Need advice on improving staying time underwater

[speareasy]

Hi ... I have been spearfishing for quite some time and used to consider myself as being relatively good at staying a long time underwater. I usually spearfish in oil rigs and do a dive to about 60 feet then wait around there for a while and then if I see something I take a shot and depending on the size of the fish or how active the speared fish is I either let go of the gun (attached to a top float) or swim up with it. I always felt like I was down for quite a long time ... but apparently not. This year the weather has been bad and I have not been able to go spearfishing ... so I decided to practice in a swimming pool. So I put all my gear (including unloaded speargun) and started swimming laps underwater. I was shocked when I was not able to make even 3 laps of 25 meters each. I feel uncomfortable on the second turn and have to come up at 3/4 of the way on the 3rd lap. So I guess I am going around 65 meters. I could probably push 3 but I am doing this alone and don't want to risk anything. I also checked my time ... I can only swim around 75 to 80 seconds before I feel uncomfortable. I know that when I am spearfishing I can stay much longer than that ... yet in a freshwater pool I feel I cannot do it.

Is it something with saltwater that makes you stay longer ... maybe saltwater is less strenuous to swim in? Is there a way where I can improve my time ... say to 120 seconds without any danger? I see a lot of posts here about "static apnea" but I really am not interested in that since I need it for spearfishing. I don't want to hyperventilate since my brother almost drowned in one trip when he had shallow water blackout, but a safe way to improve my staying time longer. Maybe increasing lung capacity or better breathing techniques? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[cdavis]

Hi Speareasy,

65 m dragging a gun, the first time you're in the pool is quite good, but not the kind of practice that hones spearfishing skills or dive time while spearing. I'd suggest pool practice that mimics a real dive. For example, swim 25 slowly, pause for x seconds, swim back. Great practice for real diving. You can push your limits with a buddy and get the feel of what that's like. Another pattern, submerge and static on the bottom until the first urge to breath, say 1 minute, then swim slowly until you feel the need to come up. 50 meters, is not unreasonable. Also great practice. Obviously that one needs a buddy too. Lots of other patterns, come up with your own that fits the type of diving you do.

Connor

[speareasy]

Yeah it is the 65" Riffe gun and is very cumbersome indeed. Yesterday I managed 3 laps or 75 meters without pushing it ... so some progress ... but I can't do it everytime for some reason. I am beginning to think the water temp must have something to do with it (it is around 32c). Also in spearfishing the way up you only have to push a little way up before positive buyoancy kicks in and I guess you use less oxygen to go up. I am taking my time on the turns (which needs time hauling that big gun). I wonder if doing apnea on a treadmill would help? It would seem safer maybe since I really don't want to push things in a pool alone. Also the pool I am doing this is quite shallow ... a little less than 6 feet. I feel when I go deep it is easier to hold by breath and get in a comfortable groove... maybe my lung volume decreases from its exagerrated inflated state in shallow water ... which is making me fight buyoancy to stay down. Many maybes ...

[cdavis]

75 meters dragging a gun is DEFINITELY TOO FAR without a buddy. Keep that up and your chances of becoming an unfortunate statistic are pretty high.

Connor

[greg27]

try taking less than a full breath ,without weights and in shallow water your fighting to stay down