Was never good at this, but getting better.

As a DM I always seemed to get tasked with giving the snorkeling portion of OW classes. I knew the basic mechanics of it, but I had never been very good at staying down. Once across the width of the pool was my limit, only about 45 sec.

It made me feel like a sham trying to teach something that I couldn't do well.

I recently got my OWSI and decided I needed to work on my weak points. I started reading here and deeperblue.com to see what I could do to improve. There are tons of opinions and techniques out there. I decided to start with the static CO2 and O2 tables. In order to do them I had to figure out my own personal best to figure the proper percentages. That meant more reading to find out how to get started properly.

I was originally taught to hyperventilate then hold. That was completely the wrong way to do things. Hyperventilating is one of the more dangerous ways to go about breath holding. Slow, deep, relaxing breaths are the way that is preferred by most. It took me 20min of breathing to get it done properly and lower my heart rate down to about 50bpm. I did get some odd looks at work just sitting at my desk taking deep breaths with my fingers on my neck.

When I finally got around to my attempt I was pleasantly surprised. I ended up going for 1min 52sec . I think I could have broken 2min if I hadn't gotten excited when I passed 90sec. Not bad for someone who hadn't gone more than 1min before. I then took some time to do the figuring for my tables.

I did the CO2 table and surprised myself again near the end when I only had time to take a couple of breaths and still made my 1min hold time. I'm going to try for my PB again tomorrow since I don't think I will be as excited when I get near 2min.

So all in all I couldn't hold my breath for more than 1min before knowing the proper techniques, and I almost doubled my time with just a little reading and practice. Well, now I'm excited about making more improvements and trying them out during my next class. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I try again.

Assuming that you've been at this for a while now, I find it odd, that 'your time' has not improved more significantly. When doing repeated BHs in practice,
is there any increase in time from #1 to, let's say #5, or are they all about the same? Trying to figure out, whether this is more of a 'psychological' issue, rather than a physical limit, you're dealing with.

Orsk:

Hyperventilating is one of the more dangerous ways to go about breath holding. Slow, deep, relaxing breaths are the way that is preferred by most.

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Which was the way it was taught in the PADI OW class I took in 1980.

I must admit that due to Abalone diving, which must be done without SCUBA, there is much more intrest in freediving around here than you might find in other locations.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

Arubandi07:

Assuming that you've been at this for a while now, I find it odd, that 'your time' has not improved more significantly. When doing repeated BHs in practice,
is there any increase in time from #1 to, let's say #5, or are they all about the same? Trying to figure out, whether this is more of a 'psychological' issue, rather than a physical limit, you're dealing with.

Click to expand...

I've been diving for a while, but didn't really start looking at or working on breath hold until yesterday. I'm sure I will improve since I am now concentrating on it more, and once I get some free time here at work I'll see if my psychological issues have worked themself out some.

Bob,

I was taught to hyperventalate (4-5 quick deep breaths) and knew nothing about relaxing before trying to dive. It was a DM that was teaching it when I went through OW class as well, and she probably had the same feelings that I used to about "Skin Diving" so there wasn't much elaboration on it.

I don't think hyperventalating is all that dangerous, unless done repeatedly. My rule of thumb that has served me well, is at least a 10 minute wait between hyperventalating before going down.

Orsk:

I've been diving for a while, but didn't really start looking at or working on breath hold until yesterday. I'm sure I will improve since I am now concentrating on it more, and once I get some free time here at work I'll see if my psychological issues have worked themself out some.

Bob,

I was taught to hyperventalate (4-5 quick deep breaths) and knew nothing about relaxing before trying to dive. It was a DM that was teaching it when I went through OW class as well, and she probably had the same feelings that I used to about "Skin Diving" so there wasn't much elaboration on it.

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If you really just started working on it, you'll definitely see improvement within a few days of exercising. Just my 2c, but next time around, don't even look at your stop watch, and pay attention to how your body reacts in the course of a BH. Then, see what happens, when you distract your mind(I like doing Sudoku puzzles, practicing static, PB ~4min20sec). Again, no stop watch, at least for a while.
At your stage of training, I wouldn't even concern myself with CO2/O2 tables, you're pretty much shooting at Sparrows with cannons, as far as I'm concerned.

Above all, be patient, trying too hard will just get in your way, let it happen ...(stole that from "The inner game of Tennis"), ... Works, trust me ...

what's this snorkel you speak of?

I believe that is the aka for those reef hooks that salt water divers hook on their masks.

Arubandi07:

Again, no stop watch, at least for a while.

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I couldn't help myself. Hit 2:35 for today, but I did take your advice about not looking at it. I'm trying not to overdo the practicing, and that's why I'm trying to stick to only once a day instead of going back to back with the tables and practicing.

i was sort of taught to hyperventilate at the freediving course i attended, only 5 breaths right before the dive though. this thread on spearboard just came up about a week ag with a lot of really good info about hyperventilation. the reason i was taught to do it was to increase your ratio of O2 to CO2, but another diver argued that doing a full exhale right before you dive will get all the CO2 out, keep your heart rate down, and is safer. apparently hyperventilating makes you think you can stay down longer, it tricks your body into thinking it doesn't need air or that it doesn't hurt as much, when it really doesn't increase your bottom time.
i havn't tried the long exhale method, and i've never had any issues with the 5 quick breaths before i dive...but the info on this thread makes sense so i'm going to give it a shot next time i go out

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