HOW TOP ATHLETES STAY CALM UNDER PRESSURE | Dave Wood - E108

Get ready to ride the wave of human performance with one of the most dynamic minds in the game! In this episode, Kristin sits down with Kiwi legend and human performance coach Dave Wood—a man whose journey spans from rugged surf rescues in New Zealand to transforming elite athletes and corporate warriors into masters of calm under pressure. Dave shares his incredible path from professional lifeguard to intensive care paramedic to mindset maestro, weaving in powerful insights on stress, recovery, and the science of breath. With a refreshing blend of grounded wisdom and high-performance strategy, this conversation will inspire you to take radical ownership of your physical and mental health—and maybe even trade your coffee break for a breathwork flow or a cold plunge. Whether you're an athlete, executive, or just someone trying to stay afloat in the chaos, this episode delivers tools you can use today to find your calm in the storm. If you’re looking for the insight and motivation to live a healthy, happy life, this episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• How can we train ourselves to stay calm and in control under stress, both physically and mentally?

• Why is recovery just as important as performance in achieving long-term success and well-being?

• What role does nature, breathwork, and self-awareness play in building a high-performance lifestyle?

KEY TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) - Working with athletes and breath work  

(09:00) - Creating calm through controlled stress 

(11:00) - Importance of learning to downshift  

(13:00) - Treating specialization like athleticism 

(15:00) - Stress + recovery = growth 

(16:00) - Language shift to reach high performers 

(17:00) - Reframing breath work for teams 

(20:00) - Nutrition and sleep explained 

(21:00) - Exercise, social connection, and nature 

(24:00) - Simplicity and creativity in self-care 

(25:00) - Leadership and weaving in micro-breaks 

(27:00) - Radical ownership and building habits 

(29:00) - Meditation and learning from it 

(32:00) - Rethinking the gym and mobility 

(34:00) - Reconnecting with nature for training 

(36:00) - Subconscious patterns under pressure 

(39:00) - Thought → emotion → action cascade 

(42:00) - Identifying and replacing old patterns 

(46:00) - Technology vs. internal awareness  

MENTIONS:

Website: https://wmw.co.nz/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrated__training/?hl=en 

KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED:

WELLPOWER, Kristin Weitzel, biohacking, health and wellness, women’s health, cold exposure, breathwork, scientific research, human performance coaching, breathwork for stress relief, high performance mindset training, recovery rituals for athletes, nervous system regulation techniques, emotional regulation, Dave Wood

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