> Typically Germain credits his achievements to a guru of a different kind: “I have learned how to master my emotions by following the Wim Hof method,” he says

> Typically Germain credits his achievements to a guru of a different kind: “I have learned how to master my emotions by following the Wim Hof method,” he says of Dutch adventurer Wim Hof’s three-pillar technique using the breath, exposure to cold temperatures, and a mix of commitment, will power, and self-control to survive in tough situations. “When things are hard,” he continues, “I can take pleasure in suffering. Not just in swimming, but in life. I was having so much fun that I wasn’t even counting the time.”