Name: How I held my breath for 17 minutes
Uploaded: 2010-01-19T08:22:00Z
Duration: 20 min 2 s
Description: In this highly personal talk from TEDMED, magician and stuntman David Blaine describes what it took to hold his breath underwater for 17 minutes -- a world record (only two minutes shorter than this entire talk!) -- and what his often death-defying work means to him. Warning: do NOT try this at home.

In this highly personal talk from TEDMED, magician and stuntman David Blaine describes what it took to hold his breath underwater for 17 minutes -- a world record (only two minutes shorter than this entire talk!) -- and what his often death-defying work means to him. Warning: do NOT try this at home.

How I held my breath for 17 minutes

Defying perceived limits, extreme endurance can inspire both science and wonder. After surviving a week in a coffin and 44 days in a glass box, one man set out to hold his breath underwater for over 17 minutes—risking blackout, heart trouble, and intense pain along the way. Training involved strict discipline, radical body control, and constant trial and error. His journey reveals that what seems impossible may only be a matter of persistence, adaptation, and relentless practice.