A Few Important Freediving questions

[deepergreen]

Hello,
I am new to this sit and this is my first post. I have been a person who had enjoyed breath holding for quite a few years but has just recently learned about the actual sport of "Freediving" I instantly became mesmerized by the sport and its potential. I soon began trying it myself and have learned quite a few things about it including almost everyone recommends a course first. Due to my inability to find a course (in my area it seems not as common) I decided I would train myself while using the knowledge available to me as best as I can, I recently read one thread saying those who self train themselves are as good as dead But common sense lead me to understand that eventual somone had to train themself and somewhere what they learned is probably acessable and that is why I decided to join this site. I have done quite a fair bit of research on it (especially safety, the most important part in my opinion) including the different types of black outs and such and I just wanted to know some basic excercises I could do to help me sloly progress at a safe level by my self, Any general safty tips concerning black out provention would be most usefull as well. I am a long distance runner and very much into working out and staying healthy, so I know that that all helps as well, also I know most of the basic stuff I see repeated to many bigginers. I know its dangerous to dive alone and such. Any help in this would be great

 

[pingshui]

The CO2 and O2 tables you can do alone on your bed without the risk of drowning. This way you can improve your breathhold time without a buddy. Apnea walks could also help, but make sure that if you fall you don't hurt yourself.
But honestly, it is way more fun with a buddy in the water. There must be someone out there for you rofl

 

[Siku]

Where are you based, deepergreen?

 

[deepergreen]

Thanks pingshui, I will be sure to try both of those things; I do get to practice with my dad sometimes but I woud like to decrease my dependency on somone possibly needing to rescue me, as for when your in the water is there anyway to tell if its likely a blackout could happen? How hard should I be pushing to do better when I am in the water? And to Siku: I live in ottawa ontario (Thats Canada for those who don't know)

 

[trux]

...as for when your in the water is there anyway to tell if its likely a blackout could happen? How hard should I be pushing to do better when I am in the water?

No, there is no way even for the most experienced ones. Just have a look at the thread about Patrick Musimu who died yesterday while training alone in a pool. You would barely find someone with more experience than himself. He was even involved in several research studies about the physiology of freediving, but it did not help him. Only a vigilant buddy can help.

 

[deepergreen]

Though the article didn't say, I assume he drowned... but surely there must be some self-regulation ideas or techniques obviously at some time somthing must tell you to come up if not the chest contractions don't get to you

 

[trux]

The only reliable safety measure is an experienced buddy that surveys you closely and uninterruptedly. Forget about anything else.

 

[nostres]

Deepergreen don't even bother trying, no means no. There is really no way around so find buddy, as simple as that. This should be first step for every freediver no matter depth or pool. Next step should be freediving course or at least learning safety from experienced diver, then You move into actual training

 

[deepergreen]

yes, ok then, I guess I will trust you on that, but as I said there doesnt seem to be any courses available to me right now, so I am trying to find that information elsewhere, is there anything else you would like to contribute that might be helpful?

 

[cdavis]

Hi deepergreen, welcome to DB.

The truth is, a great many divers dive essentially alone and most of them get away with it nearly all the time. But you need to recognize that they are "getting away with it" Most of the ones who didn't, died. Diving alone is inherently dangerous, no way around it. BO is funny and nobody really understands everything about it. I've seen 3 during recreational diving/spearfishing. Twice the diver was clearly pushing way past what was reasonable, once that should have been a no big deal dive, very much within the divers capacity. No accounting for it.

I think you know most of this and will dive anyway, I knew some of it and dived a lot of years with little safety. So, assuming you are going to do it anyway, what can you do to minimize the danger?

1. Don't push the urge to breathe. Learn better technique that will burn less 02 and put off the urge. Lots and lots of info on these boards to help you.

2. Give yourself lots of surface time to recover, 3 times dive time is a reasonable measure. Diving again and again without sufficient recovery time is probably the most dangerous thing you can do, and it is extremely easy to fall into.

3. Get thee to a good course as soon as you possibly can. It will speed up your diving enormously and might well save your or your buddies life. Best money I ever spent.

Caution. Some guys don't get contractions or other strong signals for the urge to breathe. If you are one of those, find a buddy, period, no exceptions.

Good luck to you and keep us posted.

Connor

 

[nostres]

..., but as I said there doesnt seem to be any courses available to me right now, so I am trying to find that information elsewhere

Man, You're in Ontario!

Course Information « Performance Freediving

btw, they are Canadians

 

[cdavis]

PFI in Toronto, about as good as it is possible to get. I did their intermediate course and can not say enough good things about it, worth far more than they charge.

 

[Baristologist]

they no longer offer it in Toronto unless you have a group. Hence me going to the Bahamas

 

[deepergreen]

at no stress: I can't find any courses on that site, though I suppose I will keep checking it out from time to time
at cdavis: yes thanks I'll keep that info in mind

 

[sross]

Hey deepergreen,

There has been an Ottawa freedivers club. I don't know how active they are nowadays, but a few years back they were doing lots. Contact info for the club is here:

Ottawa Freedivers

Also, if you can make it to Toronto sometimes, you might get in touch with the Toronto club:

FreediveToronto

 

[nostres]

at no stress: I can't find any courses on that site,

Hi, course schedule is here but just realized Canadian cities are gone except for Vancouver in September. That's OK, just go to Hawaii if You can

Performance Freediving | Upcoming Courses |

 

[Kars]

To supplement Connor's post:

I advice in the pool beginners and people who dive alone the following:

- Come slowly up when you got the first urge to breath. - No hyperventilation.

Also you must take into your account how your mind and body is that day. Things like blood pressure, nutrition, exhaustion, hydration all can really screw up your senses of feeling your limits.

- Furthermore I recommend learning your surfacing routine (hookbreath) So you can even do that when you're on the edge in case something grossly went wrong.

- Finding a buddy is golden, put up some adds, bring something inspiring and attractive to the pool, be extrovert, frequent different pools/places and you're likely to find a buddy. Also swim and scuba, and underwater hockey, and synchronised swimming clubs may have people who like to team up and share some quality time in the water.

- plan a weekend at a remote freediveclub and learn and share the fun.

- When I buy, have new gear, I nearly always keep the old and bring some extra with me to the places I go to to share with potential new buddies.

- I carry personal freediving cards with my contact info.

- I have a website.

- Be member of your national freedive association and learn to know people close. Find people and go on vacation to their place - Like I enjoyed with Adrian in Spain.


In general when an experienced freediver is fit and rested the phases of the dives are the following, describing a max 100m dynamic to BO:

0m Start,
<40m easy phase,
40m first urge to breath,
gradually build up of lactic acid, increasing urge to breath, increasing tension,
>70m usually speeding up, increased focus on pushing through - .
>90m reduced coordination (unaware to diver!), sometimes pre samba shakes/spasm
>95m graying and tunnelvision,
>100m loss of consciousness, exhaling, sinking.

So you see, the last meters are short, and difficult to feel when to come up.
For years I've struggled with this myself, and had samba's and BO's when I pushed myself in competition, or in training. My mind went into a sort of tunnel vision clouding my judgement abilities. Diving FRC helps to keel the mind clear, but the dividing border is still very narrow, meaning the difference between a nice, samba, or BO dive is short, like 10 or 5 seconds more or less. Adding the variables I described above, it's very difficult.

So therefore limit yourself to the first urge to breath, and enjoy coming up slow and relaxed. The challenge is then through better technique to extend the distance to that first urge to breath. BTW your first urge to breath will shift with repetition and getting used to breath-hold diving. Hyperventilation screws up this indicator, and O2 consumption into BO.

I hope you find a buddy soon!

Love, Courage and Water,

Kars

 

[deepergreen]

thanks i'll remember that

 

[deepergreen]

it turns out the ottawa club no longer exists

 

[Kars]

That's a pity.
Maybe some of their members still do.
Yes it may take some searching and effort to find a buddy, but sure it will be rewarding.