Breath holding to improve Sac rate?

[Gene_Hobbs]

One idea that might be worth consideration is resistive respiratory muscle training. The paper below does a great job explaining the benefits.

Lindholm, P; Wylegala, J; Pendergast, DR; Lundgren, CEG. Resistive respiratory muscle training improves and maintains endurance swimming performance in divers. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2007 May-Jun;34(3):169-80. RRR ID: 7342

For a nice summary of their work, rollerboi posted a review on here about a year ago that he put together for his "write-up on the U of Buffalo project".

[Bottom line, for those who don't want to read: 33% increase in respiratory muscle strength, 66% increase in underwater SCUBA time, compared to the control group.]

Earlier research on breathing in general has shown that there is a distinct and marked level of discomfort that occurs when one breaths above or below the normal unconscious rate that our bodies are used to respiring. “Breathing below the spontaneous level may produce an uncomfortable sensation of air hunger, and breathing above it a sensation of work or effort.” (Lansing, 2000). In their study on respiratory work and air hunger, Lansing, Im, Thwing, et al. found that we perceive and can distinguish between different kinds of respiratory conditions varying from changes in pressure to fatigue or increased resistance to breathing. As a result of this study, we can quantify and measure the specific effects that different variables in breathing have on our bodies. Once we learn how to be aware of these distinctions, we’re then better equipped to recognize and adapt to such stimuli to make our breathing more efficient.

The researchers at the University at Buffalo hypothesized that “respiratory muscle training would enhance respiratory function and swimming endurance in divers.” In other words, in order to breathe better and more efficiently, we would need to practice breathing differently, inducing an artificial change of discomfort in order to stimulate our respiratory muscle system and influence our bodies to adapt. When engaged in physical activity, we tend not to think about our lungs getting tired - only our muscles that we’re aware of as being actively involved in the physical exertion. However, one of the Buffalo researchers, Dr. Lundgren, stated that “when breathing muscles become fatigued, the body switches to survival mode and ‘steals’ blood flow and oxygen away from the locomotor muscles and redirects it to the respiratory muscles to enable the diver to continue breathing” (University at Buffalo, 2007).

In the study at Buffalo, they took for their experimental group 30 trained scuba divers, all of whom were in their 20’s, and standardized them on swim-fin and SCUBA training before the study began. The group was then broken up into three groups of ten each. One group was the control group, and they received a placebo training protocol (PRMT) which consisted of “a series of 10-second breath-holds with 90-second rest periods between breath-holds” (University at Buffalo, 2007). The second group was given endurance respiratory muscle training (ERMT), which involved increasing their breathing rate and volume (hyperventilating) while maintaining the same levels of carbon dioxide in their blood. The third group received resistance respiratory muscle training (RRMT), which was essentially breathing against a valve that had been restricted in its flow, giving certain levels of airway resistance and pressure.

Before the training protocols, which occurred once a day for 30 minutes, 5 days a week for four weeks, the swimmers were tested to get their baseline measurements on their respiratory strength, endurance, and length of time they could stay in the water and swim. During the training protocols, they were subjected twice a week to a fitness program that monitored and maintained their fitness levels so that the variable of de-acclimatization was controlled. Finally, at the end of the four weeks they were tested again to measure any improvement that may have occurred as a result of the training protocols. The results showed that the groups that received actual respiratory training (RRMT and ERMT) “improved their respiratory muscle strength and their snorkel swimming time by 33 percent and underwater scuba swimming time by 66 percent” (University at Buffalo, 2007).

More reading if you are really interested:

RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IMPROVES DIVERS' SUBMAXIMAL CYCLE ENDURANCE.
Warkander et. al. 1999 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 817

RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IMPROVES RUNNING PERFORMANCE.
Leddy et. al. 2002 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1215

TRAINING OF THE RESPIRATORY MUSCLES ENHANCES NAVY DIVERS' FIN SWIMMING ENDURANCE - A FIELD STUDY.
Warkander et. al. 2002 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1219

ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING INCREASE DIVER'S SWIMMING ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE.
Wylegala et. al. 2004 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1470

RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IMPROVES SWIMMING ENDURANCE IN DIVERS.
Wylegala et. al. 2005 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1628

RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IN DIVERS: REDUCED DYSPNEA AND INCREASED ENDURANCE.
Shupak et. al. 2005 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1621

TWELVE SESSIONS OF RESISTIVE RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IMPROVES UNDERWATER SWIMMING ENDURANCE.
Fahlman et. al. 2005 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1647

EFFECTS OF RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING ON CO2 SENSITIVITY IN SCUBA DIVERS.
Lundgren et. al. 2005 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 1796

Effects of respiratory muscle training on respiratory CO2 sensitivity in SCUBA divers.
Pendergast et. al. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2006 Nov-Dec;33(6):447-53.
RRR ID: 5049

RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING ENHANCES SWIMMING AND RESPIRATORY PERFORMANCE AT DEPTH.
Ray et. al. 2007 UHMS abstract
RRR ID: 5199

 

[vshearer]

One idea that might be worth consideration is resistive respiratory muscle training.

I guess JC knew something. Good argument for using those single stage double hose regulators.

 

[Garth]

Having "larger" lungs is a funny concept really. What are lungs anyway?
If you were to look at the smallest sac in the lungs (aveoli) you would then see that there is likely a capillary associated with each and every one. The vasculature stays constant but the compliance of the lungs (its ability to stretch more) can be adjusted by doing these exercises. Its how we recruit the lungs in my ICU following injury, fluid deposition, or dissociation of capillary and aveoli (seen in ARDs).
.... better lung comliance and communication from aveoli and capillary equals better gas exchange across a greater surface area equals decreased work of breathing with light exercise like diving ... meaning the way I see this is.... the athlete does not consume larger amount of air.... rather only if he or she wants to. Think about it, I don't consider shallow breathing as an option but where is the need to inhale absolutely or completely. Breathing normally, slowly would IMO be better for the athlete than the smoker....

as for the 80lb female smoker, well she is female.... and will have a heart attack at age 50. Sorry ladies but its the number one killer of women. (truth, not breast cancer)

 

[Garth]

I guess JC knew something. Good argument for using those single stage double hose regulators.

wow thats nice. I want that. Does she blow bubbles? How does she hook to my tank?

 

[vshearer]

Did you know you can't drown an ant, but eventually the CO2 buildup kills them?

 

[Water Monkey]

The secret to a better SAC is not increased lung volume.

These four things will serve you better:

1.Stay relaxed and calm
I always get ready before anybody else. It gives me time to relax slow my breathing and visualize the dive while everyone else is trying to get ready.

2.Move as little as possible
There is no substitution for good buoyancy skills

3.Exercise
Regular cardio exercise will improve your circulatory system, thus using less O2

4.Stay warm
This has been a thirty year quest for me.

 

[Mike Boswell]

I dived once in Cozumel with a 5'-3" skinny, amped-up girl who flitted all over the place, so hyper that she chewed her mouthpiece off and inhaled a chunk of it. She had a very high SAC and always ran out of air before anyone else.

As many have said, general fitness, relaxation, and trim are important. Proper weighting and streamlining are also important.

Specialty training and pre-dive tricks may help, but over the period of a 60-minute dive I wouldn't think your SAC would be much changed.

Beyond that, I think to a large extent you are kind of stuck with the body you have and the type of diving you like to do. Bigger people with more muscles and less insulation who are swimming faster will need more air, but they can also accommodate a larger tank volume.

So rather than focussing on arcane and possibly dangerous tricks for minor reductions in SAC, I would go with the simple expedient of sizing your tanks appropriately.

 

[BlueTrin]

Fitness is a bell curve with regards to air consumption. A very fit person typically has a higher % of muscle and muscle consumes more at rest than fat does. Have you ever dived with a pro football or basketball player? I made many dives with an ex heroin addict lead rock singer and his air consumption is way better than any pro athlete I've been in the water with, including me.

I know it’s an old thread … but the obvious conclusion is to stop freediving and start heroin and see if your SAC improves … any takers?

 

[lowwall]

I know it’s an old thread … but the obvious conclusion is to stop freediving and start heroin and see if your SAC improves … any takers?

What exactly were you looking for when you found this post?

 

[BlueTrin]

What exactly were you looking for when you found this post?

I was looking for “alternative” methods to improve my sac rate