SURF
weekend warriors & competitive.
Breath Enhancement Training is a program to help you gain confidence in the ocean, and improve how you deal with wiping out, breath holds and hold downs.
It will take your physical and psychological abilities to a new level, providing you with the confidence and composure to progress and truly enjoy your sport.
Whether it’s 3ft, 8ft or 15ft waves and their hold downs that challenge you, this training is suitable for ocean-goers of all levels. If your challenge is physical and you get rattled paddling out, swimming out or wiping out, we go through specific pool drills which mimic surf conditions & these will train your body to be much more competent.
If your greatest challenge is the mental anxiety that you experience during breath holds, hold downs or under a high heart rate, then we have the knowledge and training techniques to make you more confident, comfortable and able to deal with that. We have Instructors that have held coveted positions in the professional surf realm, so if your performance suffers under competitive pressures – we have that covered too!
BENEFITS OF THE BET SURF PROGRAM
Let us teach you effective breathing warm-ups to prepare your mind & body for challenging paddle outs, wipe outs and hold downs. You’ll find that after the course, some previous challenges won’t even register any more!
As true blue Aussies it’s a pretty standard practice to see who can do the most laps of the backyard pool underwater or how long you can sit on the bottom – guilty, eeekkkk!!! Knowing what we do now, this education is something all swimmers & surfers could benefit form in learning how to increase their breath hold safely.
Anyways, this is not a free-dive specific training course & you won’t be attempting maximum stationary breath holds, however your breath hold will improve dramatically.
This is surf specific training and our drills recognise that you are usually under a higher heart rates when the breath is compromised & the drills ensure that you will gain greater confidence in bigger, rougher surf conditions. We start slow and progress from there, always within your limits.
This is surf specific training and our drills recognise that you are usually under a higher heart rates when the breath is compromised & the drills ensure that you will gain greater confidence in bigger, rougher surf conditions. We start slow and progress from there, always within your limits.
Finding your breathing even more challenging as you get older? Have you got young ones to keep up with? Take note because you can lose an alarming amount of lung capacity each decade through incorrect breathing technique and lack of correct education. Improving the strength and durability of all the muscles involved in breathing greatly enhances yourbreathing control, efficiency & physical capabilities, especially under load. Show those groms who’s boss! anxiety, unclear thinking & disruptive behaviours. You’ll learn the most effective ‘natural’ way to deal with stress which can be used anywhere, anytime.
You normally breathe out Carbon Dioxide (CO2) but during breath holds & stressful situations it builds up & usually triggers feelings of anxiety, panic & discomfort around the chest – for most this is the worst part of it all. We share knowledge and put you through drills that rapidly improves your physical & mental tolerance to elevated levels of this gas. Even the understanding that comes from the theory section quickly gives you greater control over your emotions, helping you to stay calmer in bigger surf or when under pressure. You’re welcome!
The most common thing we hear during this part is “I’ve NEVER felt that calm before!”. BET recovery breathing techniques coupled with guided mental cues (collectively known as ‘The Switch’) allows deep tissue oxygenation, relaxation & rejuvenation to take place. This calms your nervous system land the emotional centres of your brain like never before, minimises energy wastage and can be used to restore balance after any kind of challenging situation. The better your recovery, the better prepared you are for the next challenge.
If you prefer to see evidence that what you are being taught is true, you’ll love this part! Enjoy a live biofeedback demonstration showing heart-brain interaction & be educated on how to use your breathing to create ideal heart rhythms for greater control of your nervous system, faster recovery and better performance mentally & physically, especially when under load. Game Changer!
The first thing to change under stress is your breathing, creating a number of imbalances, in particular to your heart rate and rhythm. Under stress, a higher heart rate results in higher brainwave activity and this can significantly reduce your mental processing, composure & memory recall, potentially resulting in Surf wetsuit – this is pool dependent. You lose heat 20-25 times faster in water than on land. You’ll be in the water for 2+ hours & it’s no fun and way harder when you get cold.
How many times have you been upset by not having the confidence to commit to taking a wave? Try as we might, we’ve all had that moment had that miss and it’s spoiled our day. The good news is that besides the physical changes that take place to allow an extended breath hold, your mental strength and confidence dramatically improve too.
Plenty of crew join us pre surf trip as this kind of fitness can dramatically improve enjoyment & stoke on the trip, but can be hard to build during normal surfs, especially if conditions aren’t great in the lead up. Programs are available for purchase but only to those that have already done an Introductory Program (link to page) with us.
Surfing or ocean sports may have brought you to us but click here (link to well-being benefits web page) to see how many more benefits you are opening yourself up to by joining us, from a better breathing technique, improved immune system, stress management, and sooooo much more!!
BET will improve the way in which Oxygen is made available to you in your times of need. This component of the training involves activities with short breath holds with an empty lung, yes you read that right!
- Minimum age 12 years.
- Ability to swim 100m unassisted, bring fins if not a strong swimmer (at least you have the option to use/not use).
- Complete our medical/liability form
- Pay deposit to secure your spot
- Swimmers or Board-shorts
- Goggles (not a dive mask), we do have spares
- Towel & Water bottle
BOOK NOW!
Our courses book out fast, so book as early as you can by selecting the event date from the list.
REGISTER FOR FUTURE BOOKINGS:
If you can’t see a session date for your preferred location/s, register your details using this form & you will hear about new dates first!
We only promote courses on our socials ‘if’ we have any spots left after the database has been informed, so it pays to be on the list!
THE TRAINING STOPS ME PANICKING IN THOSE PRESSURE MOMENTS. “In big wave surfing if you panic in the ocean you might die, so I started BET to help lessen my anxiety, destress & maintain a more relaxed composure in this terrifying environment. In reality the training actually helps in all environments where you experience fear, anxiety, stress & burnout. Nam practices what he preaches. Pure Authenticity. There is nothing more important than that in those that you learn from. The training stops me panicking in those pressure moments. So thank you for helping me stay alive brother.”
MARK MATHEWS
International Speaker & Big Wave SurferTHE UNCOMFORTABLE BECOMES EXCITING “I was introduced to Nam through some top athlete friends who were working with him to improve their confidence in big waves with breathing techniques. Low in confidence in heavier surf, I thought I’d give it a try. Nam’s ability to help me connect my thought patterns and energy into the right places during training helped when I’m competing; the uncomfortable becomes exciting. I’ve learnt so much and I apply it to many areas of my life. I can truly thank him for helping me achieve many world titles and my tour success.”
STEPHANIE GILMORE
8x World Surfing ChampionIN HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS I MADE VERY CLEAR DECISIONS VERY QUICKLY “Doing the Breath Enhancement Training really opened my eyes. Being a professional surfer it is essential that you are able to hold your breath, especially in big wave situations. I achieved this and so much more. I felt a greater use of my breath whilst active, felt stronger in myself and learnt to clear my mind. In high pressure situations I felt I made very clear decisions very quickly. I recommend this type of work & Nam to anyone willing to try. I am extremely pleased with the result that I got out of.”
MICK FANNING
2007, 2009 & 2013 World Surfing ChampionMORE CONTROL OVER MY BODY "I think that Nam’s training system is amazing! I felt I had so much more control over my body after just 2 sessions and I felt a lot calmer too, and it is fun at the same time.”
SOFIA MULANOVICH
Surfing World Champ - Ladies WCTWHEN UNDER PRESSURE & BEING HELD DOWN, THE TRAINING HELPS YOU STAY CALM “B.E.T has definitely helped build my confidence when surfing large waves. The training expands your lung capacity, this helps you take deeper breaths & therefore helps withstand some pressures of big wipe-outs. When under pressure & being held down, the training helps you stay calmer & that buys you time. It’s also good for your head & mind set.”
JAMES 'BILLY' WATSON
BIG Wave Rider & Life GuardMY FITNESS IMPROVED SO FAST! "Whilst working in the Surfing Australia High Performance Camps it became clear that the B.E.T program was a huge benefit to all. It enhances the grommets thought processes & competition performance accordingly. Personally, doing a 6-week program gave me great confidence & mind control which has in the past been a deciding factor of how well I surf, particularly in the bigger waves. PLUS my fitness improved SO fast!"
SASHA STOCKER
Former BILLABONG Team ManagerA HUGE BENEFIT FOR BIG WAVE SURFING AND INCREASING CONFIDENCE IN THE WATER "I recommend this training to anyone wanting to surf bigger and better - it's a MUST!! I found this training to be a huge benefit for both big wave surfing and increasing ability and confidence in the water.”
CHEYNE HORAN
Surfing World Champion - Big Wave RiderTHE WORK I DO WITH NAM HAS REALLY COMPLEMENTED ALL OF MY OTHER TRAINING "The work I do with Nam has really complemented all of my other training & educated me on a very important aspect of it all - BREATHING. The underwater training is almost like a meditational experience & helps eliminating any stress. On top of that I get the benefits of feeling comfortable in places like Hawaii, Tahiti & Tasmania because I know I am ready for any solid hold downs I am dealt with. Nam has such a great understanding of the body & not only trains people but educates them along the way through the unique delivery of his knowledge."
DAN ROSS
Red Bull Women Elite Surfing Coach & Patagonia AmbassadorI WOULD NOT BE NEARLY AS CONFIDENT SURFING BIG HAWAII WITH OUT BET "The training program is the absolute key to surfing big waves in Hawaii. The training team really cares about their athletes and it shows in the delivery of the courses. I would not be nearly as confident surfing big Hawaii with out. It not only enhances your breath hold but also your all round fitness and confidence."
ANDREW STARK
General Manager World Surf League (WSL) & Kelly Slater Wave CoGUESS WHAT? I MADE THE FINAL OF THE TRIALS! “I ended up going to Tahiti & guess what? I made the final of the trials! In between each heat I was going back to the boat & practising. Helped me so much not wasting energy or time on distracting thoughts. I put together 5 really enjoyable heats & I felt like it was a gift to use as a platform for what you'd taught me. I'm now in Europe for 3 WQS events and will apply the same recipes & make decisions based on my values to ensure I'm calling the shots feeling my true north & what makes me feel alive!”
NATHAN ‘HEDGIE’
HEDGEPROFESSIONAL AND COMPLETELY ENGAGING. Thanks for the great session today! It was professional and completely engaging. My aim was to build confidence in challenging surf, and with practice I’m sure that will happen. Amazingly, by the end, I also recaptured a feeling of ease underwater that I haven’t had in years. It reminded me of why, as a kid, I was attracted to that world in the first place. Awesome- thanks again!
Fergus Scott
BET COURSE SYD NORTH AUGUST 2018ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS I’VE EVER DONE. Thank you so much for the session. I learned SO much and can’t wait to get into the training program! I honestly think it’s perfect - it was super challenging but accessible and one of the most valuable things I’ve ever done. It is so empowering to have the techniques and training program to help overcome the biggest hurdle in my surfing. I had such high expectations from everything I’d read about the session and it was all I’d hoped for and more!
Greta Low
BET SURF COURSE AUGUST 2018SURPASSED ALL OF OUR EXPECTATIONS I just wanted to extend a huge thank you for the course yesterday. All four of us (Sam, Floyd, Dom and I) had an awesome time and it really surpassed all of our expectations. I definitely came away feeling so much more educated, confident and relaxed with this element of my surfing - something that has been holding me back.
MATT MILLS
BET SURF COURSE MARCH 2018GOT SOME GREAT RIDES AND THE SIZE DIDN’T WORRY ME. Over the weekend I had the first proper opportunity to test out some of the BET techniques from the intro session late last year. The difference is amazing. Felt relaxed and confident in conditions that would have been very challenging 6 months ago. Copped some nice clean up sets on the head, snapped a leggie and went over the falls a couple of times – still a kook, but got some great rides and the size didn’t worry me.