Free Diving Training

[SOCRATES]

It's my first time that i am trying to communicate and my english isn't very good but i'll try,so my question is...
I'm owner of 4 of the best gyms here in Greece(Athens) and that's why i have the best equipment to train myself every day.I'm running everyday in the morning for 5 km. and i'm training in static and dynamic apnea at afternoon.Is it good to train dynamic and static everyday for 5 days a week or is it overdose?I'm 35 years old but I'm training since I was a child and my nutricion is very good.So can you tell how many times a week have i to train my static and dynamic apnea to have the best results?

Thank you,
Dimitris.

[sanso]

Welcome to DB socrates!

If You are a gym person, then You probably know all the symptoms of overtraining. - How much training is overtraining depends much on the shape You're in, so I assume it's hard to tell for any of us. - Personally, when (if ever) I listen to my body, I know when I've overdone it and I try to learn from experience.

[salibandy]

I think 5 days a week is ok for a person like you; you sound really fit. But you should know yourself, if you overtrain I guess you will know. By the way I think your English is just fine. =)

[SOCRATES]

Thanks for your answers,i find that is magic,different countries and people and we all share the same madness for freediving..thank you again.

[Kars]

It's always an honour to communicate with a real Socrates I didn't knew he spoke English, in his days the languish didn't even exist..

Anyway on over training and apnea.

Through my 6 years of apnea training I notised it' easy to overtrain swimming in water, and it's even easyer to overtrain apnea.

Often I did a nice relaxed training doing apnea, and feeling energised and not very tired after. Arriving at home, having eaten oranges, bananas, sportsdrinks, suddenly the tiredness became apparent.

The amount of tired ness seem to follow a parabolic curve.

If for instance your dynamic pb is 100m.
You'll experience much tiredness afterwards at home, and need to wait something like a week to a month to be fully recoverd from this maximum attempt.
On the other hand if you do 90m you'll be able to do that every week
an 80m you could do every other day.

With Samba's or -worse- a Bo, you'll for sure need lot's of rest to recover, especially if you were already a bit tired and did not get any additionnal O2.

With 5 water times in a row in a week I would need to compartimentalise my training. For instance:
Monday, Dynamic monofin (emphasis on strenth and stamina, mostly surface swimming) Stretching
Tuesday, Stretching, Static and no fins, Stretching
Wednesday, Dynamic monofin After general warmup 16x50m, 2x50 slow, 2x50 fast etc. Stretching
Thursday, static, No fins, Stretching
Friday, Dynamic, long and slow dives (the '80m' category)
When your'gettign tired, it's time to focus on and maintain a good coordination and technique. Like my monofin trainer said: "when your tired the real training starts".

I would shift much of my regular gym's exercises to the pool training, and do more stretching in the gym, ribcage, diafragm etc.

Have good food and fluids and plenty of sleep!
Start slow, build up gradually, your body needs time, month(s) to adapt and getting used to apnea workout, it's a big change from earobic exersising.

I hope you find this usefull, Have and retain the fun!
Share and double the fun with a buddy.

Love, courage and water!

Kars

[SOCRATES]

Thanks,your training example was very usefull and i think you have a fine sence of humor(Your intro with Socrates was wonderfull).

[Kars]

Thank you Socrates.

In your unique case it would be intresting to read how you go about and make your gradual progress and discoveries.

Personally I'm now doing lot's of swimming cardio, and stretching. With more protein in my diet and more rest I find my abilities improving. Last tuesday I tried something new, a 4' CO2 schedule. As I was pretty rested after two days of lazyness, I was intrested to see If I could do the 4' CO2 schedule, having done the 3'30" the two weeks before with margin I wanted to test myself. As my Buddy Daan watched, timed and assisted I did 4' under, 1'30" up, 4' under, 1' up, 4' under, 30" up, 4' under, 15" up, 4' under. As usual the first was more difficult than the second and third breathhold. The fourth was getting pretty challenging, but the 5th hold was tough with big contractions at the end. I like those schedules because it helps to focus and the repetition motivates to complete the training. For now the 4' CO2 is my pb and I will be happy to repeat this in the comming months. And when it becomes easyer, and I'm in better shape I can try for the 4'30" version.

Anyway nice writing to you, have fun exploring your new passion!

Kars