Western Canada Regionals

[Erik]

Hi people, I'm training for the above competition, which is Sept 8-9. I've never competed before, and I have a hard time getting anyone to train with me in the pool and lake, but I'm going to do what I can. I thought maybe I would keep updating anything important over the next few weeks. This will give me more incentive and a competitive feel to my training, ok?
In constant ballast, my PB is -42 metres, and that was last month in the ocean, 1200 kms away. Up here, the deepest I can train is a lake that hits 30 metres, so I'll go there a couple of times before the competition and let you know how that goes.
In dynamic, I pretty much stink the place out at a PB of 75 metres in a 25 metre pool. I'm working on a flip-turn to help get the number up.
In static, my PB (dry) was 6:03 up till yesterday, when I hit 6:10, with 40 contractions (1st contraction at 4:10). This was on my 4th hold.

In competition, I'm going to try for -50 metres constant ballast. -42 metres was not that difficult, and I know I will be surrounded by safety divers. I'd like to go for -55 metres, but one step at a time. Today I trained in the local -5 metre dive tank, working on my cruddy entry and doing negative reverse-pack dives to simulate extreme depth to train my lungs, heart, and diaphragm.
Every day I will do yoga, pack-stretches, full packs (I'm at 50), and at least 2 breath holds. I will run 5 km 3 times a week, plus lift heavy weights 3 times a week (this is my normal regimen).
Ok, I'm getting tired just writing this, so wish me luck!
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Cliff Etzel]

umm can I say - you are gonna kick A$$!

I and the rest of the Deeperblue staff wish you the best of luck in your attempts and please keep us updated on your progress and final results...

[Erik]

Muchas Gracias, I will do my best. Now I'm off to watch "Gladiator" for the 10th time!
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Cliff Etzel]

hehe - yeah - up late tonight... oh well - someone has to do it...

[Stephan Whelan]

Eric,

Good Luck and....


"At my command, unleash hell!"

Great line, we go around saying it at my office all the time (admittedly it's a bit juvenile but a hell of a great line).

Hehehehehe

[Erik]

OK, now you guys are making me laugh. Ah, but for a simpler life; fighting, eating, farming, and slaying Emperors......MAXIMUS!!

Erik Y.

[Thom]

Good luck with your training Erik... and good luck with the competition. I look forward to reading about your progress

[aqua"NOT"]

Be careful there buddy, we dont want to lose any more divers. Find someone to dive with you no matter what. I know that you can do what you set out to do! Good luck. Siempre!

[laminar]

Erik,

Good luck at Regionals. Also, a buddy for deep pool negatives is an absolute must.

See you soon!

Pete
Vancouver, BC

[Erik]

Saturday I hit the 5 metre deep tank to practice my entry and do some simulated depth training, since I don't have access to depth.
I started by breathing up a little bit at the edge, then exhaling completely, then descending feet first. I stayed at the bottom only for about 15 seconds, this is not a time exercise, it's for stretching ny lungs and teaching me how to pull air out of my lungs at depth.
Then I did it with 5, 10, and 15 reverse-packs. No problems equalizing, but a substantial stretch on the last one, and heart rate drop to about 30 bpm.
Next I did 4 dives head first with 10 reverse packs. This is the real test, as you have to be able to pull the air out of your lungs to equalize, and quickly. Only on the last one did I get some sinus squeeze, but no ear squeeze.
I am also testing out a modification to my garb; I've got the Picasso 5mm top with a pair of biker shorts underneath, and I just bought a pair of 3mm neoprene shorts from the paddling section of Mountain Equipment Co-op (similar to REI in the States). I easily dove with 4lbs, so I think that's what I'll wear at the competition in the sea.
Off to my first day back at College for second year. Yippee. Really.
Cheers,
Erik Young

[Erik]

Today I did 1/2 hour yoga, pack stretches, negative pack stretches, and that ecercise where you exhale completely and suck your diaphragm up into your chest; I'm not sure what to call it, I don't know the yogic name. I did 4 breath-holds over a 30 minute period. I had eaten a light lunch, and didn't feel quite right; I usually try to have at least a 2 hour window, preferably 3 or 4 before an attempt. I reminded myself that I have to post these results; this gives me a bit of a competitive frame of mind. I put on a mixed tape of harder rock to help cause some distraction; I don't want to have to count on a quiet and serene pool with my favorite eastern music playing at the competition, so I have been trying to get used to noise and distractions. Today I experimented with a 4:4:12 breathing pattern.
1st breath hold to 10 contractions- 2:15, not good
2nd hold to 20 contractions after 2 minute breathup: 3:20, not good either
3rd hold to 25 contractions after 5 minute breathup: 4:20, yuck
4th hold to 45 contractions after 5 minute breathup: 5:25- first contraction at 3:15, not inline with what I have done in the past. Usually at this point, I don't get my first contraction until 4:00 or so.

Either the eating or the breathing pattern did not help. I know that eating too close affects my holds, so that might be it, but unfortunately I threw in the new breathing pattern, so there's a variable there that I'm not sure of. I'll know better for next time, in a couple of days.
By the way, now all these awesome west coast divers are reading this, and I'm going to have to able to "walk the walk" when I get to the competition...sheesh! Go easy on me people.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

ps, I got my new buddy very interested in diving the other day, where he managed a 50 metre dynamic with Cressi's and a 3:25 static. Now he's pumped, so I can count on him to come out to train, including negative training.

[Erik]

I had to go 4 hours North on Tuesday night to do a dive job at a pulpmill on Wednesday, so that threw a wrench into my regimen. I got back at 8:00 pm and had time to hit the weights at the gym at 9:30. I had not run or lifted for a few days, and was feeling very strong.
This morning was school at 8:00 am, and I came home pretty tired; not enough energy to run, but a good reason to do some yoga. This helped energize me a bit, and I did some pack-stretches, but I feel like I need to rest until Friday. Every day I have done some meditation and visualisition of what I want to accomplish at the competition, and I believe that that is as important as actual physical training, but Friday I'll be running and static training as well.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[Erik]

Hi people, yesterday I did my final day of training before the competition. I've been in the pool, lifting, running, biking and breath-holding since the last post(not all at the same time of course). School is on, and i'm flooded with assignments and reading, which I've basically ignored. I told my profs what was going on, and they said no problem, good luck.
Yesterday I went out to a lake 1.5 hours from here to do some deep dives, and try out a new suit combo. The water was 15C at the surface, decent temp in a full 5mm Picasso, but I wanted to try wearing just the hooded top and a pair of 3mm shorts, so that I could take someweight off the belt. Within half an hour I was shivering and my dives went to hell. But the beginning was good! I swam out to the deepest part of the lake, and dropped the 10lb weight attached to the cave-reel line attached to my float. By the way, I use one of those collapsible plastic water containers for a float....it works great, and i bought this one at a second-hand store for 50 cents.
I did two negative dives to 8 metres for 30 seconds. I decided that I would dive all the way to the bottom of the lake(30 metres), even though in the past I would have to "warm up" to that, because it's dark, cold, and I'm usually scared at first. However, I did 42 metres last month at the coast, so the fear of that depth is gone. I did 6 dives, and then I started to get cold, so I wrapped up my reel and got changed into my clothes.
I had been diving with 4lbs of neck-weights, and did 2 dives with 2lbs of weight. 4 lbs was a good weight for what I was doing, and if Vancouver had warmer water, then that is the setup I would wear.....but it's not, so I've decided that I'm better off wearing the full 5mm Picasso with 8lbs of weight. This will make me neutral around 17 to 20 metres, which is ok. I would prefer to dive with less weight, but that just takes too much energy to sink the first 10 metres.
I am done training now; I want my body to heal up from all the lifting and cardio. I want to be fresh for the games!
I am looking forward to making some new friends, especially LAMINAR, who is letting me sleep in a pile of monofins in his basement.
Thanks to those of you who sent me good wishes and advice; i will email with everyone's results as soon as I can.
Thanks,
Erik Y.

[jero]

Erik!

I wish you best of luck!
I know how you must feel right now since I'm off to Croatian tryouts in two weeks.

Let us know about the results...

[Erik]

Thanks, and good luck to you jero. Let us know!
Warmly,
Erik Y.