Yes, you read that right. Somebody achieved that actually. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Welcome to reality. Well on March 27, 2021, a Croatian freediver named Budimir Šobat (or “Buda” as his friends call him) made this a reality when he set the Guinness world record for the longest voluntary breath-hold underwater: an astonishing 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds! It was thought to be impossible. What’s even crazier? He did it for charity. He took nothing. It wasn’t just about endurance but about a cause greater than himself, extreme training and mental fortitude. What an incredible human!
But how did he do it? Not human? Superpowers? A disability? A set of hidden gills? Cheat code? A deal with Poseidon? Nature's oddity? The real answer is even more fascinating. It will amaze you. This isn’t just a story about a man with superhuman lungs. It's beyond all that. It’s a story of discipline, mind-over-matter and an unshakable will to push human limits. If you gun for it, you'll make it too. Let’s dive (pun intended) into the details of how this incredible feat was achieved, explore the science behind breath-holding and sprinkle in some humour plus trivia along the way. As wild as 24 minutes sound, it really happened.
Table of contents
Meet Budimir Šobat – The breath-holding champion
Born in Croatia, Budimir Šobat (often called Buda) is no stranger to the world of extreme sports and freediving. He was born for adventurous sports. Today, he is a popular breathing control expert, extreme athlete and a freediver known for pushing the human body's limits. He developed these unique skills over years of discipline and practice. As a disciplined and passionate athlete, he dedicated years to mastering the art of static apnea. This is helpful in taming the lungs to hold breath for long periods of time. It is a discipline in which a person remains motionless in water while holding their breath. Very important for achieving his world record. While most people are gasping for air after running up the stairs, Šobat trained his body and mind to remain calm, oxygen-efficient and still for nearly half an hour underwater. How menacing must be the training!
Despite being a champion in the sport, Šobat is a relatively humble and reserved figure which is ironic considering he can literally steal the breath away from anyone just by talking about his achievements! The man dedicated his feat for charity and not self-praise.
Why attempt such a record?
Interestingly, Šobat didn’t pursue this record for fame, fortune or personal glory. He made it clear why he was doing this. His primary motivation? Charity. He aimed to raise funds and stir awareness for children affected by the 2020 earthquake in Petrinja, Croatia. The devastating earthquake left mostly children victimized back then. Šobat attempted this mind-bending record for a cause bigger than himself. He made sure it wasn't about himself. It was about giving hope to those in need. The proceeds went directly to the kids. That makes his achievement even more admirable because it wasn’t just about endurance but about making a real difference. His record helped make a change in Croatia's priorities.
So, while most of us can hold our breath only when watching a scary movie or sneaking past a sleeping pet, Šobat did it for nearly 25 minutes underwater to change lives. He isn't a fish and he made it look effortless. All those years of training really paid it off. But here’s the kicker — he used oxygen beforehand. It's a rule permitted by Guinness World Records. Before we start questioning reality, let’s break down how this actually works. There are things that the readers must know about the record-attempt.
The science behind it | Training for an unbelievable feat
There are two types of static apnea records. They are…
Without prior oxygen inhalation (pure human endurance) - The record is 11 minutes and 54 seconds (held by Stéphane Mifsud). He took no oxygen prior to setting this world record.
With prior oxygen inhalation - The world record (which is now owned by Šobat) is 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds. He had to ingest oxygen into his lungs for setting this world record.
Pre-oxygenation was his secret weapon. Thanks to which, 24 and half minutes is the world record today for anyone holding their breath the longest. So, what’s the difference? Is it cheating? Read further.
Pre-breathing pro – The oxygen hack
Šobat’s record falls under the category of "oxygen-assisted static apnea". He was allowed to consume oxygen prior to the attempt. This means that he didn’t just take a single deep breath. He took several breaths in preparation for the attempt. He first spent several minutes inhaling pure oxygen. They'd circulate up his entire body. Breath-holders trying to make a record are allowed to inhale pure oxygen for several minutes beforehand. It’s one of the permissible Guinness World Records rules. Before his dive, Šobat was hence allowed and breathed in pure oxygen for several minutes.
This process called pre-oxygenation which allows the lungs to conserve
more oxygen than regularly and delays the build-up of carbon dioxide. With more oxygen than carbon dioxide being produce, one is able to hold their breath for longer than usual. Build-up
of carbon dioxide is the real reason that we feel the urge to breathe. It compels our body to egest it out asap. However,
pre-oxygenation doesn’t change one critical thing and that is mental control. One has to have a certain set of mind to do this. Even with excess oxygen, resisting the primal urge to inhale takes extreme
discipline. The discipline doesn't come easy and will take a lot of time to master it. To hold one’s breath for that long requires years of rigorous
training which is both physical and mental.
Fun fact – The reason you feel desperate for air isn’t because of low oxygen but because CO₂ levels get too high. Evolution's hand at work. That panicky feeling? It’s your brain screaming “Get rid of this CO₂, NOW!” If you don't, your involuntary muscles will overpower you.
The other disciplines that he had to master
Superhuman lungs – He practised special pranayama yoga techniques which increased his lung capacity. His air intake increased substantially than a normal person or an athlete. A freediver’s lungs can expand up to 50% more than an average person’s lungs. This becomes high advantageous in water sports like this. ‘Belly breathing’ and diaphragmatic breathing helped him improve oxygen absorption. With these training, his lungs became extremely conditioned for the record attempt. Therefore, Šobat trained his lungs to hold more air than a typical person could. It was very vital that he undertook the breathing techniques. Some of his techniques included were…- Diaphragmatic breathing – Filling the lungs from bottom up (also used in meditation and yoga). This is hard to explain but one has to know it already and use a little bit of imagination to understand the technique.
- Lung stretching exercises – To expand air-holding capacity. In order to beat or make a world record for holding breath for the longest time, it is mandatory for him to hold in more air. To achieve this, his lung capacity had to be higher than the rest of us.
- Slow exhalation drills – To train the body to use oxygen more efficiently. He had to burn oxygen slowly and so these drills were practiced in order to slow down the gaps between his exhalations.
The average human lung volume is around 6 litres. Beyond that, it is impossible to expand any more without some training. But elite
freedivers like Šobat can increase their lung capacity by up to 50%! They develop this incredible capacity over time. That’s
almost like upgrading from a standard car engine to a sports car engine but for
breathing. It is impossible for anyone at random to perform. Imagine trying to stuff an extra 2 litres of air into a balloon
that’s already full. That’s what Šobat’s lungs do, except without popping.
- Šobat practised meditation and mindfulness to control his urge to breathe. He had to hold in both oxygen and carbon dioxide for a long time. Slowing his heart rate to conserve oxygen is something he had to master. But with meticulous training, he was able to achieve this task.
- He trained to remain calm under extreme stress which slowed his heart rate and conserved oxygen. The slower the heartbeat, the less oxygen gets burned away. Remaining absolutely godlike calm was key to conserving his oxygen stock.
- He resisted the mental panic that usually sets in when CO₂ levels rise. The body struggles when carbon dioxide won't leave. Fighting the brain’s desperate urge to breathe was necessary. Of course, towards the end, he had to battle with his wits till he could no longer hold in the air. By then, the record was set.
Think about it – When most of us stub our toe, we yelp in agony. Our natural instinct is to instantly address the pain. Šobat trained himself to ignore the brain’s desperate commands to inhale even when every fibre of his being was screaming for oxygen. Yes, it'd have been a desperate fight for survival against his determination.
Carbon dioxide tolerance training – The urge to breathe isn’t due to lack of oxygen but the build-up of CO₂ (carbon dioxide) as stated earlier. This would mean exhaling and the stoppage of record time. He trained his body to tolerate higher levels of CO₂ which allowed him to push further without gasping for air. There was no way that he ever intended to shorten the record time.
Training the mammalian dive reflex – Believe it or not, humans have a built-in survival mechanism that helps us hold our breath. It is for short period of time because we are land animals. But we are still somewhat like dolphins and whales when it comes to breathing. We share similar kind of breathing reflex, if not identical. It’s called the ‘Mammalian Dive Reflex’ and kicks in when we submerge in cold water. What happens when mammalian dive reflex kicks in?
- Heart rate slows down (bradycardia) – Less oxygen is used. Conservation of oxygen from burning becomes our body's top priority as soon as we submerge.
- Blood shifts to vital organs – The brain and heart get priority. It's the reason our extremeties like fingers and toes shrivel up or become cold. The priority shifts to keep major organs warm than other lesser parts of our body.
- Muscles enter an ‘energy-saving mode’ – Reducing oxygen consumption. They try to cease activities that need muscle movements. To make muscles move means the necessity to burn oxygen for giving them energy.
March 27, 2021 – The big day!
The stage was set at a swimming pool. Bein a Croatian and the gain from the record meant for Croatian purpose, the attempt was determined to be held in Croatia itself. The record-breaking
attempt took place in Sisak, Croatia under strict Guinness World Records
supervision. A lot of administrators were engaged for the event. Judges, medical personnel and spectators watched in anticipation. When everything was set, the event could take place. He
was now geared up for the mission.
📍 Location –
Sisak, Croatia.
🛑
Record to beat – 24 minutes, 3 seconds.
🎯
Mission – Hold breath longer than anyone in history.
Šobat spent several minutes inhaling oxygen to maximise his reserves. This was administered as per the guidelines of Guinness World Records. He pre-breathed pure oxygen. It was vital he took in as much oxygen as he could. Then, in front of official Guinness World Records judges, he took one final deep breath and submerged himself. The record attempt had begun officially. He remained motionless to conserve oxygen. Time started ticking.
The crowd remained silent. Nobody caused a disturbance. The world watched. Whether a record could be broken or made was hanging in the balance.
At 5 minutes in – He looked relaxed. He showed no signs of discomfort or stress. Meaning, there was no need to disrupt him and he needed to continue.
At 10 minutes in – Some spectators started feeling light-headed from just watching. This was beyond anyone's time who had ever attempted to hold their breath. It seemed magical.
At 15 minutes in – Even trained freedivers were in awe. It was an astonishing feat by now. This is the maximum time limit for dolphins to hold their breaths and they resurfaced for a fresh gulp of air.
At 20 minutes – He was already in uncharted territory. It is somewhat a dangerous threshold for the human body. People started wondering ‘Is this man even human?’ This is because if you kept watch at the time, it looked superhuman.
At 24 minutes – The anticipation peaked. But he beat the existing world record! He had done it. He wasn’t done yet. He kept pushing it further. Even seasoned freedivers started whispering, "How is he still down there?!"
At 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds, Šobat emerged victorious
yet remarkably calm. The crowd went wild in celebrations. He had broken the previous world record by 34 seconds. What an awesome moment it was! He had
just broken the previous record of 24 minutes and 3 seconds (set by Aleix
Segura). This was the best moment of his life. The first thing he did? Smile and wave. Although he had just finished a long battle against anatomy and nature, he wasn't in any difficulty. No collapsing or gasping. Also, he did no theatrics either. Just
a calm champion who had just spent nearly half an hour without breathing. All this was for charity to the Croatian children.
💥 Mission accomplished!
How does this compare to normies?
Let’s put Šobat’s achievement into perspective below. It'd be nice to make comparisons.
🏊 Trained swimmer – 2-3 minutes.
🏊 Trained freedivers – 5-7 minutes.
🌊 Professional freediver (without oxygen) – 8-10 minutes.
🏊 World-class freedivers (without oxygen) – 10-12 minutes.
⚡ Budimir Šobat (with oxygen) – 24 minutes and 37 seconds!
That’s nearly the length of an entire sitcom episode. Wow, unbelievable! Imagine someone watching 'Friends' underwater without breathing. That's really long time if you ponder. Or better yet — he could have held his breath for an entire ad break during a football match.
Mind-blowing breath-holding trivia
Here’s where things get even more fascinating...
🛑 Your brain wants air and not oxygen – The urge to breathe isn’t triggered by a lack of oxygen but by rising carbon dioxide levels in your body. It is impossible to retain carbon dioxide and nitrogen for more than few seconds. The build-up of these gases make you breath out.
🐬 You can trick your body – Freedivers use the mammalian dive reflex which an instinct found in dolphins and whales. This technique is very effective in helping the human body hold breath for an extended time. It’s a breathing technique which slows the heart rate to conserve oxygen. By slowing the heart down, the burning of oxygen for energy is greatly delayed.
😲 Holding your breath increases lifespan? – Regular breath-holding can improve lung function, reduce stress and even help with overall blood circulation! The function of lungs is breathing and exercises like this can strengthen it's capacity. The lungs need to breathe healthy and strong which would make the organism live better.
🏊 The average person
v/s Šobat – Most people can hold their breath for 30–90 seconds. After which, the body begins to struggle for breath. Extending it would be dangerous and the body would begin shutting down. Šobat did
24 minutes and 37.36 seconds. That is a superhuman ability and nothing short of miraculous. Talk about making us all feel unfit!
😲 The longest
unassisted breath-hold record (no oxygen boost) is 11 minutes and 54 seconds by
Stéphane Mifsud!
😲 Astronauts also
train in breath-holding techniques because it helps them stay calm in
emergencies.
😲 Even sea animals struggle to match Šobat’s record — A dolphin can only hold it’s breath for
around 15 minutes!
💤 Sleeping slows breathing – Monks meditate for hours on a single breath cycle as part of their practice. Even they can perform extended dives than a normal average person.
The legacy of a breath-holding legend
Budimir Šobat didn’t just set a record but he pushed human
boundaries and raising funds for children in need. The purpose was clear which was a dedication to the children of Croatia who were affected. His record-breaking attempt
raised money and awareness for children affected by Croatia’s 2020 earthquake. What a noble cause! Think
about that for a second. Records are broken and records are made. Most world records are set for personal achievement.
Šobat? He literally held his breath to give hope to others. To do what he did takes incredible mettle. If that isn’t
superhero material, I don’t know what is.
His achievement is a testament to the power of dedication, human
will, mindset and training. One can complete challenges if the necessary effort is driven with absolute focus. But beyond the record, what truly makes him
remarkable is his heart for using his extraordinary abilities to help those in
need. All the proceeds from the event went towards it's intended purpose. That’s the mark of a real hero. Would you become a hero some day? So, the next time you’re underwater in
the bath or swimming pool and trying to beat your personal best of 37 seconds. Keep making and breaking your own record. Remember Budimir Šobat did it for almost 25 minutes. With ample time and work, you might get there. And if you’re feeling
particularly ambitious? Well, start training… and maybe, just maybe...one day,
we’ll be reading about your world record. You can do it. The impossible can become possible.
Until then, breathe easy!
Final words
If you found this story inspiring, share it with your
friends. Who knows? Maybe you’ll encourage the next breath-holding world
champion! Want to try breath-holding like a pro? Start small. If this story has
left you inspired, why not try breath-holding yourself? Just remember…
✅ Always train safely — Never
practice alone in the water!
✅
Work on lung capacity and relaxation — Mental control is just as
important as physical endurance.
✅
And most importantly… don’t try to break Šobat’s record unless you really
know what you’re doing!
Who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll be the next record-breaker.
Disclaimer – The images have been borrowed from Guinness World Records’ website and doesn’t belong to the blog owner. No commercial activity or copyright infringement is intended.
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