Your doctor's prognosis was final: you'll never walk normally again and your career is over. But what if you could rewrite that recovery with the one tool you already carry with you, your breath?
Nick Sweeney is the co-founder of Coherence and creator of the Vortex Method, but before any of that he was a Division 1 cross-country skier who couldn't walk for 10 months after a COVID-era injury. We talk about how he clawed his way out through daily breathwork done from bed, rebuilt enough to place top 20 nationally at Olympic trials, and walked away from the athlete identity to coach breathwork full-time.
You are not your label, and the way back isn't always a treatment or a specialist. Sometimes it's the one tool you already carry with you.
What we explore:
- Breathwork for injury recovery: how Nick healed after 10 months unable to walk
- Athletic identity loss: why it hurts more than the injury, and how to rebuild
- Nervous system regulation: guarding your mind against the algorithm
- Daily breathwork habit: why 5 minutes beats one long session
- Overcoming comparison: the "timeline" reframe that breaks the loop
Chapters:
00:00 Gen Z Olympic Skier Nick Sweeney's Backstory
03:58 How He Healed a Career Ending Injury With Breathwork
08:06 How to Find Your Identity Beyond Labels
11:40 Why He Left Oil and Gas for Breathwork
17:00 Can You Coach Breathwork Without Certifications
30:46 Why Accountability Matters More Than Information
32:20 How Daily Voice Memo Coaching Creates Change
35:05 Why Investing in Coaches Changed His Life
37:25 How to Let People Change and Release Attachment
41:40 How to Take Ownership and Stop Comparing Yourself
47:02 How to Get Clear on What You Really Want
58:11 How Past Trauma Shows Up in Relationships
01:17:45 How Focused Attention Healed His Foot
01:20:15 Fight Flight Freeze Fawn and Breathing to Regulate
01:23:53 How to Rewrite Pain and Trauma With Breathwork
01:26:21 Sun Gazing and Circadian Morning Routine
01:32:00 Realistic Breathwork for Busy Parents
01:38:00 Slow Breathing CO2 and Longevity Explained
01:45:15 What Is the Vortex Method Breathwork Program
About Nick Sweeney:
Nick Sweeney is a breathwork coach, former Division 1 cross-country skier, and co-founder of Coherence, a breathwork app he built with his brother. He's the creator of the Vortex Breath and Vortex Method, and he's leading a global movement to get large groups breathing in sync.
Connect with Nick Sweeney:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@basedethos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basedethos
Coherence App: https://www.coherencebreath.com
Free Breathwork Course: https://www.polariscoaching.ai/newsletter
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The Gabby Reece Show
This is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.
If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.
Connect with Gabby Reece:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
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Website: https://gabriellereece.com
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