Apex Apnea and Peak Performance Coaching - Aptos, California

Ben G.

I was definitely a little nervous going to my first pool class since I had never done anything like this before. I surf and swim in the ocean but only do light breath work. The environment and class was super welcoming and great vibes. Immediately was excited to exercise and be part of the class after I arrived. I struggled with some of the techniques at the beginning of the class but Ricardo and the community he has created helped me work through my fears and challenges. By the end of the class I was jumping along the bottom of the 12ft pool and left feeling way more confident and comfortable in the water. This is the kind of place to get in shape and learn to control your mind in water scenarios. Would highly recommend this to anyone who is surfing and wanting to feel more confident in the ocean.

Oliver L.

This is the guy to learn from. A stellar athlete in all aspects of endurance sports. As helpful as it is to gather information from the web and YouTube, there’s no substitute for the depth and insight gained through years of experience of perusing the endeavors that Ricardo teaches. From breath work to cycling to running to spear diving, Ricardo has not only the knowledge but, more importantly, the tools to help others learn and train—resources that many athletes typically don't invest in.

Gustavo P. F.

I had an amazing breath work class with Ricardo. His insights have greatly improved my daily routine and have been particularly beneficial for my surfing. Highly recommend his sessions!

Elle A.

I am a big beginner when it comes to freediving and this course made me feel so confident and comfortable! I learned so much through experiential and the instructor, Ricardo did an amazing job demonstrating and answering questions / explaining things in a way that was easy to understand. I would 10/10 recommend this course to anyone that wants to depend their ocean knowledge and understanding through the wonders of free diving!!

Alexis K.

I took the 75 minute class with Apex. As a busy single mother, affordability is important to me as well as ease of location and schedule. The cost was $40 and was set in a cozy, clean living room. There were 5 other participants.

I swim, try to live an active lifestyle, and am learning to surf so I felt this class is impreative to improving my breathing technique for athletic reasons as well as safety in the ocean! Growing up, I was athletic, but as you age you realize so much of our power, stamina, endurance comes from regulating our inhalation and exhaltion. When playing around in the pool or bathtub at home, I am only able to hold my breath for 20 seconds.
After Ricardo's class, I held my breath for a full minute!

Ricardo gave wonderful, innovative breath exercises (prana in yoga) as well as allowing each participant to move at their own rate. I was impressed with how he is truly a coach, using phrases that push you to your limit yet encourage one to reach their goals. He used an app that timed your breath, toys that you can use at home, balloons, and guided breathwork. His knowledge and expertise of the anatomy of the body and being an open minded teacher, gave me tools that I can do at home. I definitely plan to continue to "train" or have him guide me. Highly recommend his classes to ANYONE and all ages!

Fernando D.

Glad I was able to find a Molchanovs freedive instructor in the NorCal area. Ricardo was a great instructor, very knowledgeable and very patient. He ensured to take the time to thoroughly demonstrate and explain what proper freediving is and what it looks like, all while providing insightful feedback and videos of your dives. Would highly recommend!

Alejandro Q.

I just completed my Molchanovs wave 1 training and Ricardo did a superb job in guiding and teaching me all the material. The dry sessions were full of knowledge and easy to understand examples. The sessions on the pool and open water were very professional and detailed oriented.

His knowledge in different water sports and endurance is a real plus. His bag of experiences is also a big plus.

I highly recommend it! 😎💪

Anna G.

Ricardo is a mentor you can trust and a coach you can rely on. He is attentive, perceptive and absolutely involved in you understanding and being able to carry out every technique that he is instructing you in. He is also witty, fun and absolutely relatable (even though he’s an overachiever in every sport he’s tried). His deep comprehension, broad experience and his passion for knowledge, sports and sharing make his guidance and his courses easy to follow and apply in your training and every day life.

I recently contacted him looking for help coping with anxiety, a crippling depression and panic attacks that were out of control and affecting much more than my training. He invited me to take his online course and, even though I was skeptical, it opened my eyes to the benefits that learning to breathe properly has on mental health and life in general. Equipped with the tools he gave me I have been able to stay calm and collected in times of chaos, I have started a guided meditation practice, I sleep better, my jaw is finally unclenched and I’m able to control a panic attack before it controls me. To my surprise, my weight training and my yoga practice has improved, I recover quicker and I feel that my inflammation has almost completely gone down.