Quote:
Originally Posted by trux
Sure, hyperventilation works. It even works so well that so many beginners fall in the same trap as you, because it is much easier to dive without the warning urge to breath than training properly and enduring it. Unfortunately, hundreds of spearos, snorkelers and freedivers die each year just because of it. Hyperventilation is definite no-no for any freediver. You need to avoid it like a pest. It no only reduces the safety margin by suppressing the warning signals, in fact it also delays the mammalian diving response, hence increases the oxygen consumption. So, although it falsely looks like you can miraculously dive longer with it, the exact opposite is true. If you learn properly your body signals, learn enduring the urge to breath, you will be able to dive much longer and safer without any hyperventilation at all, since the diving reflex will assure more efficient oxygen consumption.
Beginners should definitely forget about trying to control their breathing - by trying to control it consciously, you only mess it up. The body knows the best what it needs, so let doing its job. Instead of it focus on relaxation and avoid unnecessary moving. The body will take care of the exactly necessary oxygen intake automatically and in the best way it can.
EDIT: and BTW, you do not want low heart rate on the surface - you want it when diving. Oppositely, after surfacing you need the heart working fast to evacuate * CO2, toxins and metabolism byproducts, and to recharge muscles and tissue fast.
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perhaps better to say "evacuate
excess CO2", otherwise people might again try to remove
all CO2 (by hyperventilating). At surface normal aerobic breathing will remove excess CO2.
