How do you improve your breathing capacity?

[Longshot270]

I'm curious as to what everyone over here does to help improve how long you can stay under when you're not diving.

I've heard about packing but sounds like you can get hurt pretty easy if you don't know what your doing. Instead I do a bunch of mountain biking and kayaking. Usually I'll also sing along with the radio. The extra physical exertion of mountain biking or kayaking raises oxygen consumption while also having the muscles around the chest work. Then trying to hold an even air pressure for a note is good for learning breathing focus. Over the last year it has really made a difference in how long I can hold my breath.

That is just what I do because it is also fun and challenging, what methods does everyone else use?

 

[WreckDiver1321]

Just dive. Even in a pool if you can. I started free diving back when I was 15 and could hold my breath for MAYBE a minute. By the end of the first day of diving that time had increased. Do it often enough, and you'll be able to go down longer. I can handle being down for over 4 minutes now. Takes awhile, but it does help, as it helps you learn to expend as little energy as possible while underwater, which should cut down on your air consumption if you're on scuba, and the rate you burn oxygen when you're holding your breath.
Hope this helps!

 

[Longshot270]

Using less energy is what I'm working on right now. For being skinny I'm pretty buoyant, especially when I've got my wetsuit on. I just got some split fins a few months ago and they make a huge improvement when I'm spearfishing, but I haven't quite figured out the form for powering down for other stuff like taking videos. Now that it is warming up I can get back in and practice. I've only had a few good days so I'm not quite in the groove yet. Tomorrow I'm going out to search for some freshwater sponges. Combing the bottom and sides should be some good practice.

 

[fdog]

The first biggest hurdle will be learning a decent 15-second cycle breath-up.

Next, the biggest improvement will come from practicing in you living room while doing CO2 and O2 tables.

You can find most of this stuff by sniffing around on sites like deeperblue.net. And from you mentioning diving with splits, a pair of real freediving fins will help a bunch too.


However:

From what you've said, you are doing simple dives, and are on the cusp of moving to more advanced freediving. I mean it in all sincerity when I say:

You have no idea how dangerous what you're moving into can be.

I strongly encourage you to take a class. Breath-hold diving is a sport that is even MORE buddy-centric than scuba diving. Blackouts, when solo, can have disastrous consequences. Serious freedivers are met on ascent by their buddy, are talked through their first breaths, and learn what to look for in their buddy (and themselves) when they are pushing it too far.

Please. Stay safe. Take a freediving class.


All the best, James

 

[Longshot270]

The first biggest hurdle will be learning a decent 15-second cycle breath-up.

Next, the biggest improvement will come from practicing in you living room while doing CO2 and O2 tables.

You can find most of this stuff by sniffing around on sites like deeperblue.net. And from you mentioning diving with splits, a pair of real freediving fins will help a bunch too.


However:

From what you've said, you are doing simple dives, and are on the cusp of moving to more advanced freediving. I mean it in all sincerity when I say:

You have no idea how dangerous what you're moving into can be.

I strongly encourage you to take a class. Breath-hold diving is a sport that is even MORE buddy-centric than scuba diving. Blackouts, when solo, can have disastrous consequences. Serious freedivers are met on ascent by their buddy, are talked through their first breaths, and learn what to look for in their buddy (and themselves) when they are pushing it too far.

Please. Stay safe. Take a freediving class.


All the best, James

I understand how posts can be misread but simple diving is all I do and I don't have plans of going deeper than 25-30. The water doesn't get deeper than about 20 feet out here so these 40+ numbers I read about on here are impossible. Even the spots that are deep the water is usually murky and slow so no good for video and poor for spearfishing. I spend the majority of my time in the 1-10 foot range.

I didn't buy the split fins to dive deeper. I got them so I wouldn't have to work as hard or move as much. For that they have proven effective. Like I said, I just need to get the form down for anything besides creeping along.

I've been snorkeling most of my life. I have seen some bad situations and I know when I'm pushing my limits.
I was just wondering what everyone does to stay in shape when they can't get in the water.

 

[WreckDiver1321]

Outside of the water, I try to take long walks or jogs and ride a bike every so often. When I'm on the bike, I just set it to its toughest gear and go. Try to breathe at a fixed rate so your lungs work a little harder and gain some more power. And when I'm riding I try not to move too fast. Find a nice balance between speed and how fast you push the pedals. Also, what really helps is gaining muscle strength in your legs so that they don't need to work as hard while you're underwater. That should help you stay down longer.
Best of luck!

 

[Ghanguss]

I found doing a static apnea exercise helped alot.
Static Apnea Tables by Freediver.co.uk and Freedivers.net :: Graphics by Mozzi

I put on voice activation and when Im browsing the forums I run this in the background.
I quickly went from 2 minute breath holds to 3.5minute

 

[Longshot270]

I found doing a static apnea exercise helped alot.
Static Apnea Tables by Freediver.co.uk and Freedivers.net :: Graphics by Mozzi

I put on voice activation and when Im browsing the forums I run this in the background.
I quickly went from 2 minute breath holds to 3.5minute

That's cool. I wasn't aware there was anything like that.

 

[sharknut]

i typically just do a lot of cross country (distance) running, i find it really teaches you to work on low oxygen availablility