I do a little bit of amateur free diving (which we call skin diving around here). I've been getting pretty decent down times, but I'm curious what some of you use as pre-dive breath control techniques.
I do one of two things depending on how I feel that day, and they appear to work about the same to me. I breath slowly and deeply until my pulse slows, inhaling on the surface and exhaling with my face in the water. Then I take 5 deep, slow breaths and descend. The other variation to this is that sometimes I may hyperventilate maybe 2 or 3 breaths.
What have you guys used with success? Please don't lecture me on hyperventilating, I use a spotter and I am an adult, which means that I'm going to do it anyway, no matter how much you rant and rave. I'm looking for useful, usable feedback.
We use a series of exercises, built into a kata, to teach our students breath holding. There are several reasons for doing this, one is to teach them a relaxation technique, another is to help them to gain confidence that what we ask them to do and be done and yet a third is help them to gain confidence in themselves and their own ability to master things that they initially see as difficult or even impossible. I am going to describe, in come detail, how we teach breath holding. I want to stress how dangerous excessive breath holding is and how sudden and complete shallow water black out can be. These techniques must not be abused or taught to any but those that you can trust not to abuse them. You students very lives may depend upon your judgment concerning their maturity, responsibility and emotional stability. DonÃÕ screw up.
We have done a pool of students in class. Ū can hold my breath for about three minutes! How long can you hold youÃÓe breath? one of the staff said. ŵen seconds? Raise your hand. Twenty? Raise your hand, if thatÃÔ too long for you lower it. Thirty? Forty-Five? A minute? Minute and a half? Two minutes? Longer than two minutes?Æûbr>
Everyone raised their hands for ten seconds. We lost a few at twenty, a few more at thirty. At forty-five less than half the class was left and at a minute there were two, one of whom gave up at a minute and a half, the other was still going (with a slight smirk) at Å*onger than two minutes? Those last two weÃÍl have to watch, theyÃÍl be paired up and put with two of the best free divers on the staff (they go out, free dive and spear tunas! A little out of my league).
OK class let me tell you whatÃÔ going to happen. Today each and every one of you will hold you breath for a minute. Most of you will reach a minute and a half and a few of you will reach two minutes. By the midterm every one of you will be able to breath hold for two minutes. OK? The general reaction is usually one of slight nervousness and insecurity.
A lecture on the physics of diving follows which moves into shallow water blackout and we adjourn to the pool. At the pool in full free diving gear (suit, gloves and all) the students get together with their assigned buddy and two assigned buddy pairs work with a buddy pair of staff. HereÃÔ the routine: Learn a modified yoga breathing, that is to say instead of tensely stuffing air up to the top of the lungs, empty the lungs by exhaling strongly for five or more seconds, the let the lungs fill comfortably and take them to the top slow and easy.
What's the problem with the way most divers breathe? Their breathing is neither deep enough nor slow enough; itÃÔ all up top and rapid, kind of like panting. While they likely take in enough oxygen they do not eliminating enough carbon dioxide. Shallow rapid breathing also does not move the diaphragm and intercostals enough and muscle memory adds to the drive to take another breath. We can get into the whole yoga thing is someone really wants, but right now IÃÎ tired and just want to cut to the chase.
Floating face down, take 5 yoga breaths (full empty, gentle fill ÁÕill comfortably full but not packed, breathing from the diaphragm and stomach, do not hyperventilate, don't breathe fast, breathe slow, don't breathe high breathe low) through your snorkel and then hold your breath for 10 seconds focusing on your watch. During the last five seconds your buddy counts down, five, four, three, two, one, breathe and you come up and take a big, empty the lung first breath. While you recover your buddy does the same thing. Repeat the process for 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds and then every 15 seconds to 2 minutes, do not take it farther than 2 ½ minutes. Your buddy should be gently talking to you, encouraging you and telling you how much time is left at reasonable intervals. It is critical that in between each set you fully recover and that before you start each set with five yoga breaths, but be sure that you donÃÕ try and pack it up full, that will just makes you tense. Work with your buddy and concentrate and getting as relaxed as possible.
We do this kata, out to two minutes at the beginning of every pool and open water session. You can imagine the level of psych in the class when at the end of the first pool session they all make a minute or more, usually they all make a minute and a half, but I like to hedge my bets.
