Apnea time...need help...

[Etienne Spiteri]

I have been constantly training physically & mentally to become a good spearo. I am also working a LOT around my technique but in the end a good apnea time is one of the (the?) best trait one can have ....

My best dry static apnea time is now up to 3 mins 20 secs. But I can go just over 3 minutes almost any day.

In the sea its a different story. I am diving in moderately cold water, feeling pretty comfy but just a little cold, my equipment fits me well & nothing is too tight or uncomfy. I dive in 4-10m range.

So typical dive goes like this. I breathe clamly & deeply for 1 minute on the surface. I take a 75% breath, exhale fully, one full deep breath and I go. I have quite a good, smooth duckdive. Then I slowly & smoothly fin my way down to the bottom....doing some aspetto. 30-40 seconds into the dive I get the urge to breathe, at 50 seconds my contractions start & in just 10 seconds (1 minute into the dive) I can barely control my heavy, frequent contractions. I just have to slowly leave the bottom. My best time is 1 minute 20 secs. I return to the surface quite exhausted....but regain composure in a 10-15 seconds.

Now my questions are these:

- Is this time typical of someone with a static of 3 mins 20 secs?
- What should I focus my training on (CO2 tables, O2 tables, relaxing more etc.)?

Some stats...I am a 31 yr old, 76kg, medium build fit individual who doesn't smoke nor drink & eats a healthy diet.

I have just finished the book 'Underwater Foraging' but I look forward to more advice! Thanks comrades!

 

[Mr. X]

Hi Etienne. Sounds pretty normal/expected to me. Don't rush - you sound a bit intense. When I go out, I fully expect the first few dives to be particularly bad so I don't push them I just get on and do them as relaxed & as I smoothly as I can manage - I don't even try to extend them. Usually my bottom times are pretty awful at the start of the season. The more I dive, the better they seem to get - although I don't really notice the times much myself and I don't push it, it is only comments from those on land that made me realize, it's just that the diving gets smoother, easier & starts to feel almost playful. If you can get away for a week of spearing most days mid-season, I find that really helps a lot - I also find it helps with general fitness - not always possible unfortunately.

 

[Pinniped72]

Relaxation I would say, your dry time is good. It may be that when in the sea you are expecting a certain thing to happen, so it does. A kind of self fulfilling prophecy if you like. I suppose its about enjoying the journey, not getting obsessed with the destination

 

[mariusshobo]

feeling pretty comfy but just a little cold

You must feel nore warm or cold, just feel good. "just a little cold" is not good.
In Malta, water temp is now 16 Celsius; for this I use 5 mil neoprene + 3.5mil socs + 3.5 mil gloves. And after 2 hours I start being cold.

I breathe clamly & deeply for 1 minute on the surface.

I use to breath/recover twice of the bottom time. So, if 2 minutes down, then 4 minutes up. Not an absolute rule, but works for me. I use a watch to monitor my surface time (when in water I tend to loose the sense of time and the watch is helping).

at 50 seconds my contractions start & in just 10 seconds (1 minute into the dive) I can barely control my heavy, frequent contractions.

I guess that you should relaxe better. Learn how to deal with contractions in a safe environment, with a friend assisting you.

I return to the surface quite exhausted....but regain composure in a 10-15 seconds.

It looks like your muscles are getting tired because of the contractions. How is your fitness? If it is the case, get in shape a little beat.

CO2 tables, O2 tables

Just go fishin'! I have seen that you live in Malta. Lucky you!

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

Hi Etienne. Sounds pretty normal/expected to me. Don't rush - you sound a bit intense. When I go out, I fully expect the first few dives to be particularly bad so I don't push them I just get on and do them as relaxed & as I smoothly as I can manage - I don't even try to extend them. Usually my bottom times are pretty awful at the start of the season. The more I dive, the better they seem to get - although I don't really notice the times much myself and I don't push it, it is only comments from those on land that made me realize, it's just that the diving gets smoother, easier & starts to feel almost playful. If you can get away for a week of spearing most days mid-season, I find that really helps a lot - I also find it helps with general fitness - not always possible unfortunately.

Haha it's true about intense. But I am just trying to explain everything to you with as much detail as possible.

In the water, of course, I would be much more relaxed.

I am quite relaxed in the water as I have been scuba diving for a long time & swimming & general fooling around in the sea for as long as I can remember ...my summer days off school used to be spent in the sea! Today to get a week off work and get to the sea everyday is another story :/...

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

Relaxation I would say, your dry time is good. It may be that when in the sea you are expecting a certain thing to happen, so it does. A kind of self fulfilling prophecy if you like. I suppose its about enjoying the journey, not getting obsessed with the destination

Thanks for reply...could be that. Thing about it is the contractions. They start really slowly & build up progressively in dry static. It really is not the case during spearfishing though! I will try and relax more....

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

You must feel nore warm or cold, just feel good. "just a little cold" is not good.
In Malta, water temp is now 16 Celsius; for this I use 5 mil neoprene + 3.5mil socs + 3.5 mil gloves. And after 2 hours I start being cold.


I use to breath/recover twice of the bottom time. So, if 2 minutes down, then 4 minutes up. Not an absolute rule, but works for me. I use a watch to monitor my surface time (when in water I tend to loose the sense of time and the watch is helping).


I guess that you should relaxe better. Learn how to deal with contractions in a safe environment, with a friend assisting you.


It looks like your muscles are getting tired because of the contractions. How is your fitness? If it is the case, get in shape a little beat.


Just go fishin'! I have seen that you live in Malta. Lucky you!

Very good reply thanks!

I consider myself quite fit. Tried my hand at my first half marathon yesterday. Finished in 1:52 with a strong headwind so fitness is not bad....

 

[Mr. X]

Haha it's true about intense. But I am just trying to explain everything to you with as much detail as possible....

Hi Etienne, it wasn't meant as a criticism, more an observation. Do you dive alone or with others when spearing? I dive alone and I usually find it quite relaxing although sometimes it takes a while to unwind, especially after "a long week" at work and/or if the journey to the sea has been long & trying, or if diving conditions are more challenging than usual. I prefer diving on holiday because usually that means I am more relaxed, the sea is usually close by and conditions are usually quite good(Summer).

 

[mariusshobo]

@Etienne,
I would have bet that it is a fitness thing!

There is another idea to consider:
I tend to have low tolerance at high CO2 when I have "accumulated fatigue" (I do not know if this is correct translated, but it means that I do great effort for a week or so without rest days and no propper recovery and no proper food, like backpack ski touring).
In this case I can not withstand the contractions and I have an intense urge to breath after the first one.

 

[Mr. X]

Sounds like you may suffer from over-training (i.e. tired!). Part of me would suggest: if you are tired then rest. But part of me would say: good on you, do as much as you can while you can, tomorrow is promised to no one.

Re. "proper food". Good nutrition is sensible, helpful and important but in truth, when you are very active, I suspect most of it is just converted straight to energy that is used - your body will scavenge what ever else it can when & wherever it can. I think our bodies have evolved to handle a certain amount of hunger/starvation - the modern 3-meals a day (plus?) x 7 days a week is probably unnatural & unhealthy.

Caffeine?

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

I might be suffering from a little over training (fatigue)...I work long hours and do a 1 hour workout (run, bike or gym) 6 times a week.

I normally dive Saturday morning, so next time I will try and take it easy on my Friday evening workout to see if that helps.

I have been known to drink 6-8 cups of coffee a day in years past! I have last year switched to decaff & limit myself to just 3-4 small cups a day. I feel much better and less on the edge. I also find that I prefer diving on an empty stomach, just a banana for breakfast approx. 1.5 hours before I dive will do. I like feeling 'light' in the sea.

I really don't know why is that, as I am usually very comfortable & relaxed in the water. After all these years living on this tiny rock, surrounded by sea I must say I feel really at home there, even though breath holding introduces some anxiety of its own

 

[Adder]

Hi etienne, I have recently started training and have had similar problems to you. I then started getting down to my local swimming pool for just 2hrs a week. At the pool I do a mix of CO2/O2 tables (static and dynamic) and swimming a few lengths. Of course, I don't do an O2 and CO2 table on the same day as it can put too much strain on the lungs. I got quite an instant improvement and now when on the bottom of the pool kicking to stay down (similar to the dive) I can stay there for pushing 2min. The other problem I had was equalising as it was difficult and a lot of my dives would end up in me struggling to do that ruining my time diving. I brushed up on some videos and just made the switch from drinking milk to fruit juice (cutting down on dairy thins mucus that can block up your ears and certain juices e.g. Cranberry have a cleaning effect on the lungs). Now I can equalise and be relaxed in the water and I hope to push my previous PB of 15metres and 40secs to 25metres and 2min. Of course I will build it up gradually as that is the key to all freedive training.

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

Hi etienne, I have recently started training and have had similar problems to you. I then started getting down to my local swimming pool for just 2hrs a week. At the pool I do a mix of CO2/O2 tables (static and dynamic) and swimming a few lengths. Of course, I don't do an O2 and CO2 table on the same day as it can put too much strain on the lungs. I got quite an instant improvement and now when on the bottom of the pool kicking to stay down (similar to the dive) I can stay there for pushing 2min. The other problem I had was equalising as it was difficult and a lot of my dives would end up in me struggling to do that ruining my time diving. I brushed up on some videos and just made the switch from drinking milk to fruit juice (cutting down on dairy thins mucus that can block up your ears and certain juices e.g. Cranberry have a cleaning effect on the lungs). Now I can equalise and be relaxed in the water and I hope to push my previous PB of 15metres and 40secs to 25metres and 2min. Of course I will build it up gradually as that is the key to all freedive training.

Thanks for your reply. I am glad that you made good progress ...

I have been doing a 2-4 hour 'training' spearfishing session once a week, even if the sea conditions are not ideal for catching fish per se...

But I have really found that practice is leading to small steps towards increasing my bottom times. Without pushing it, on first sins of contractions, I am now already 1:20 + minutes into the dive. I am trying not to think about time and just enjoy the views, surrounding and peace of the seas...good luck in your training!

 

[Joao Pedro]

Just my 2 cents. Have you ever asked someone to see or record your duck dive and finning? Not saying your problem can be exclusively this (probably isnt). But I suggest you do it, problems with duck diving angle and finning technique is, i dare to say, impossible to see by yourself. Dive safe!

 

[Etienne Spiteri]

Just my 2 cents. Have you ever asked someone to see or record your duck dive and finning? Not saying your problem can be exclusively this (probably isnt). But I suggest you do it, problems with duck diving angle and finning technique is, i dare to say, impossible to see by yourself. Dive safe!

Probably isn't but I will definitely get a mate to shoot a video...this way I can check I'm doing it correctly

Has more to do with mental aspect & resisting urge to breathe (CO2 tolerance) I think...