First of all, heart rate means very little for static. Cardiac output is more accurate.
My friends will testify first hand that on several recent 6'40" - 7'00" wet statics, my heart rate was 107bpm for the first half or so. In fact, the first time I ever went over 7'00", my resting heart rate was around 78-80, and my heart rate was well over 100 for more than half of the breath-hold.
Lung volume is only a limiting factor when you practice 'poor-man's static', which is what most of us do. If you use the yogi method of blocking the contractions, your metabolic rate decreases exponentially, and the end result is a geometric series which probably never converges.
For example, using the yogi method, your heart rate decreases as your lack of oxygen increases. This is common even in the poor-man's method, but in the poor man's method, your heart rate bottoms out eventually, whereas in the yogi method there is no limit to the minimum heart rate. For that reason, there is not even any reason to take a full breath, because in so doing you are just delaying the hypoxia (and the HR drop) anyway.
I will give yet another example. If lung volume were that important, then why is it that Hubert Maier of Germany, who has 14L lungs, cannot hold his breath for more than 7 minutes? How is it that people with lungs of less than 7L can beat him? Sebastien Murat has 13L lungs and a resting HR of 35, and is still in the 8-minute-something zone. I pack significantly more air than Tyler and yet Tyler consistently beats me in dry static.
I fully believe that anyone who blames their own inability on poor genetics is just trying to find some reason to satisfy their own confusion as to their lack of progress. Have faith, experiment, practice, and improve.
Personally, if I must comment on genetics, I would say that my genetics are not favourable. However, I don't use that excuse as a means of explaining away why I can't perform. I have competed in many sports and activities, and I rarely (if ever) have beat anyone at their own game, using the same methods. Invariably, the times I have won, I did so because I was inventive and came up with different methods. So, perhaps a genetic disadvantage in physiology is made up for by a genetic advantage in creativity? It all balances out in the end.
Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
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