HFX MASTERCLASS
Learn from the best
The Masterclass is built around five core skills that science links to improved life quality and high performance.
Resilience; Staying steady under stress and resetting quickly after setbacks.
Mastery: Learning through failure and turning practice into confidence.
Purpose: Knowing your “why” and letting it carry you when motivation fades.
Optimism: Keeping momentum when the path is rough, and reframing obstacles as fuel.
Support: Building trust, asking for help, and carrying more together than alone.
World record freediver Li Karlsén shares her breathing and stress-reset techniques, including the physiological sigh; a fast, science-proven way to calm the nervous system. She’s faced extreme pressure under ice and depth, and translates those same methods into everyday life.
"Mental resilience is not something that just grows as we age and by being alive. It’s created, learned and strengthened by living to your fullest."
Cover image by Matt Porteus.
Guest Spotlight
Christa Funk: Photographing extreme surf waves
"Life can be so weird, it can be long and but it can also be short; that's why its important to pursue our passions and what makes us truly happy in life. Life gets to everybody in different ways. It’s getting knocked down and trying to figure out how to get up again, back into the light".
The new documentary First in, Last Out features Funk's unwavering determination to do everything necessary to get the ideal shot; to train, study, push through the pain, to put the time in, and to draw on the inspiration of her loved ones. It's a story about the raw human experience of triumph through grief and perseverance with grace in the eyes of chasing big dreams.
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/films/christa-funk-first-in-last-out
Nina Jensen: CEO REV Ocean
Samuel Massie: Explorer & TV host
BREATHWORK
Small habit. Big impact.
Breath is the body’s fastest lever for resilience. Research in psychophysiology shows that slow, deep breathing activates the vagus nerve, shifting the nervous system from a fight-or-flight state into recovery mode. This lowers heart rate, improves oxygen efficiency, and restores cognitive control. Freedivers use these techniques to stay calm under extreme pressure, but the same tools are available to anyone. A few minutes of structured breathing can reset stress levels and give back the clarity needed to act with purpose.
Video © Li Karlsen
Li Karlsén: Word record holder freediving
She is one of the world’s best freedivers and instructors, reaching depths below 70 meters, distances longer than 200 meters, and a breath hold of more than 6 minutes.
Recently, I completed the longest dive ever done under the icebergs and pack ice in Greenland. This was not only challenging but it also meant facing my deepest fear. It took me a year of focused training, adaptation, and dedication to become the person who could complete that physical, mental and emotional challenge to do the dive.
What we encountered in Greenland was beyond anything we could have imagined. Ice storms delayed our flight to Greenland, reducing 10 days of training and acclimatization to just 1 day. Dive and camera equipment froze at -25°C, and my only wetsuit tore on the sharp edges of the ice around the entry hole. Currents under the pack ice shifted, freezing over my exit hole and making it invisible before the dive.
Read the whole story in her interview.
Physiological Sigh Reset
Neuroscientists found that a double inhale followed by a slow exhale (the physiological sigh) rapidly lowers stress and calms the nervous system.
→ Try it: Two sharp inhales through the nose, one long exhale through the mouth. Repeat 2–3 times when you feel tension spiking.
Box Breathing for Stability
Inhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec → Exhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec.
→ Why it works: Balances oxygen and CO₂, improves heart-rate variability, and trains the brain to stay steady when stress rises.
Triangle Breathing
Inhale 5 sec → Hold 5 sec → Exhale 8-10 sec.
→ Why it works: Longer exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system, building resilience for prolonged effort and endurance challenges.
Take a breath
Even a few seconds of pause can reset your brain. Science shows that short breaks improve focus, reduce stress, and boost creativity.
CALM UNDER PRESSURE
Reaction to control.
In critical environments, performance often hinges on the ability to regulate stress rather than on raw skill. Neuroscience shows that when the brain detects threat, the amygdala floods the body with signals that can narrow attention and trigger panic. Training focus and calm counteracts this response, keeping the prefrontal cortex online for clear decisions. Whether in elite sport, surgery, or the ocean, those who can consciously shift from reaction to control perform longer, safer, and more effectively.
Image © Christa Funk
Christa Funk: Extreme Wave Photographer
"Life can be so weird, it can be long and but it can also be short; that's why its important to pursue our passions and what makes us truly happy in life. Life gets to everybody in different ways. It’s getting knocked down and trying to figure out how to get up again, back into the light".
The new documentary "First in, Last Out features" Funk's unwavering determination to do everything necessary to get the ideal shot; to train, study, push through the pain, to put the time in, and to draw on the inspiration of her loved ones. It's a story about the raw human experience of triumph through grief and perseverance with grace in the eyes of chasing big dreams.
https://www.redbull.com/int-en/films/christa-funk-first-in-last-out
During the 2021 season, a massive swell hit - big enough to run the Eddie, but the event wasn’t allowed to happen because of Covid. That day, I was shooting stills for Red Bull Magnitude, a women’s big-wave digital surfing event that ran through the winter months. The women had chosen to surf Waimea, and I stood on the beach debating whether there was enough time between sets for me to make it out to the lineup.
I believed I could, but choosing the right window is always an educated guess. When I finally committed to the swim, I knew there was no room for hesitation. I locked my focus onto my landmarks and imagined them pulling me forward with every stroke. I didn’t allow myself even a moment to think about failing - because if I had, I was sure that doubt would have kept me from leaving the beach.
That determination, along with the lessons from my past experiences, carried me through to the lineup to shoot that day
When stress spikes, Christa closes her eyes, takes a slow inhale, and visualizes a calm place. This combines controlled breathing with guided imagery - both shown in research to reduce cortisol and restore executive function in the brain. For freedivers, this is survival; for the rest of us, it’s a quick reset before a critical meeting, exam, or tough conversation. Try it: Three deep belly breaths, eyes closed, visualize the safest place you know. Open your eyes only when your heartbeat slows.
Underwater, fighting a wave burns oxygen and increases risk. Christa’s first response is a single word: relax. Repeating a verbal cue interrupts the panic loop and helps the body conserve energy. Studies in performance psychology confirm that simple self-talk boosts motor control under pressure. Try it: Choose one short word (“relax,” “steady,” “focus”) and practice saying it out loud when things go wrong — until it becomes automatic.
Staying Calm
Trust Your Preparation
Checklist for Focus
PRECISION OVER TIME
Skill to instinct.
Mastery is one of the strongest predictors of life satisfaction. It’s about gaining skill, control, and confidence over time. Research shows that the need for competence is a core part of human motivation. When you feel progress, whether you're navigating a storm at sea or managing a demanding job, your brain releases dopamine, reinforcing effort and boosting mental well-being. In real life, this is why athletes keep training, or why people stick with difficult projects: because they can feel themselves improving.
Video © Diving into the darkness
Jill Heinerth: Mastering cave diving
Jill Heinerth is one of the world’s premier underwater explorers, and the first person to dive inside iceberg caves. According to filmmaker James Cameron:
“More people have walked on the moon than have been to some of the places Jill Heinerth has gone right here on earth.”
"I want to go diving with people who are also afraid. Because it means we care about risk, and about coming home to our families at the end of the day".
Adopt the Failing Forward Framework
Failing forward = Process failure as data, not identity.
NASA trains astronauts to reflect on errors without blame, because shame disrupts memory and slows learning.
Tool: After a failure, do a 3-step debrief:
What worked?
What didn’t?
What will I do differently?
In high-risk dives, memory can fail under stress. That’s why explorers use simple checklists, because they know stress changes the brain. A checklist can mean the difference between panic and precision.
HFX Poster
Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver
MINDSET FILTER
A cognitive skill.
Optimism is about choosing a mindset that spots possibility, even in choppy waters. According to research; an optimistic mindset is linked to better physical health, stronger immune response, faster recovery, and increased problem-solving ability under pressure. This mental flexibility makes optimism a powerful advantage, especially in uncertain or demanding environments.
Video © Seas the day - ocean rowing
"Seas the Day" Expedtion: Rowing across the Pacific
"Most Pacific rowers complete just 2800 miles to Hawaii; however, the challenge being undertaken by the ‘Seas the Day’ team will take up to 6 months to complete, covering 8,000 miles from Peru to Australia. Based on their current rate of progress it is projected they will finish in October.
They are rowing up to 15 hours a day - two hours on, two hours off - adjusting the pattern as they go. When they are not rowing, they will be eating (around 5,000 calories per day) or attempting to sleep in between cleaning the boat, checking and maintaining equipment and of course the use of their water maker too.
Along the way, they will navigate shipping lanes, face 30ft+ waves, battle blisters, salt sores, sleep deprivation and are likely to encounter sharks and more whales."
Borrow optimism until You feel it
What it is:
Can’t generate hope on your own? Use someone else’s belief in you. Or even fictional characters. Expedition teams often assign a “morale officer” or rotate the role to keep spirits up.
Why it works:
Studies in sports and social psychology show that optimism is contagious. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in solutions literally changes your nervous system.
How to use:
Pick 1 person, mentor, or expedition leader whose mindset you trust. Ask yourself, “What would they say about this?” Or, adopt a character’s mindset for the week.
Example: Pretend you’re Shackleton making choices for the team.
Weird? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.
Use the "Even If" rule.
What it is:
Reframe worst-case thoughts with "Even if…" instead of “What if…”
Why it works:
This tiny language shift activates prefrontal cortex control over fear loops. It also trains your brain to expect competence, not disaster.
How to use:
Flip it in real time:
❌ “What if no one shows up?”
✅ “Even if only two people come, I’ll still test the format.”
Athletes use “cognitive reframing” to turn pressure into opportunity. Instead of “this storm will break us,” they say “this storm will test our training.” Language shifts perspective and stress response.
→ Exercise: Take one negative thought today and rewrite it with a possibility-focused lens.
Expedition teams use music, humor, or small rituals to shift collective mood. Research shows laughter lowers cortisol and restores problem-solving ability.
→ Hack: Build an “optimism reset kit”; a playlist, a photo, or even a short video that never fails to lift you.
The 20-Second Shift
Optimism Scripts
Optimism + Visualization
Micro-Celebrations Build Momentum
Purpose Extends Endurance
Future You Bias
YOUR "WHY"
Force behind growth.
Purpose gives your struggle direction. Studies show that people with a clear sense of purpose live longer, handle stress better, and report higher life quality. Purpose activates the brain’s reward system and reduces activity in regions linked to anxiety. For expedition teams, purpose is often the reason they keep going - they’re not just walking across ice; they’re raising awareness, collecting data, or fulfilling a personal mission. It makes discomfort easier to endure and decisions easier to make.
Ella Hibbert: Solo sailing around the Arctic
This summer, I will be attempting to become the first person ever to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle alone, to raise awareness of climate change’s impact on the Arctic and fundraise for two amazing charities. Polar Bears International and Ocean Conservancy.
If successful, it will be a bittersweet moment for me. On the one hand, I will have achieved a record, but on the other hand, it is a journey that should not be possible, and it will prove that the Arctic, which is currently warming 2 to 3 times faster than the rest of the world, no longer has the ice covering that it once did.
There are challenges both physical and mental, financial and political to overcome with an expedition of this geographical scale. But so far, hard work and asking politely had definitely paid off, and I've received tremedous amounts of support throughout, which I am very thankful for!
Expedition leaders and Olympic coaches alike highlight “stress inoculation”: rehearsing worst-case scenarios to build confidence. By imagining setbacks in detail and preparing responses, you reduce panic and strengthen trust in your abilities.
→ Exercise: Write down three potential obstacles to your current goal. Next to each, outline both a prevention step and an emergency response.
Ella: The extent of my own training for this challenge has also been greater than I originally anticipated. Going so far as to learn how to place a cannula in my own vein and do my own stitches, should I be injured out of reach of help. Preparing for the unknown is one of the hardest tasks to imagine. I try and think of every single worst-case scenario and then plan not only how to avoid it from happening, but how I would react in every eventuality. I have back-ups for my back-ups, spares for my spares, and training for all potential worst cases, including medical training, fire fighting, sea survival, and fire arms training. Leaving no stone unturned in the preparation gives you the mental confidence that you are as ready as you can be for whatever gets thrown at you. Then, it's a case of having faith in that skill set you have if thr time ever comes that you may need it".
Elite performers ritualize recovery. Changing environment, clothing, or routine helps the brain register safety and closure.
→ Tip: Build a recovery ritual (music, lighting, even a specific outfit) that signals to your body: “The hard part is done.”
Ella: "The comfort of my bed is one area I won't skimp on. Mattress toppers and super soft blankets. I even have a silk pillowcase! I spend such a short amount of time in it every day that I love for it to feel so welcoming. It encourages me to fall asleep faster and to sleep better than a beanbag on the floor. I associate my clothing and my environment with my feelings, so being able to give yourself the chance to take those wet, heavy layers off, and swap them for soft, cosy pyjamas and tuck up into a blanket, head up against a cool pillow, that really tells my mind and my body that it's OK now, the hard part's over, and it's okay to let go and rest. Those kind of naps are the best feeling!"
From marathon runners to deep-sea explorers, rituals provide stability in unstable conditions. Whether it’s a lucky charm, letters from home, or a “reset playlist,” rituals reinforce the why behind the effort.
→ Hack: Create your own “purpose booster”. Something tangible that reminds you daily of the bigger mission.
What it is:
A digital or physical folder where you keep proof of purpose: quotes, screenshots, messages from someone who got inspired by you, a photo of the place you’re trying to protect.
Why it works:
Memory is terrible under stress. But emotional memory can be reactivated visually and instantly. This is dopamine insurance when your brain forgets why you’re doing any of it.
How to use:
Open it when motivation crashes. Or make it part of your Friday check-in. It’s mission recall.
Example: A startup founder screenshotting every "you helped me" DM.
PURPOSE AS DRIVER
Studies show purpose activates reward pathways, lowers stress, and builds resilience.
Action: Write one sentence on why you’re doing what you’re doing. Clarity turns effort into progress.
Try this: Before diving into the tools below, write down in one sentence why you’re pursuing your current goal. Don’t aim for perfect wording - clarity beats poetry. That single sentence becomes the anchor point for every method you practice.
The Dopamine-Purpose Loop
Neuroscience shows progress fuels motivation. Break big goals into milestones so you get regular “purpose hits.” This is biochemical reinforcement.
Social Proof & Accountability
Research show that sharing your purpose with others increases follow-through by as much as 65%. Purpose thrives in public.
Choose one accountability partner.
This could be a colleague, friend, or family member. Research shows that one reliable person is more effective than a vague “everyone.”
Reciprocate.
Offer to check in on one of their goals too. Support is stronger when it flows both ways.
Future Self
Science basis:
This links to neuroplasticity; the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections based on repeated thoughts or behaviors.us.
Choose one action that future you will thank you for: Make it small and specific (e.g. “set up a weekly savings transfer” or “practice that presentation once tonight”).
Inner Circle Audit
Social Surrogate
Signal, Don’t Guess
STRONGER TOGETHER
Hold Fast ≠ Alone
The ability to Hold Fast is about knowing when to lean on others, ask for help and build connections that support you. Even the most resilient people lean on others. In scientific terms, this is more than "nice to have". Studies show that social support buffers stress, increase persistence and even enhances goal achievement. Strong relationships don't remove the struggle, but they make it possible to carry on.
Image © The Maclean Brothers
The Maclean Brothers: Rowing across the Pacific
We’re Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie Maclean. We’re from Edinburgh but live on a croft in the Highlands where we’re training to become the fastest team to row across the Pacific Ocean.
In 2020, having never rowed seriously before, we rowed across the Atlantic. To everyone’s surprise, we broke three World Records and raised over £200,000 for charity. The Atlantic opened our eyes to the power of physical challenges with a purpose, inspiring us to launch The Maclean Foundation (SC051703) in 2023.
Our latest challenge will be a world first; no team has rowed the full Pacific Ocean non-stop and completely unsupported. Our mission is to raise £1,000,000 for clean water projects for clean water projects in Madagascar, providing over 40,000 with access to clean water – for life.
Studies from polar teams show rotating the toughest tasks prevents resentment and burnout.
→ Hack: Don’t let one person always do the night shift or heavy repair. Spread it fairly, even when someone volunteers too often.
Why: Helping others boosts your own mental state.
Science: Giving increases oxytocin ("bonding hormone") and serotonin.
How: Ask: "Who needs a check-in from me this week?"
Holding the rope for someone else strengthens your grip too.
Neuroscience shows that humans are wired with mirror neurons-cells that fire when we see someone else act, almost as if we were doing it ourselves. That’s why yawns spread, why panic escalates in crowds, and why calm leaders steady the room. In high-stress environments, emotional states are contagious.
→ Try it: In a tense moment, find the calmest person in the group. Match your breathing and posture to theirs. Within minutes, your own physiology shifts - and often, theirs stabilizes even more because you’re reinforcing their calm.
