Breath Hold Training Advice

Kryssa · Jun 15, 2011

I'm considering doing GUE/UTD fundies in the future and I am terrible at holding my breath and swimming underwater. Does anyone have any tips on how to improve?

I'm a pretty good swimmer and can do the 300 yds in 14 minutes, but I'm not sure how to improve on the 50 ft breath hold requirement.

Thanks!

g1138 · Jun 15, 2011

First step is to calm down.
The only way for anyone to hold their breath for a long period of time is to get their heart rate low to decrease their O2 consumption. That means no hard swimming, no rapid movements. Be as calm as possible during your dive. Try to be unenthusiastic too. If you see a fish and get excited, you're heart rate will go up and there goes your O2 consumption.

Second step is equipment. You need to be properly weighted so that after you pass 8-10ft you can stop kicking and glide down to your depth. Your initial kick should be long sweeping kicks, you'll need fins that aren't floppy. If you can't use fins on this test then use breast stroke, try to add a gliding period between each stroke if you can.
Your mask HAS to be low volume, otherwise you'll pretty much lose all your air into your mask as you equalize it.

g1138 · Jun 15, 2011

Wait, I'm an idiot. Did you mean 50yd underwater swim?

If that's the case then pick a stroke that you can use intermediately, such as breaststroke. You don't want to be kicking constantly but rather stroking then having a glide period. I would suggest gliding in a streamline position with your head down, looking at the tile floor.
Still work on getting yourself calm and your heart rate low. Take nice, slow, long breaths before beginning. You don't want to hyperventilate, but you also don't want to have a high CO2 concentration in you. When you surface take a few long, slow breathes. Inhaling can be a little quick but exhaling should be slow at this point.
Also stick away from the surface of the water, I usually go down to at least 5ft in the pool or deeper.

Hank49 · Jun 15, 2011

If you can. arrive early at the test site and practice.
No matter how good I was last week free diving, when I get in the water again this week my first dives are short. The longer I stay in the water, the longer I can stay down.
If you can't actually practice the swim beforehand, just get in the water, submerge and hold your breath 4-6 times for as long as you can.
And 50 feet is nothing. Just tell yourself that. Nothing.

Kryssa · Jun 16, 2011

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Hank, I will try breath hold at the end of my swim tomorrow. I've been trying it at the beginning thinking I will do better when I'm not tired... but maybe after the 400 yd swim, I will do better

Also does anyone know at the fundies swim test if they let you push off the wall? I'm talking about for both the 300 yds and the 50 ft underwater swim. Generally I do flip turns but they include pushing off the wall. Thanks!!!

Hank49 · Jun 16, 2011

Regarding 50 feet. I do many dives a day to that depth which total at least 100 feet and easily surface in less than 40 seconds if there are no fish there.

bleeb · Jun 16, 2011

Kryssa:
I'm considering doing GUE/UTD fundies in the future and I am terrible at holding my breath and swimming underwater. Does anyone have any tips on how to improve?

How are you with holding your breath in general? Even sitting on the couch, I find if I haven't practiced recently, my times get shorter. How fast someone looses the ability probably varies, but apparently some people's ability starts to disappear in as little as a few days. Conversely, frequent regular practice on land reportedly helps at least some people in the water.

Peter_C · Jun 16, 2011

You are probably going to find your GUE instructors are requiring a 400 yard swim. After all we are not diving in tropical conditions here, and fitness is important. Our swim test for Fundies was 400 yards. The breath hold swim is pretty easy to do. Just take a few minutes to relax before performing the skill.

Jax · Jun 16, 2011

Kryssa:
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Hank, I will try breath hold at the end of my swim tomorrow. I've been trying it at the beginning thinking I will do better when I'm not tired... but maybe after the 400 yd swim, I will do better

Also does anyone know at the fundies swim test if they let you push off the wall? I'm talking about for both the 300 yds and the 50 ft underwater swim. Generally I do flip turns but they include pushing off the wall. Thanks!!!

Our test allowed pushing off the wall.

TSandM · Jun 16, 2011

HERE is a thread on the topic with a good description of the technique. SparticleBrane used to have a video up, but I can't find it. I've PMd a friend to see if I can get a link.

The best I can describe what the key was for me, was that you want to use big, slow and very intermittent motions to move. If you try to swim with a normal breaststroke-type action, you will run out of air. If you can stroke and gllliiiiddde across the pool, you'll generate much less CO2 and will be able to hold your breath longer.

The breath-hold swim was my terror in Fundies, and I think I was close to passing out before I got to the end of it (I was determined to drown rather than fail the class on the swim test). By Cave 1, I did 75 feet easily, surfaced, took a breath, and did the same distance back. It's all in technique.

Breath Hold Training Advice

Please register or login

Kryssa

Contributor

g1138

Contributor

g1138

Contributor

Hank49

Contributor

Kryssa

Contributor

Hank49

Contributor

bleeb

Contributor

Peter_C

Contributor

Jax

Deplorable American

TSandM

Missed and loved by many.

Similar threads