By the time most of us have eaten our second meal of the day sitting at a computer screen, Grayson Fertig, 26, has finished his second highly-intense physical training session. And it won’t be his last before heading home. Such is the daily schedule of a professional bobsledder, who’s also squeezed in an additional career/ultimate male fantasy as a physical trainer at Chelsea Piers for some of the most exquisite female bodies on earth. He asks we don’t disclose who his clients are (you’d be respectful, too, if it meant securing your up-close positioning with sweaty European, Russian, and South American supermodels), but suffice it to say, they fill the pages of Vogue and Sports Illustrated.

So, when we came across Oxia, “the world’s most fashionable” personal oxygen dispenser, we thought there was no one better than Fertig to test it out. According to the company website, breathing in Oxia promotes better blood circulation, heightens concentration and memory, enhances and rejuvenates skin, calms the mind, stabilizes the nervous system, and relieves both headaches and hangovers. It’s been officially endorsed by an NHL trainer, discussed in an ABC News segment as the Next Big Thing, and bought by Bergdorf Goodman. But is bottled oxygen nothing but nicely-packaged hot air? Fertig takes a breath and weighs in:

Are you feeling awesome?
“Honestly, I didn’t feel any significant changes. I tried it out yesterday and today just before a training session, and I did just as they instructed me to – take 5 deep breaths… The premise is interesting. In theory it sounds like a good idea. But I can’t say I ‘Feel so alive!’ or ‘So amazing’. I wish I had a hangover to try that part out.”

No “immediate energy boost”?
“Nothing drastic enough for me to notice. The whole idea interests me because as a bobsledder, we win and lose by a 100th of a second, so if there was a product that helped me be even a 1000^th of a second faster, it’d be awesome. They warn you not to take it on a plane, otherwise I’d bring one to Utah this weekend where I’m training to see if it worked like that.”

But the benefits of breathing deep are undeniable…
“I totally agree. But I already breathe deeply. My warm-ups include breathing techniques. They tell you that regular air is only 22% oxygen and that these canisters are 90%, but I think that if you take 5 regular deep breaths, you’ll feel just as good as taking hits off a metal canister. Oxia is probably very effective for someone who doesn’t breathe correctly.” 

So, basically, people should just breathe free air?
“Apparently, you can make a lot of money reminding people to breathe. They should create a text for phones, put it on cards.”

Get It:

A bottle of Oxia with oxygen (12 to 15 uses), $59.95; refills $14.95; oxia.com

For more on Fertig

Get in Supermodel Shape:

Fertig advocates the "City Run." 1-minute of walking, 1-minute of "light-hearted schoolgirl" skipping, and 1-minute of up-tempo running, continuously for 30-45 minutes. "It's all about having fun. You're not going to get an athletic figure from doing boring-ass runs all hunched-over like an old lady."

Black & White photo courtesy of Walter Chin from his upcoming book After Shoot