Air Consumption

[stuartv]

At the core of the Buteyko method is a series of reduced-breathing exercises that focus on nasal-breathing, breath-holding and relaxation.

Two of the three focuses of the method are not applicable to divers...

It seems to me that all 3 are applicable to divers 90+% of the time. They just aren't applicable while diving. I thought the point was not that you do those things while diving. The point was that you do those things as part of some training regimen and the results would benefit your diving (and other things).

I.e. if you practice breath-holding, it seems like that might gradually help you to breathe more slowly. And if you practice nasal breathing (and that helps reduce airway inflammation as the Buteyko people claim), then when you get in the water, you'll still have more open airways to benefit from, even though you're breathing through your mouth.

 

[Skeptic14]

My experience is that most experienced divers do not breath continuously. The ones that are in the training business practice letting a tiny stream of bubbles out or their mouth so nobody says they contradict themselves.

I think that makes sense that instructor/DM type divers with exceptional SACs, breath extremely slowly/not continuously.

My experience from observing DMs is how motionless and effortlessly they move through the water. Some of my first dives after OW were with guides in the caribbean. One specific dive of the kittiwake "wreck" the guide could propel herself through the wreck, through openings, change directions and never need to hand scull, and hardly kick her fins. Same trip different dive, a male DM kicked maybe once for every 3-4 of my kicks and I still wasn't overtaking him and his arms were basically motionless except when pointing out marine life. His air out lasted both tiny females in our group.

If you aren't producing as much CO2 than the urge to breath is less and will take longer to build up than an individual that is producing CO2 much quicker from excessive motion.

I think "expert" breathing is a result of being a relaxed, comfortable diver like these DMs with fundamentals that are dialed in.

You can be an "expert" breather on your couch, but if when you hit the water you are anxious, uncomfortable, over weighted, have poor trim, and build up co2 quickly, all of your breath training is moot.

 

[seeker242]

I think "expert" breathing is a result of being a relaxed, comfortable diver

Agree, but the reverse can also be true. Relaxed and comfortable can also be a result of "expert" breathing, because those are also the effects of "expert" breathing to begin with.

You can be an "expert" breather on your couch, but if when you hit the water you are anxious, uncomfortable, over weighted, have poor trim, and build up co2 quickly, all of your breath training is moot.

Not entirely moot. It may not help you with weighting and trim, but it can reduce and even eliminate anxious, uncomfortable, etc.

 

[Coztick]

It seems to me that all 3 are applicable to divers 90+% of the time. They just aren't applicable while diving. I thought the point was not that you do those things while diving. The point was that you do those things as part of some training regimen and the results would benefit your diving (and other things).

I.e. if you practice breath-holding, it seems like that might gradually help you to breathe more slowly. And if you practice nasal breathing (and that helps reduce airway inflammation as the Buteyko people claim), then when you get in the water, you'll still have more open airways to benefit from, even though you're breathing through your mouth.

This is exactly what I was thinking...
Now I must confess I stumbled on the buteyko method while looking into sleep apnea, as it seems I have developed it recently. Through experimentation with these exercises I have come to understand that I was a chronic over-breather. This information is life changing for me. This I have proven to myself over the last few days and completely uninterrupted, blissful nights sleep.

How valuable this is to any of you is going to depend on how efficient you subconsciously breathe at rest. I know now that I was breathing much deeper and faster than necessary. What a vicious circle that is...but now...so far...apnea is gone, energy is up, I feel more alert yet calm and my circulation is better.

Me? I'm 50, 30 of those years spent welding and smoking a pack a day. I've been off the smokes for almost 2 yrs and apart from not coughing, I haven't felt all that much better. Until 3 days ago...
I would say if you try some of the exercises and don't see a benefit, you are probably a cardio god already.

Once you are an over-breather, it is counter intuitive to get under control without guidance.
I should be in bed now but I'm just not tired?!?...YMMV...

CHEERS!

 

[Coztick]

 

[mi000ke]

I think that makes sense that instructor/DM type divers with exceptional SACs, breath extremely slowly/not continuously.

My experience from observing DMs is how motionless and effortlessly they move through the water. Some of my first dives after OW were with guides in the caribbean. One specific dive of the kittiwake "wreck" the guide could propel herself through the wreck, through openings, change directions and never need to hand scull, and hardly kick her fins. Same trip different dive, a male DM kicked maybe once for every 3-4 of my kicks and I still wasn't overtaking him and his arms were basically motionless except when pointing out marine life. His air out lasted both tiny females in our group.

I just did my AOW last week and my wreck dive was the Kittiwake. I had already done PPB and by removing 25% of my lead and configuring better trim I was already on my way to more efficient air consumption. On the wreck dive, I had the same experience with my DM as you described. So remembering back when I studied sax, the received wisdom was that to sound like a great pro player you first had to learn to imitate their playing note by note - I decided to try to imitate her motions. And that really helped a lot. Effortless diving motion does not come naturally for some of us. During my PPB course my instructor noted that even when I thought I was hovering motionless I was still finning and moving my arms. Probably just some subconscious thing while fighting weight and trim. So I tried to make a conscious effort to see if I could imitate a pro and after doing that for a couple of dives it started to sink in. I realize that my motions are a far cry from effortless at the moment and are nowhere near automatic or subconscious, but I have definitely made progress. So buddy up with a DM if you can and try to swim like they do.

 

[Skeptic14]

Yep, it's pretty interesting that even when you think you are motionless you might still be occasionally kicking, sculling etc. Like you said, you are making continual adjustments because trim/buoyancy isn't dead on. That makes a difference with co2 production. I think it helped me too watching much more experienced divers and trying to be more like them regarding stillness etc.

You can be relaxed and calm as a cucumber but if you are producing more co2 than necessary from sculling etc, you still gotta perform the gas exchange...