apnea cycling

[myfish]

hi guys..

listen, just a few thing i've tried here and some findings.

ok, i'm a fairly adept cyclist, i know where my HR zones are etc.

<EDIT>

I must announce that these tests were made on a static trainer with cushions laid up either
side of the bike 'just in case'

</EDIT>

now, i've tried apnea walking with some sucess but, this routine really showed up some stuff that interests me.

warm up aerobically for 20 mins.

cadence (RPM) at 90, do hold, keep spinning the legs until can't for numerous loops.

loop 1 through 3 is hard. mere seconds and HR is usually at around 65% dropping to 62-63% during hold.

loop's 4 thru 7 get easier AND longer, same constant RPM though but HR starts to hit low to mid 50%'s.

Loop 8 or more, even during ventilation, maintaining RPM, HR doesn't breach 60% yet, during holds drops into high 30%'s -- low 40%'s.

However, what was noticed is that a few seconds before i have to ventilate the HR% rises quickly by 4-5%.

ok..

Bigger gear @ 60RPM, again warmed up and doing loops see's harder initial holds but..., longer mid session hold times even though the resistance to my legs is greater.

HR% is pretty much the same during ventilation as the above but...
the HR% dives lower much quicker than with the higher RPM.

The urge to ventilate comes not so much of a shock and the same 4-5% rise in HR comes as a warning but its over nearly 10 seconds as opposed to 4 or 5.

Does training in this way create bicarbonate in the blood ?

We use bicarbonate as a lactic buffer when time trialling but afterwards, the lactic HITS !! you really hard.

I had a similar feeling on the big gear apnea today but i don't get this on the higher RPM apnea's. Do you think this could be purely down to the resistance in apnea ?

Just interested in learing more.

 

[gman]

Wow, very interesting. Nice work. I have nothing construcive to add, but I would like to see any discussion here. Have you noticed any affect with your diving since starting this training?

 

[myfish]

I tried this again today.
Similar results but the HR drop wasn't so big.

However, it did follow the same principles and i again saw the 4-5% HR% increase just HAVING to ventilate.

I also did a control before and after the cycle apnea loops.

Maybe i should do the control on a seperate day altogether but....

What was strange is...

High RPM see's HR% drop readily after loop 3
Lower RPM (More resistance) see's HR% drop but its more sustained for longer apnea periods.

However...

Doing a control loop without exercise saw a HR% drop but...
Not as deep or as fast as the 'exercised' loops.

Now i'm asking these questions.

Relax, breathe up, exhale, slip under, glide down to 10 meters as opposed to relax, breathe up and then kick hard after a duck dive to get down faster.

Which should be more productive as opposed to which IS more productive.
Oxygen consumption as we know has to increase during ANY exercise but is a short hard period of exercise going to get the HR down quicker ?

I really don't know what is going on here.
Maybe...
The body is going in Dive Reflex mode quicker to allow for the fact that oxygen is being burn't in apnea ?

Anyway..
I'm going to upgrade my HR monitor and from what i'm reading i should be able to record 'graphically' the curve of what is happening.

If i get this sorted i'll post with further results.

Has my diving improved ?
Hmm, good question. Unsure would have to be my honest answer as because i'm
fairly new to this anyway, it may just be adaptation as opposed to this one specific exercise.

 

[bite ya]

Myfish, I completed 2mths of cycle training prior to a pool comp. I took my bike out 4 times each week over 6miles and held my breath for 15sec with 15secs break. HR did drop in month two when i started FRC holds whilst riding but the HR usually does during any type of empty lung. I noticed contractions started at around 9sec. In addition to this i did Co2 tables as soon as i finished the ride.

I also tried breathing through a straw whilst riding which was really hard so gave this up!

Targets i set myself were to beat my ave speed and overall time.

I must admit that the training paid off and my statics became better although some say that cardio training is not good before competing.

I used bi-carb once as a Ph buffer but suffered bad stomach from it, so used lemons instead to make the body produce more alkaline to combat the acid in the lemons thus producing a more natural Ph buffer. I am now going to trail Vo2MAX which i will try soon (on my blog)

 

[yoda turtle]

Hi chris, keep it up mate then when I publish your notes I'll be able to buy you that pint of the black stuff I still owe you....

 

[bite ya]

Look forward to it Martin!