Am I having contractions...

[Cynder]

hi guys,
I've just posted my intro in the meet and greet section.
Thought i'd get started with one of the questions that have been bugging me:

When I read here I hear people mentioning 20 or more contractions. About having contractions start and about staying calm and having them pass. . . I'm confused,
I mean, my chest gets tight but it just keeps building up until it becomes unbearable, there's no sign of it passing.
Unless i'm somehow missing twenty other things that are called contractions along the way . . . am I just having one big contraction and failing to get past it, do I need to persevere through it?

At the moment my personal best dry static is 3:10 (only really my 2nd attempt), at the end of this my chest is 'contracting' everything feels tight and it's hard to hold the breath in. By the end i've been feeling this tightness build up for at least 30seconds and have been pushing it to the back of my mind.
Eventually my mental battle fails and I breath.

So that's what I go through,
Could you guys describe your experience a bit more in depth for me? what do you call a contraction? what do your contractions feel like? Do you get this chest tightening sensation as i've described and is that it? or is it something else?

Many Thanks guys.

-Cyn-

 

[bite ya]

Hey Cyn
3,10 is great time to start with my friend...

Look through the threads using the search function as most of the common questions are anwsered there.

You will find that at some such point through your hold you will feel your first contraction, this is Co2 building up (not your body running out of o2) the contraction will be felt in your stomach / diaphram. Once they start they don't go away, they get stronger and faster. To me i kinda help them along, the only way i can discribe this is it's like trying to breath in without acually doing so.

You can try Co2 tables which will build your tolerance up to this sensation, again look through the threads for Co2 tables (Trux has a great on line version)

Try and not be obsessed with looking at your watch but see how many contractions you can take (i take around 80 of these) which i think is average...

Please please please make sure you have someone with you if you do these in the pool as blackouts and sambas can happen without warning and that will be the end of that!

Chris

 

[Cynder]

Hiya Chris,
Thanks for the quick reply.

So the sensation of contractions is that tug on your diaphragm. That is something I can relate to, I have had it although I havent found it that uncomfortable. I'll have to count just how many of them i'm having on my next attempt think im a far way off 80

I've read up and have tried tables, I definately dont clock watch though, I tend to have some chilled out music on my headphones.

-Cyn-

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Is your cervix dialated?

 

[bite ya]

Bill, it's funny, it reminds me of when i had a conversation with my wife when i started freediving and she said she went through about 900 contractions when giving birth to our daughter and that i should shut up moaning!!!

Cyn
Just try and beat the amount you go through each time and then try and slow them down, you will learn to love them...honest!

 

[salibandy]

I'll have to count just how many of them i'm having on my next attempt think im a far way off 80

It's not a numbers game, you know. :naughtyYou don't have to count them. I think by doing that, you might set yourself up for a mental barricade sometime in the future.

Chris is right, do some CO2 tables. But don't neglect on the O2 tables as well. If you want to train, do it all through. No point doing it half half. 3 mins is a good start, don't feel like it's not good. Keep practising and soon you'll be doing sixes!

 

[bite ya]

Sali, i only count as i know that if i keep under 80 i always surface fine, if i go past i get a little shaky sometimes. I agree it's not a numbers game though and always listen to my body even if i'm under my normal amount of contractions it's just a technique i used when i started which took me away from clock watching.

I now try and beat the amount i can take slowly and then blast thorugh the rest, each week the amount of slow controlled contractions get more and more which put's my time up.

 

[waxlips]

contractions are fun and entertaining to annoy people with. they see you having them and freak out so you give a thumbs up and smile they are like WHAT are you DOING.