[lungfish]

Part of initiating the reflex is correctly cueing your body.... submerging facial muscles for 5-8min is the first step.... I breath up through a snorkel, on my face, unless it is a performance dive. The next thing is to do some submersions with negative pressure to further stimulate the body towards the MDR. Finally, using the reflex along with tolerance training makes an incredible difference in swimming performance.

As a lifelong competitive swimmer who trained at a fairly high level, I can tell you that there is definitely a transitional state that moves me from a generally uncomfortable state in the water to a supremely comfortable one.... whatever you want to call it. It never occured as a surface swimmer, only when diving or sounding over a long period of time. It is a natural sensation and those of us with the body awareness to do so can sense it. Maybe it isn't as "romantic" as some make it out to be, yet it is terrifically dramatic when it is experienced by neophytes. The idea that it is an altered state of physical and mental being leaves a lot of room for imagination.