20 June 2018 - Tank Life
It was with great sadness that I read about Indian magician Chanchal Lahiri drowning in his attempt to perform an underwater stunt. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Although I feel it should not go unsaid, if anybody, particularly magicians are considering such acts they speak to people who are already performing underwater escapes. I appreciate we are few and far between but that’s a reflection of how difficult these escapes are to perform.
These escapes are more in the realm of a stuntman than a magician. I have had the privilege of being mentored by a great escapologist and coached by one of the worlds best freedivers. Without them I could not perform the escapes I do, I am ever grateful to them. My message to anybody wishing to perform an underwater escape, is to seek advice from people with experience in this area of escapology.
They know the dangers and the problems and how to manage them.
Stay safe.
Although I feel it should not go unsaid, if anybody, particularly magicians are considering such acts they speak to people who are already performing underwater escapes. I appreciate we are few and far between but that’s a reflection of how difficult these escapes are to perform.
These escapes are more in the realm of a stuntman than a magician. I have had the privilege of being mentored by a great escapologist and coached by one of the worlds best freedivers. Without them I could not perform the escapes I do, I am ever grateful to them. My message to anybody wishing to perform an underwater escape, is to seek advice from people with experience in this area of escapology.
They know the dangers and the problems and how to manage them.
Stay safe.
9th June 2019 - Tank Life
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Often people say how do you train for your underwater escapes. Today I thought I will reveal the secret, my training tank. Training should not be under-estimated, and I train around 8 times a week which is a mixture of water based training and land based training. The escapes I perform should never be tried by yourself, all my training is supervised and performed under the eyes of a coach with right medical back up.
The training is designed to maximum my breath hold as long as possible, the training is somewhat similar to run training and undertaking running intervals. We do breath holds and then short rest periods and then repeat the session a number of times The eagled eye of you will have spotted the pictures in the background of my Comrades Marathon green number (having run the race 10 times). Which is not really just a marathon but a double marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, in South Africa through the valley of the hills. This ultra distance running background over the last twenty years has given me the aerobic capacity to perform these escapes. Please do not try this at home, these type of escapes could lead to death or life changing injuries. |
Dave Diamond's training tank, please do not try this at home. It is dangerous. please read
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5th May 2019 - Tank Life
Many people have asked me what is it like to be locked into a water torture cell. It is actually quite hard to describe. There are physical issues from hanging upside down by your ankles with them locked into metal stocks. They literally cut into your skin, but you get used to that. There is more to the emotional side and how to overcome repeatedly puting you life at risk. Yes it is a dangerous escape.
As a stunt performer we go about mitigating risk. The human body cannot survive without air and locked in tank of water is never going to be a good idea.
The first notable thing in entering a tank of water upside down is the emotions. The first instinct is to get out right away. As a non-swimmer, and somebody who couldn’t swim a length of a swimming pool until their thirties the anxiety is increased for me. However, I am a great believer in facing up to your vulnerabilities. It was no different me going into a tank of water than somebody who has a fear of going outside or a fear of flying. If you can face up to your fear and have the passion to overcome that fear, you will overcome it. Yes you will have setbacks, I failed with the escape (yes my crew have to hook me out of the tank) but if you can keep persevering and keep getting up when you face knockbacks you can succeed.
It is an odd sensation being locked it a tank of water, you can hear the padlocks being put in place, and you think what am I doing hear. The subconscious kicks in and as I go in upside down there is an immediate desire to turn the right way up and to facilitate the escape but that has to controlled. It is about over coming the subconscious instinct. It is about being comfortably with the anxiety mindfulness and meditation play a part.
The next blog will look at the physical aspects of the water torture cell escape and the training needed, followed by the warm up routine for a show.
As a stunt performer we go about mitigating risk. The human body cannot survive without air and locked in tank of water is never going to be a good idea.
The first notable thing in entering a tank of water upside down is the emotions. The first instinct is to get out right away. As a non-swimmer, and somebody who couldn’t swim a length of a swimming pool until their thirties the anxiety is increased for me. However, I am a great believer in facing up to your vulnerabilities. It was no different me going into a tank of water than somebody who has a fear of going outside or a fear of flying. If you can face up to your fear and have the passion to overcome that fear, you will overcome it. Yes you will have setbacks, I failed with the escape (yes my crew have to hook me out of the tank) but if you can keep persevering and keep getting up when you face knockbacks you can succeed.
It is an odd sensation being locked it a tank of water, you can hear the padlocks being put in place, and you think what am I doing hear. The subconscious kicks in and as I go in upside down there is an immediate desire to turn the right way up and to facilitate the escape but that has to controlled. It is about over coming the subconscious instinct. It is about being comfortably with the anxiety mindfulness and meditation play a part.
The next blog will look at the physical aspects of the water torture cell escape and the training needed, followed by the warm up routine for a show.
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