training alone (on land!)

[Dreamer]

Hello! I am new to freediving and will be doing my AIDA** course in Greece in 1 months time. I have been practising my breath holds by lying on my bed and doing CO2 then O2 tables. At the end of the O2 table I held my breath for 3 and a half minutes which was longer then planned as I was watching the TV and not the clock! Is it safe to train alone like this? Abbi

[maytag]

Hi Dreamer,

Welcome to DB!

I have been doing the same thing for about a year. I live alone and do most things alone. There have been a few times I felt unaccountably dizzy/nauseous after my dry static sessions - kind of a 'brownout' rather than a blackout. Those episodes were disconcerting, and I think if possible, it is probably safer to do dry statics if there are others around who can help you if you need it. Jon, Naiad and others have posted some really good tips about how to minimize risks when practicing statics - for example, not using nose plugs.

best,

[xsaul]

Hi Dreamer,
WaterRat here.
I prefer wet, but sometimes do dry. I started serious Freedive stuff dry as a teenager when I had no idea this was a sport that people did. But I knew I liked it, even if it meant I was weird.
Folks where I live are scared ever since I mentioned that unsupervised seven minutes done in the hot tub--AND WELL SO!!!
I will have the pool frequently for the rest of the summer--BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION: If you're training alone, I'd advise you do what I'll do--TRAIN DRY. 'Cause soon I won't have the pool regularly. The swim team'll have that time, and I will have only weekends. I'm unsure they'll let me dive. Boy, *7* has not been MY lucky Number!
The Good Lord will provide something--He ALWAYS does. I have a potential dive buddy, meaning I can train wet--alot more--if this buddy's schedule is tight with mine. I will not be doing long statics wet anymore. NOT ALONE. If Rima becomes my regular buddy, that could change the picture.
WaterRat
xsaul@kdsi.net <This is especially with the higher Numbers and larger chance of BO>

[xsaul]

BTW--I have noticed watching the clock messes up long statics, makes them darn near impossible. I only do long ones when I'm not watching, and I accidently see the clock afterwards! Then I see I did a long one.
WaterRat
xsaul@kdsi.net

[Dreamer]

Thanks for the replies! I also tried some uphill swimming in my local pool, but afterwards thought maybe I should have told the life guard what I was doing? If I told the lifeguard would it be safe to do that without a buddy? I was basically swimming 50m breathing every 5 strokes, then 50m every 6 strokes....up to every 8 strokes when my arms and legs became a bit heavy and fatigued so I stopped.... I need a buddy! I live in Cardiff and only know some scuba divers...

[naiad]

http://forums.deeperblue.net/safety/...ea-safety.html
I don't think you should be doing any pool training without a buddy who has had freediving safety training.

Hope you find some freedivers to train with - maybe if you post in the 'Find a Buddy & Places to Dive' section, someone will reply.

Lucia

[Dreamer]

OK thank you! I will not do uphill swimming alone again.
I called myself dreamer on here because I sometimes dream I am freediving then wake up gasping for breath! Last night's dream was more pleasant though, I just dreamt about tropical fish...

[naiad]

Sometimes I dream about freediving and wake up still holding my breath!

[Waterysmile]

I think you have found a soulmate!

[Dreamer]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who does that!
Abbi

[DiverTodd]

I keep telling myself before I fall asleep, "I want to dream about freediving tonight, and REMEMBER it in the morning." According to an article I read, this is supposed to work. It doesn't. Grrrrr... Oh, and I do my dry statics in bed as well (mostly CO2 tables, since I'm trying to improve my CO2 tolerance), and I do it with a noseclip. My contractions get SO bad, I've never even gotten CLOSE to having to worry about blacking out, since they're the reason I always give in.

Todd (who is apparently going for some kind of record for having the lead article for the longest period of time!)

[Dreamer]

Hey DiverTodd! How long can you safely ignore contractions before you black out??? I ignore them for about 30 seconds but it is torture I agree. When I did 3.5 mins I had been doing CO2 then O2 tables for an hour, so I guess my body was in the zone as it were. My contractions started just after 3 mins. I really am a beginner at all this, but I guess I will learn more in Greece when I do my AIDA** with Emma Farrell!
Abbi

[claire Klomp]

Hi.

I Can Not Tell If If Thats Safe As I Am Not Sure, But Can You Tell Me Where To Find These Tables. I Have Looked But Never Seem To Find Them.
Thank You
Claire

[naiad]

Originally Posted by Dreamer

How long can you safely ignore contractions before you black out???

Contractions are not an indicator of when you are going to black out. It is possible to ignore minutes of contractions and finish OK, or black out without getting any.

[DiverTodd]

The most contractions I've managed to endure was 30, and that was VERY rough. Actually, that was during an apnea walk. When I'm very, VERY relaxed, my contractions will usually start at the 2 min mark, like clockwork. I was REALLY surprised during Martin's course in June, when, while doing static apnea in the pool, on my last one my first contraction didn't hit until 2:30!

Todd