How is it possible for some humans to hold their breath for +6 minutes, when the average human can only hold it for app. 1 minute?

Question

I was watching this documentary on free diving, and was wondering how it was possible for these guys to hold their breath for so long compared to every one else

In: 542

Answer 1

The average human is shit at everything. How long can you run at 21 km/h? The average human would struggle to do 1 minute. Eliud Kipchoge did it for 2:01:09, while covering a distance of 42 kilometers.

tldr: practice and genetics