Stuck in exhale mode problem

[maytag]

Hi All,

This is a weird question, but does anyone get "stuck" in the exhale mode following a series of full-lung holds (e.g. towards the end of tables training or a max attempt)?

After a hold towards the end of a practice session for me, I let out my breath, inhale my first breath following the hold, and then exhale... and get "stuck" there. My body doesn't want to budge and take another breath. It sounds really stupid, because I know I need to breathe, but it is like a battle and extremely uncomfortable to take another breath.

This happened last night after a series of practice holds, and I thought I would take advantage of the situation and just allow myself to rest in the exhale and not take a breath until I felt I needed it. I clocked past a minute and still did not feel any urge to take a breath. The leaden feeling in my chest of "not wanting to breathe" got worse, and my pulse dropped.

Am I going crazy? Shouldn't my body welcome air following a series of holds? Does anyone else find that it does not "feel good" to breathe again following repeated breath holds or a maximum hold?

This has been bugging me for a while, but last night was probably the worst. Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated. Many thanks,

maytag

[naiad]

Something similar happens to me. Sometimes after a max static or hard O2 table, I take a breath, exhale and don't want to take another breath for a while. Once I timed it for at least 2 minutes! It is not an unpleasant feeling for me. It happens most with the longest statics.

Also, I am often not noticeably out of breath after a long static, and only take shallow breaths. When this happens in pool training, it sometimes scares my buddies, who tell me to breathe.

It doesn't happen with dynamics. After a max dynamic, I am gasping a lot.

This is why I don't do recovery breathing or hook breaths - I just physically can't do it. I haven't had any problems so far of finishing a static and having a samba afterwards on the surface, so what I am doing must work reasonably well for me.

Lucia

[maytag]

Originally Posted by naiad

Something similar happens to me. Sometimes after a max static or hard O2 table, I take a breath, exhale and don't want to take another breath for a while. Once I timed it for at least 2 minutes! It is not an unpleasant feeling for me. It happens most with the longest statics.
Lucia

Hi Lucia,
Thanks for your post - it was reassuring. Perhaps this is a normal post-hold response for some? I just couldn't work out the logic in my head. I forced myself to take two breaths after the exhale hold but then I started "browning out." I definitely felt better in the exhale and not breathing. What is the worst that I can anticipate happening in this situation if I do not take forced (and highly uncomfortable) breaths (in the context of a dry practice session on the ground)?

Thanks again, maytag

[naiad]

Originally Posted by maytag

I forced myself to take two breaths after the exhale hold but then I started "browning out." I definitely felt better in the exhale and not breathing.

What do you mean by "browning out"? Fading vision like a blackout?

Originally Posted by maytag

What is the worst that I can anticipate happening in this situation if I do not take forced (and highly uncomfortable) breaths (in the context of a dry practice session on the ground)?

I guess the worst that can happen is a blackout. This has not happened to me in that situation, but it could happen.

That is why I don't use a mask or nose clip for dry statics. Apart from the fact that I don't like it, I'm not sure of the safety of it. My urge to breathe is not very great after a long static, and I don't want to make things harder for myself. Also, I don't naturally breathe through my mouth, and I can't be sure of what would happen in the context of a blackout.

Lucia

[SEDATE]

maytag
the reason should be you atempt breathhold directly...
before atempt any max hold or any table(A/B) you want to..you must make your rib cage ready to go!..

Before any atempt, dive, max hold, table need 10 minutes warmup body

5min study(1):

you must lift your hands up trying to hold paralel to each other and lean up as much as you can then open side paralel to floor and move your body left/righ and turn your sholders back and front very softly and not giving any damage to your muscle and followiing relax 2-3minute..

5min study(2):
first try to fill as much as your ribcage and just hold 10-15sec(not more!) and exale slowy.. let your rib cage neutral position and relax 1 min...

second take another very deep breath a much as you can and hold 10-15sec and exale slowly..let your rib cage neutral position relax 1 min...

you can do this 2-3 times in same cyle...

this gives you ready to apnea! and gives elecasity to muscles surrond your rip cage and eliminate stuck

then relax 5 minutes or 10 minutes while closing eyes totaly and feel yourself you ready to go in your brain

what ever you do never fill your lung fully , inhale 3/4 or less totally close your eyes while atempt any max hold or A/B tables

My english is bla bla i hope you understand, i hope it helps you, cheers!

[maytag]

Sedate,
Thanks so much - that sounds really helpful - I will try that tonight!

I was re-reading some archived posts and wondering if what I was experiencing might have anything to do with CO2 levels. I don't hyperventilate, but ... ?

Great to hear from you again, Sedate - hope things have been going well! BTW, Your English is not "bla bla bla" - it's totally fine! I can't speak any Turkish!

Thanks again, Sedate and Naiad for your tips. Take good care,
maytag

[naiad]

For me, the urge to breathe is greatly reduced for a few minutes after a long static. If I do consecutive statics with only short breaks, I can take advantage of this. If the breaks are too short it doesn't work and I get too hypoxic, so it has to be done with care. Once I did a 5:15 dry static, then about 1:00 afterwards I just took a breath and held for as long as I could, with no breathe-up at all. I did 4:45. If I use the 1:00 break as a breathe-up, I can do 5:00+ dry statics quite easily one after another. This is the shortest interval I have heard anyone using, but it works well for me. I don't often get a chance to do such short intervals in the pool, which is partly why my pool statics are not so good.

Lucia

[island_sands]

maytag have you read Umberto Pellizari's Freediving Manual? It has some excellent pre-dive/static training exercises as well as training techiques.

[maytag]

Originally Posted by island_sands

maytag have you read Umberto Pellizari's Freediving Manual? It has some excellent pre-dive/static training exercises as well as training techiques.

Ocean Diva! (I like your new moniker )

I did read Pelizzari's book, but I admit I thought all of those stretching exercises and diagrams with the arrows were overwhelming, so I thought I would file the info away and just ... hold my breath (I am such an idiot)

Your guys' posts have changed my mind. Plus, I want to take Will's course soon, so I better be more disciplined!!! Thanks for the prodding!

Cheers to all of you!
maytag