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Am I missing contractions?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
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Blah

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Aug 30, 2016
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I used to freedive while spearing 20 odd years ago, got married, kids, scuba, priorities changed, etc. and stopped freediving. In my twenties I could hold my breath a little over three minutes and dives for about 1:45 were common. I've never had contractions and it was comfortable. I'm in the process of getting back into shape, other than round, and am looking to go spearing again by freediving. I started doing the CO2 tables to see where I was at and am confused. Max breath hold is 2:02, so I adjusted my table for it. But, it was WAY too easy. I ran CO2 tables everyday adjusting rest time and hold time and currently I am running a table of 90sec, initial rest is 60sec, counting down in fives seconds for 8 rds. Still no contractions, but I also can't get my max time above 2:02. The comfort at 2:00 is not fun one bit, but I am unable to talk myself into more. My current 8th round I finish and if not for the app voice telling me to breath, I wouldn't know I was done. Besides being a mental weenie and breathing after 2:00, what can I try?
 
just some off the cuff suggestions - Try stretching, deep breathing, yoga. You didn't say, but if you are in bad shape with no exercise, maybe some aerobic exercise might help.
 
Not exactly in bad shape, but twenty pounds more than I should be carrying. My elliptical and weight bench have been serving as fantastic clothes racks for way too long. From what I've read, the table I'm using should mean that I can hold for over three minutes, but at 2:00, my whole body is hot and itchy, feeling like an alien is coming through my chest and no amount of "woosa" will stop it.. It comes on 1:45, but with the table 1:30, is no big deal. Yes, I need some exercise and am working on that aspect. Trying to work through the issue with that last 15 seconds being a train wreck.
 
Sanso,

The tables I was using were the "normal" ones I see posted everywhere. I wasn't breathing hard, between cycles, just normal breathing. I understand the point that my lungs MAY be transferring CO2 more effectively than the tables can keep up. I'll try the one breath type table over the next few days and see what happens.

As I have no recollection of ever having contractions, I still don't know what I am looking for. I read somewhere that some people don't even get them. Granted, I haven't held my breath until I passed out yet either, so I probably am stopping before I even get to them.

Back in the 90s there was no internet to confuse me, we just dove. And I was in much better shape, normally running ~80 miles a week.
 
Sanso,

The tables I was using were the "normal" ones I see posted everywhere. I wasn't breathing hard, between cycles, just normal breathing. I understand the point that my lungs MAY be transferring CO2 more effectively than the tables can keep up. I'll try the one breath type table over the next few days and see what happens.

As I have no recollection of ever having contractions, I still don't know what I am looking for. I read somewhere that some people don't even get them. Granted, I haven't held my breath until I passed out yet either, so I probably am stopping before I even get to them.

Back in the 90s there was no internet to confuse me, we just dove. And I was in much better shape, normally running ~80 miles a week.
 
I don't get contractions either. Maybe a mild tensing sensation at the end of a long breath hold, but it doesn't bother me. What I do get is very strong urge to breathe, and a "burning" in my chest.
 
contractions are like a hiccup that way: if you have them, you will know. :)

Richard Wonka
wefreedive.com -- richardwonka.com -- fb.com/TheRichardWonka
 
I don't get contractions either. Maybe a mild tensing sensation at the end of a long breath hold, but it doesn't bother me. What I do get is very strong urge to breathe, and a "burning" in my chest.

I only ever got contractions doing static breath holds when I first started. I have never experienced them doing anything dynamic. I experience stronge urges to breath and stomach tension. I get a "hiccup" where my body tries to suck in air.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The CO2 table -> max "conversions" you see aren't very helpful - these things vary from individual to individual. A first step (in terms of breath hold training) will be to adjust your CO2 tables so that you experience at least some discomfort during the table (whether you are doing a traditional table / a one-breath table / whatever).

Agree with others that getting into shape generally, including thoracic stretching, will help.
 
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