First there were the bare-footed strolls during the captain's runs, then yoga, then the mindful breathing.

Now NSW Origin coach Brad Fittler has continued his quirky methods by inviting stress control specialist Nam Baldwin to conduct a pool session in Armidale on Saturday where Blues players were forced to hold their breath and even wrestle underwater.

Control: Nam Baldwin explains his methods to the NSW Origin side in Armidale. Credit:NSWRL

Baldwin, who has worked with big-wave surfers, world champions Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore, the Australian Olympic snowboard and sailing teams and the Sydney Roosters, encouraged 16 of the Blues players to ''blow out like whales'' to give them the best chance of remaining under water for nearly a minute.

The idea was to help the players control their breathing under stress, which will no doubt come in handy for when it comes to facing Queensland.