Blaine sets worth record breath hold...

[Rainer]

Is anyone a little dubious about this?
Let us not forget: Mr. Blaine is an illusionist.
Maybe through rigorous training, he can exceed an apnea time posted by serious freedivers who have been doing this all their lives.
Myself, I'm a air-tank guy so I do not claim expertise in the field.
But...

Just curious what thoughts are.

Dubious of what? His ability to not breathe when immersed in water? It's the real deal.

 

[KeysCuda]

When an illusionist makes the Statue of Liberty disappear, or an elephant or an Abrams tank, it doesn't actually disappear. It looks like it does.

I'm not saying he faked it. I have no clue.
But I know Blaine's professional life has consisted of making things look like something they aren't. He cannot read minds, though he acts like he can. Illusions are his livelihood.

This isn't Pippin or Tanya Streeter we're talking about here.
So, yeah, I am curious to see what dedicated freedivers think.

 

[Rainer]

I have no clue.

Just read up a little. He actually did this.

 

[KeysCuda]

So he says.


OK, I'll put Rainer in the "it was totally legit" camp. Fair 'nough.
Anyone else?

 

[OceanObsessed]

It was not an illusion. Remember he tried this before and failed. He trained in the Caymans and he was able to pull down to 200 feet. He is a pretty good freediver in my book. He did not break any legitimate AIDA freediving record... it's just a Guiness World Record. I don't think he could come even remotely close to breaking Tom Sietas static hold of 9:08 (without pure 02) .

 

[Rainer]

So he says.


OK, I'll put Rainer in the "it was totally legit" camp. Fair 'nough.
Anyone else?

For God's sake, it was done live in front of a TV audience. Check youtube. I'll put KC in the "maybe he has gills" camp. Are you willing to do any independent research on this? If you'd like me to send you the relevant links, let me know.

 

[Teamcasa]

David Blaine is an entertainer first. If your were entertained, he did his job.
I love watching close up magic tricks but these Houdini like stunts do nothing for me.

 

[ReefHound]

He was only underwater for 2 minutes, he just made everyone think it was 17 minutes. He manipulated time. Cheater.

 

[KeysCuda]

It was not an illusion. Remember he tried this before and failed. He trained in the Caymans and he was able to pull down to 200 feet. He is a pretty good freediver in my book. He did not break any legitimate AIDA freediving record... it's just a Guiness World Record. I don't think he could come even remotely close to breaking Tom Sietas static hold of 9:08 (without pure 02) .

Thanks, OO.

Now, see, there is a nicely reasoned response that answers the question I posited, without taking offense at the mere suggestion that maybe - just maybe - a guy who makes a good living pretending to read minds and levitate might - just might - have a little something extra going on.

But if seasoned freedivers accept it, that's significant.

I do not accept "as seen on TV" as the ultimate rejoinder.
Guinness was there, that lends some gravitas, certainly.
But Conan Doyle, a physician and creator of Sherlock Holmes, fiction's greatest practitioner of logic, was convinced that garden fairies and spirit mediums were the real deal.
What does Guinness know about sport apnea? Maybe everything, that's why I ask.

I go back decades, to my college days, when I saw The Amazing Kreskin do his mentalist act, live. It was impressive. Heck, maybe he can do it, I thought.
Not long after, I relayed this to an acquaintance, who happened to be a full-time professional magician. I'll never forget the grin he gave me. "Well, then that says a lot about his skill as a performer," he said. (He wouldn't tell me how he thought Kreskin did it, although his own act has similar illusions).

Not trying to start a flame war here. Just curious.

 

[freediver]

Yes, Blaine is an illusionist but he is also one that pushes the human physical boundaries. To me, the fact that Kirk and Mandy were there from PFI gives him more credibility since I don't think they would subject themselves to this "illusion". What you must realize is that this feat (and freediving in general) places a huge emphasis on the mental aspect of the performance. This is where David Blaine excels. In fact, I would be willing to bet he could challenge and beat Sietas' record.