safe, controlled space to explore the stress of breath-holding—without the risk. You’ll learn how to relax into discomfort, extend your breath-hold, and shift your limits with confidence.
And if things feel harder than expected? You won’t leave guessing. You’ll leave with a clear plan to improve your CO₂ tolerance, breath control, and ocean readiness.
Learn about yourself—so next time you meet the ocean with knowledge, confidence and renewed excitement.
ENROLMENT & MEDICAL FORMS
Please download and fill in the APNEA INTERNATIONAL ENROLMENT & MEDICAL form before attending the course:
ENQUIRE ABOUT GROUP DEALS OR TEAM-BUILDING CLINICS
 Looking to do something cool with your mates, energise your team or offer your clients something unforgettable?
Ask about customised breath work and mindset clinics for groups, staff, or corporate events.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this course for me?
How can I apply my knowledge in the surf?
Can you design a team-building event for a group of surfers?
What can I expect from the course?
What sets this course apart?
Is this course for advanced surfers only?
IMAGE GALLERY
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
The Surf Survival course was the perfect introduction to understanding the power of breathing, getting the most out of every breath and staying calm for long periods under the water. It is a breath of fresh air for emerging ocean swimmers looking for real usable tips to reduce anxiety in the surf and develop skills to be more efficient under the water.
Andre Slade, Owner Ocean Fit
Loved every part of the course, learnt a lot from it and definitely can feel more confident. Michaela is very knowledgeable and inspiring also such a good and really fun person. Highly recommended and would definitely love to do another course in the future.
Pavlina Kováčova
It’s amazing how much you can get out of a one day course! Definitely will be lots more confident and calm during big hold downs from now on
I’d strongly recommend it for surfers of all levels who want the confidence and ability to push themselves in bigger waves. Plus it was a really fun day.
Tim Dickson, Manager - Slimes Boardstore
Had an awesome day in Adelaide, amazing instructor, learnt heaps about breath holding techniques and surf survival skills, highly recommend this to anyone who loves the ocean. Thanks so much, Michaela, so glad I came!
David Green
Course was great fun.
Looking forward to getting back in the surf with the tools I learnt.
Certainly motivating and confidence building.
Beneficial for all levels of surfers.
