For a few weeks, it had been on my mind, and yesterday (10th June 2026) it finally happened: my very first live stream! Doing something I love, but now with a lot of extra stress. Thank you for tuning in and giving me that extra bit of pressure!
I put a goal out there: setting a new PB in the pool (old PB: 4:43). I did it with a new wet PB of 5:00… but what a fight it was! Of course, I’m happy with this step, but deep down I was expecting a bit more than 5 minutes flat.
The experience
It was stressy and messy. Setting up the camera is still new to me, and fiddling with it just four minutes before submerging was probably not the wisest thing to do. My breathe-up was a bit rushed because of it. I felt a lot of tension in my shoulders and lost track of my breathing at times. The past year I hardly trained STA in the pool (<10). To decrease the transition from dry to wet, I decided to wear goggles for this one.
Just after submerging comes what I call the “settling-in phase.” This took longer than usual, but I could feel my heart rate slowing down and some of the tension melting away. I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but the UTB came before the contractions, somewhere around 2:30 is my guess. I managed to keep the contractions small for a while but lost control of them somewhere before the 4-minute mark.
Mentally, this hold felt heavy for far too long, and that caused me to burn oxygen much faster than I wanted. My buddy Erwin did an amazing job coaching me through the final minute, counting down and supporting me to get that 5. New PB, but also my first tiny samba (LMC).
What could have been better:
I haven’t done much wet STA training over the past year (maybe 10 sessions max). Compared to laying on the couch, I still hold a lot of tension in my neck in the pool. Also, my flexibility in the back needs improving.
I’m in the middle of a CO₂ training block and didn’t taper before this max attempt. I’m tired, both mentally and physically.
I normally train in the morning, not in the evening. I need a better plan regarding food and rest if I have to perform later in the day.
Solutions for the future:
Do more submax holds in the pool long before maxing.
Train at different times of day to be better able to perform when needed.
Build tolerance to longer fasting periods so afternoon and evening performance feels easier and more natural.
More stretching with focus on back.