Free Diving Question

[MJS1946]

As I’ve decided to no longer pursue my scuba certification, I will continue to snorkel and may dabble a bit with free diving. My question is this: my current breath holding capacity is about 30 seconds. How does one go about increasing that? Especially while diving (I’m only good for about 20” then....)?

Thanks

 

[lowviz]

I asked the same question of one of the dive gods (@Thalassamania)

Try periodic voluntary diaphragmatic contractions. This was reinforced by someone who told me to exhale completely while running (I am a runner) and see how far you get. Start contractions when you think that you can go no farther. It is a great surface training drill.

Obviously you wouldn't try anything like this while freediving. However, it makes feeling 'air starved' much more tolerable. Do not push this past reasonable limits, CO2 is building up...

Edit: Just found this: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/expphysiol.2005.031625

excerpt from above reference:

"Breath‐holding has, however, two much less well‐known but important properties. First, the central respiratory rhythm appears to continue throughout breath‐holding. Humans cannot therefore stop their central respiratory rhythm voluntarily. Instead, they merely suppress expression of their central respiratory rhythm and voluntarily ‘hold’ the chest at a chosen volume, possibly assisted by some tonic diaphragm activity. Second, breath‐hold duration is prolonged by bilateral paralysis of the phrenic or vagus nerves. Possibly the contribution to the breakpoint from stimulation of diaphragm muscle"

 

[Celt]

Put your face in a dish of cold water with no mask just your snorkel, take long slow breaths till your breathing rate slows down and your completely relaxed. Take an average breath and hold it, time it until the first feeling of needing to breath comes. This can also be practiced on a full exhalation but never do it in open water.

 

[dcvf2]

As I’ve decided to no longer pursue my scuba certification, I will continue to snorkel and may dabble a bit with free diving. My question is this: my current breath holding capacity is about 30 seconds. How does one go about increasing that? Especially while diving (I’m only good for about 20” then....)?
Thanks

Hi MJS1946,
I’ll propose you what we learn during the ‘freediving course’.

First you’ve to learn to practice the ‘abdominal ventilation’, or 'Abdominal breathing'
=>
Expiration must last twice as long as inspiration
1) inhale for 3 s
2) exhale for 6s
Repeat this 4 times

1) inhale for 3 s
2) hold your ventilation for 3 s
3) exhale for 6s
Repeat this 4 times

1) inhale for 3 s
2) hold your ventilation for 3 s
3) exhale for 6s
4) hold your ventilation for 3 s
Repeat this 4 times

If you feel relax try 4s / 8s
Come back after doing this preparation.
You are ready to practice the CO2 table


Don't forget to read this thread => Snorkeling advice from the net!