Solo freediving: 20-30 feet, 3 min max

[ADELENELYNCH]

Geesh! Cornholio, thanks for sharing that story. I think being human, we tend to get more and more confident as things go smoothly.......until something does go wrong. For freediving, the price of "something goes wrong" is simply to high. For other sports, it may be breaking a leg, or dislocating a shoulder, but not this. It's truly sobering.

Question since we're on this topic : I sometimes train dynamic apnea alone in my pool. I have two dive buddies I train with weekly for static and proper target DYF. But for training on technique of finning etc, I do it in my 25m pool alone. Now, what's considered safe? I only do 25 apnea laps although on most days, 50m is comfortalbe. Is that alright? As someone says, it's not always practical to not dive alone. But what's a safe way to train for dynamic alone if there is any?

[FruitLooPs]

Adelenelynch there have been many threads previously started around pool training and the general gist of them is nothing is ever foolproof or completely safe.

There is a always a slim possibility that even sticking to a very conservative and known regime well within your limits that factors you were unaware of could potentially lead to you B/O.

Another problem with pool training (not so much your case) is that if something does go wrong, it often impacts all free divers practicing at the pool.

All the usual rules apply regarding hyperventilation or unusual breath-up applies (as in don't do it), if I were you, and had the time and opportunity when I could train with buddies like you stated I would just train with them.

It comes down to how much risk you're willing to take and a large amount of common sense. There is no concrete answer for 'is that alright?' for you, it may well be. Just as easily though, it could be your undoing.

You have to realize just because it was fine yesterday or the dive before doesn't dictate that it will be fine this time around. Too many variables to be completely certain of anything, which is why people have buddies to account for that time when it isn't ok.

I'm usually a lurker here, but i've read quite a lot of threads on this sort of thing. It's usually agreed to be fairly bad practice, but for some people who have no other alternative and have read up on all the potential issues they can choose to do it as a responsible adult if they wish.

If you must, surely take all precautions as is realistically possible.

Guidelines vary but they're always stick to very conservative distances/times, have long correct (no moving etc) rest periods (i'd take my sweet time if I owned the pool, as you do) and never dive if you've been sick or are even slightly off feeling. Don't work to goals/targets but rather what signals your body is telling you. I'm not sure if it would be worth having but a blood oxy saturation tool might be a worthy investment to ensure your stats are just the same as after the previous rest period? (it probably isn't nearly that simple however, trux etc would know)

over and above that, go check out what some of the more experienced guys have said. Search will help you there on specifics, but peoples abilities vary so much even those are only a guide.

[Erik]

^good post^!

[baldyfish]

i spearfish alone and always have SWB at the back of my mind. im a sorkel instructor and i must teach this stuff. ie, the dangers of SWB and not to dive alone. its real convenient for me to dive alone but i never stay below for more than 45 sec and restrict myself to depths of 30 ft for fear of a BO alone.
I know it could still happen at any time but we still do it because of the enjoyment we get from it.
I have never experienced SWB. anybody here ever experienced one??

[trux]

Originally Posted by baldyfish

I have never experienced SWB. anybody here ever experienced one??

Well, SWB is rather common during freediving competitions, when athletes push the limits, so many competitive freedivers indeed experienced BO either directly or as witnesses. That's under relatively safe conditions though - with safety divers, lanyards, counterweight, and usually also a medicine doctor with CPR equipment present.

Otherwise for reports of SWB during spearfishing or recreational freediving, please be sure to check out the links mentioned above (copied below).

Lessons learned - a SWB Story
my shallow water blackout nightmare
Lessons learned in the Bahamas - An intimate account of our most dangerous enemy.
Freediving Death...

[Erik]

Originally Posted by baldyfish

I have never experienced SWB. anybody here ever experienced one??

Yup! 1 in competition and a few sambas when I was first starting to train. I don't recommend them haha! For me not unpleasant, but the shock/fear in those who witnessed the BO was regrettable.
As trux said, relatively safe when you're surrounded by safety divers, and it's spearos that die, not freedive competitors.