Hi Jon, look at
www.freedivehawaii.com under the pages about Pipin's training session in Hawaii. I'm sorry I don't have the proper URL, but it's there. Basically, it's 15 or 16 breaths a minute, which will keep your heart rate up. Once I start diving and breath holding, my heart rate(and most likely yours) will beat very fast during the inhale portion, (for me around 120 bpm) as your body is trying to uptake oxygen in preperation for the next dive, or as a result of the last dive. Kirk's method is to shorten the inhale, hold slightly, and extend the exhale, which will keep the heart rate low, help you relax, and avoid hyperventilating. 3 to 6 breaths a minute, approximately, depending on the person. Divers using Pipin's method report large time increases in there dives, as will anyone who hyperventilates, so I don't understand the surprises. Hyperventilating at a competition,with safety everywhere, and a good knowledge of what one can do time and depth wise is somewhat acceptible, but I don't think that it's right to teach rec divers and spearfisherman to hyperventilate for 2 or 3 minutes before they dive.
We all know that breathing fast fools the body, and sidesteps the awareness we need while freediving.
Cheers,
Erik Y.
