Hanging Upside Down, David Blaine Risks Health

Illusionist Plans Three-Day, Two-Night Inverted Hang Over Central Park

For three days and two nights, illusionist David Blaine will enjoy an unusual view of New York City's Central Park -- one that can only be enjoyed from six stories in the air, while hanging upside down.


The magician's latest stunt, called the "Dive of Death," began 8:30 this morning as he was hoisted into position. The effort will reportedly culminate in Blaine dropping to the ground at 11 p.m. Wednesday.


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Dr. Ronald Ruden, Blaine's physician, told ABCNews.com that when he first heard the name of the stunt, "It scared the crap out of me."

Considering the various health hazards Blaine may face as he hangs in the position for about 60 hours, Ruden's concern is warranted. He said the stunt will be all endurance -- no smoke and mirrors.

"How he does this I'm not 100 percent sure," Ruden said. "He seems to have the ability to use his mind to control his body to not experience pain and discomfort, as well as take away his basic drives to eat and sleep and defy his fear."

"We don't even know what the physiology of this is," he said with a laugh. "I hate that."

Blaine told "Good Morning America" today right before he was hoisted into the air that he always found images of Harry Houdini hanging upside down "compelling to look at."

Houdini dangled upside down wearing a straightjacket and tried to escape as quickly as possible, but Blaine's niche is testing his endurance.

"I always liked that idea of being upside down," Blaine said. "So I started experimenting on how long could somebody actually be put upside down. And there was no documentation of it. Nobody really had research on it. I invited doctors to kind of look and watch me as I was doing experiments. And although the dangers are high, I think there's a way to override that. "

Blaine said he has prepared for the challenges of the 2½-day hang by losing some weight, performing special exercises and practicing dangling upside down.

But there are certain health considerations that simple conditioning cannot address. During his ordeal, Blaine will not eat or sleep. He will urinate through a catheter. And doctors not involved with the stunt say there are definite risks involved with his attempt.

"He's practiced a lot, but I'm not sure how long he has done it," Ruden said. "I'm pretty certain that the longest he has done it so far is around six hours."






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David Blaine "Street Illusionist "

David Blaine is a good entertainer, but remember this is all video taped. What i mean is that you don't know is the street audience is in on it or they are'nt. They could easily be well paid actors. Here is a youtube video of David Blaine in action.

David Blaine Breaks World Record Hold Breath! Ya Right

Today David Blaine broke a world record, holding his breath for 17 minutes. It's rigged, he is an illusionist! DUH........Everyone is like, i can believe it, he is some awesome! Ya, right!



Reported by the AP.

By TARA BURGHART, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 25 minutes ago

CHICAGO - David Blaine set a new world record Wednesday for breath-holding — 17 minutes and 4 seconds — fulfilling what he said was "a lifelong dream."

The feat was broadcast live during "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and the studio audience cheered as divers pulled the 35-year-old magician from a water-filled sphere 8 feet in diameter. Less than two years ago, Blaine went into convulsions during a similar attempt.

"A lifelong dream," a relaxed-looking Blaine told Winfrey immediately after setting the record. "I can't believe that I did that."

While still underwater, Blaine worried his heart rate might be too high, saying he "actually started to doubt that I was going to make it" as a result. A lower heart rate helps minimize oxygen consumption.

The previous record was 16 minutes and 32 seconds, set Feb. 10 by Switzerland's Peter Colat, according to Guinness World Records.

Before he entered the sphere, Blaine inhaled pure oxygen through a mask to saturate his blood with oxygen and flush out carbon dioxide. Guinness says up to 30 minutes of so-called "oxygen hyperventilation" is allowed under its guidelines.

In May 2006, as a finale to a week spent in an aquarium with an oxygen mask at New York's Lincoln Center, Blaine tried to set a new breath-holding record. Without breathing pure oxygen beforehand, he tried to break the existing record of 8 minutes, 58 seconds for an attempt of that type.

But he had to be rescued shortly after 7 minutes when he was unconscious and having convulsions.

Blaine has said he was fascinated by holding his breath since he was a child, using the skill to excel in swimming races at a YMCA in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, only needing to breathe when turning at the wall for another lap.

The endurance specialist has spent more than a month suspended in a glass box by the River Thames in London, was buried alive for a week in a see-through coffin in New York City, and was encased in a block of ice for 63 hours, also in Manhattan.