Alchemy Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the Alchemy Podcast.
My name is Luca Malaguti, and in this conversation, we sit down with Christin Gerstorfer, one of the most driven and multidimensional athletes in freediving today.
Christin is an Austrian national record holder, a former world record holder for the deepest underwater photoshoot, and a competitive athlete on the international stage. But this episode is not about titles. It is about everything behind them.
We talk about the pressure of growing up in a high-performance environment, the weight of expectations, and what it means to burn out mentally and physically before the age of 25. Christin opens up about her journey through stress, anxiety, anorexia, and the moment she decided to walk away from the life she was expected to live.
From there, the conversation shifts into something deeper. Breath as a tool. Freediving not as a sport, but as a way back to control, clarity, and resilience. We explore how breathing practices can reshape mental health, why this should be taught in schools and universities, and why even doctors often do not understand their own nervous system.
We also touch on the realities of competitive freediving. World Championships, risk, safety, and the importance of honest conversations in a sport that is still evolving.
This is a conversation about extremes, but not the kind you expect. Not just depth, but pressure. Not just performance, but recovery. Not just holding your breath, but learning how to live with it.
Christin’s message is simple and powerful: no limit is not about how deep you go. It is about what you allow yourself to become.

Welcome to another episode of the Alchemy Podcast: not your average freediving podcast. My name is Luca Malaguti, and I will be your host for another wild episode.
In this episode, we have something unique and unusual: one of the world's top climbers joining us here: Will Gadd. I sat down for a live, unscripted event in Squamish, British Columbia (the outdoor sports capital of Canada) with Will during the ArcTeryx festival.
This last-minute event turned out to be a local hit among the outdoors crowd of Squamish with over 100 people showing up and tuning in. All the proceeds for this live event went directly to The Power of Play, a local charity that builds playgrounds for children in war-torn countries. 
Will and I sat down, unscripted, in front of a beautiful crowd and just went straight into it from the first minute: talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of extreme sports. We touched on sports psychology, mental training, the difficulties of a sports/athlete life, and the loss/pain/suffering that naturally come with it. 
Will Gadd is a Red Bull and ArcTeryx athlete and arguably one of the best all-around climbers in the world. The most fascinating part of his aura, however, is his approach to safety, risk, and the mental game of extreme situations.

Welcome back to the Alchemy Podcast, the only freediving podcast out there where we dig (and dive) deep into questions and topics most don’t want to discuss. I am your host Luca Malaguti, a proud Alchemy ambassador, professional athlete and record holder. Tday we have the opportunity to sit down with none other than Jani Valdivia, whom I consider a “gem” to the freediving world. 
Jani is a medical doctor, neurosurgeon, deep freediver, and Peruvian record holder…and I’ll stop there since his CV and accomplishments continue for pages. Jani advises the medical community on freediving, he sits on the board of important organizations like DAN.org for critical research in our sport. Without him, competitions and organizations like AIDA and CMAS would not know how to apply the latest safety and medical standards in world championships. 
He is the one bridging the freediving community and medical community on the spirit, safety and health of our sport. Providing insights and knowledge in order to break down stereotypes such as the incorrectly perceived dangers of freediving. 
Please sit back and enjoy this episode.

We are delighted to present our special guest today, Gary McGrath. Gary is a renowned deep freediver, holding the British National Record and serving as an instructor in this exhilarating sport. In his favorite discipline, monofin (CWT), Gary achieved an astounding record of -112 meters on a single breath. This remarkable feat was accomplished during the summer of 2022 at the prestigious Vertical Blue freediving competition in the Bahamas, often referred to as the Wimbledon of freediving.
In this episode, we delve into profound topics.  We engage in an open conversation about mental health issues and depression, subjects rarely discussed among athletes who consistently perform at their peak. Gary's philosophy on deep freediving, characterized by a strong emphasis on safety, has developed over 15 years and is viewed as a lifelong journey. His gradual approach included a leisurely descent to -100 meters to celebrate his 40th birthday last year, preparing his mind for the eventual national record. Now, he stands poised for even greater achievements.
Additionally, we provide valuable training insights, including Gary's preferred supplements to maintain peak physical condition during intense training and effective warm-up techniques you can incorporate into your routine.
It is our honor to introduce you to Gary, a person we deeply respect, a cherished friend, and a guiding mentor. Gary possesses one of the most resilient mental fortitudes in the world of freediving.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Stefan Randig, a renowned German freediver who has lived in various parts of the world, including Egypt and the Philippines. Stefan previously owned the well-known school "Freedive Panglao" in the Philippines, but sold it before the COVID-19 pandemic and relocated to Dahab, Egypt with his family to focus on teaching, training, and spending time with his loved ones.
As an accomplished athlete with multiple German records and an instructor trainer, Stefan recently participated in the Vertical Blue competition and is now training hard to achieve his goal of an 80-meter no fins dive. During our conversation with him in Dahab, we delved into the challenges of balancing family life with the rigorous demands of being a competitive diver and elite athlete. We discussed the necessary level of self-centeredness required for success in athletics and the accompanying feelings of guilt. Stefan's experience can serve as a source of inspiration for any freedivers who are passionate about the sport but also want to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Tune in to the Alchemy Podcast to hear more from Stefan Randig.