"Diving is the best training for Diving"

[penguinator]

"Diving is the best training for Diving" -Discuss



In a perfect world, where you can make it to the open ocean as often as you would like, would an ideal training schedule for you, be made up entirely of open water dives and going for the odd fish?

I find free diving a curious pastime, because more often than not, there are a thousand and one different opinions on what is 'right' and beneficial. And an interesting opinion (I call it an opinion because these things are not set in stone) is that going diving is not necessarily beneficial for your breath hold. Rather, a varied timetable of cross training seems to work for most people.

When I want to get better at my surfing, I go surfing. When I want to get better at my rock climbing, I go rock climbing. When I X-Train for these activities, it is only to isolate and improve on my weaknesses. For example, If I am lacking in contact strength for those crimpy hand holds, I work on a campus board or finger workout. However, I see the most all-round improvement when I am directly engaging in the activity I am originally training for.

[ggarrett]

Originally Posted by penguinator

.... an interesting opinion ...is that going diving is not necessarily beneficial for your breath hold.

In principle, breath hold is the best training for breath hold for, in this sport, breath hold seems more at the core than diving. However, the unlimited variation in what we can do as water apneaists forever fascinates me and keeps me coming back to the pool each day. I now find it more a journey than merely a sport.

For a while I trained for diving by only diving. It taught me some technique and I learned some things about my body. I figured if I only exercised by diving (no-fins dynamics in my case) that I would develop just the muscles that I needed for that and not the ones that I did not need. Maybe that happened. I improved. Anyway, that approach excited me at the time.

Then, I had some medical conditions that kept me from the pool on the regular basis. I still would think about dynamic apnea. I did some aerobics, some walking, and a little apnea just for exercise. When I got back to the pool, I found I still could do long distances with less effort, and more consistently.

So now, I just try to do things that challenge me whether they be repetitions or just slow strokes that focus on form. More than anything, I think one should listen to that little voice inside that says "maybe you could do this." Pursue diving with a passion and it will lead one in a new direction. Maybe the love of diving is the best training for diving.

For what it is worth.

In peace,
Glen

[vali]

i first used a mask and a snorkel when i was 5-6 years old. i don't remember so well the exact date. the fact is that i was so impressed by the world within the sea, that i becomed sick. i don't live near the sea, so the interes was kept alive each year. being a child and depending on my parents, also the sea journey was at there hands.
so i guess that the freediving is my way to see and feel the underwater beauties and in the same time beeing free [with scuba i'm not feeling free for shure]. when i grow old and i discovered that freediving is more than a journey under the water, i begun to ask some questions to myself...questions about training and become better.
there is a little desire to become better than me and better than others [within some limits...of course], but i guess the resident ideea in my head is the one that cam to life in my early time....so i guess that the most good training for diving is diving [in the sea or somwhere you can se life and rocks]
why i think that?
because the sorroundings allways keept me for some seconds more at the bottom of the sea....
my 2 cents

[atomichaggis]

Originally Posted by penguinator

"Diving is the best training for Diving" -Discuss

LOL... I always take about 3 paragraphs before I get to the point.

I'd say diving coupled with some other effective fitness training is the best as You don't dive at optimal heart rates for improved fitness, therefore if You only dive you can get all out of shape which in the long term may lead to injuries and a decline in performance.

Running gets My vote for the other training but its not for everyone due to the stress on joints etc.

[sanso]

Tossing in my two cents: (This thread is going to be a real money machine )

I fear the answer might be: "It depends"

It might depend on Your goals and how You define improvement. Cross-training on a bike or so might in many cases be more efficient to, say, strengthen one's legs, but it will not be worth a penny for swimming technique or to get a better feel for depth.
I think one can improve in certain well-defined areas by cross training - and that more efficient than with diving, but as a general purpose training, diving (IMHO) still is the only thing that will get You any further.

[vali]

yet if i am not an experienced freediver, i can tell that doing pool under wather or bike or running it don't mean necesarry that you will go deeper...
technique is v important
i know people who can hold there breath twice than me but could not reach even 10 meters in depth
nobody say that diving it is to remain tho one and only training, but i guess that is the most important....

[Bill McIntyre]

I'm not sure whether your question is from the point of view of a pure freediver or from the point of view of a freediving spearfisherman, but I am the latter.

I feel that going spearfishing too often actually deconditions me for spearfish diving because it interferes with my running, cycling, and leg weight exercises such as squats, leg extensions and leg curls.

When I'm spearfishing, the entire point is to relax as much as possible, make as little noise as possible, and avoid wearing myself out. I'm saving my energy for that big one that ties up in the kelp on the bottom and stretches me to my limits trying to retrieve it.

When I'm running, cycling, and weight lifting, I can push myself very hard. With the weight exercises in particular, I can do multiple sets to failure.

Of course I'm sure I would have a different point of view if I were a pure freediver, pushing myself to my limits in the water every time I dove.

[Fondueset]

I've been into apnea monofin sprints lately. That and a little taiji, bagua and some pranayama. If I could I'd do the fin sprints every single day - it's just a blast.

[vali]

i find the two parts very different
when i freedivi i look for concentrating myself and don't to be quiet in particullary 4 the under life
when i go spearfishing i must be one with the water in all parts....i must be a fish actually
like bill said....the fish are not disturbed by the noise, but are very sensible at vibration that one man cand do if he try 2 struglle with the water
sometimes i go under water just to observe the fishes....leaving my speargun on the shore
i like hunt fishes, but i also like to play with them, and i made a goal from beeing as stealth as possible...
once i was so stealth that some mullets came and bite me with those little lips they have....i find this more challenging than spearing them...
but of course i like hunting under water very much

[naiad]

I think it depends, but mostly the ideal would be to train by diving. I would much rather be doing diving than dry training.

I am unable to get in the water much now, but it is the only thing that makes much difference for me, apart from dry statics. Fitness training makes little difference for me, though others have made big improvements with it.

[atomichaggis]

You not doing any fitness training Lucia? I would have thought it would be super beneficial to pool disciplines.

[naiad]

I was doing a lot of swimming and gym work a couple of years ago, but not any more. I did not find that it made much difference to pool disciplines. My pool dynamic PB was done a few weeks ago.

The chlorine was damaging my health, and I did not want to risk exposure to any more chemicals, such as chlorine, ozone, hair sprays and cleaning products, all of which may be in the gym or pool. Also, when I am going to college, I do a lot of walking uphill anyway, and I don't have much energy left for anything else. I get very tired with any kind of activity, so there doesn't seem to be much point in doing large amounts of fitness training.

I do sometimes use a rowing machine at home, and I do dry and pool apnea training.

[atomichaggis]

running can boost Your energy levels... least it works for Me. everywhere in Norway is uphill both ways Chlorine is evil stuff best just cut out.

[DiverTodd]

My training is all over the map..lol. I guess it would be considered cross-training, since I'm training a lot of different things. I swim over a mile twice a week and do 40 mins of eliptical twice a week, for cardio. Tolerance tables twice a week (just CO2 for now, since that's what I need more tolerance with). Once a week in the deep pool, to work on skills like entries and negative pressure dives, with a few dynamics in my monofin at the end of the session. And, 800 yrds in my long blades once a week (to work on improving and strengthening my kick), followed by a few no fins dynamics (slowly creeping toward my short term goal of 50m DNF). The problem I'm having is getting an effective stroke during my DNF; after studying the clip of Martin's dive, I have the arm stroke down, but I really, REALLY suck at the breaststroke kick...I just don't seem to GO anywhere! But, that's why we practice and train, right?

Todd

[atomichaggis]

You should have a week off Todd and see if Lucia's method gives You a PB.