Top athlete Bibian Mentel about the Del Ferro Method

I was referred through my osteopath to the Breathing Academy of Del Ferro to deepen my breathing because I appeared to breathe rather shallowly and in this way I could use my lungs even more optimally. Given that I participate in top sport and have already had surgery on my lungs 5 times, I was very curious and I saw that I could definitely benefit from this.

Ingrid Del Ferro’s 4 lessons were first of all very educational and fun, but I also noticed the benefits after the first lesson. More air and more rest in my breathing and my whole body.

The lessons afterwards were mainly focused on learning the technique because I noticed that it was not automatic at first and so I had to pay close attention to my breathing. Finally, the last lesson we also focused on applying this technique in my lectures that I regularly give!

My husband has heard my talk many times and he always advised me to speak more calmly, take the time and take a break now and then, but I never really knew how. Last week he heard me speak again for the first time and thought it was my best lecture ever… ..this because I dared to take “breaks” for the first time to give the listener time to think about what they just heard which brought in the story even more.

Of course I know, as an athlete, that my breathing is important, but that this course has brought me so much, both sportively and in terms of my lectures, I did not expect!

Regards and have a nice day!

Bibian Mentel

Bibian Mentel-Spee is a Dutch snowboard star. She became six times Dutch champion in the halfpipe and snowboard cross sections. In 2002 she became Dutch champion snowboard cross again with a prosthesis.

In 2013, Mentel qualified for the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi. At the opening ceremony she carried the Dutch flag. She won gold on the paralympic snowboard cross. At the closing ceremony, she received the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award from namesake Whang Youn Dai. On December 16, 2014 Mentel was voted Paralympic athlete of the year during the NOC / NSF Sportgala. During the World Cup in La Molina, Spain, she won gold in the snowboard cross and banked slalom sections.

Bibian Mentel • breathing therapy