Breathing preparation and warm ups for static (and maybe dynamic?)...

[allinapnea]

Hi all...

As an absolute beginner, I'm still improving my breathholding (but then again, aren't we all? :duh )...

I know about tables (co2, o2), and training and...training and going to courses, and practice with a buddy... But what I would like hear of you freediving guys and girls (pro or not) here is the breathing routines you do before a breathhold (dive): the warm up breaths/breathholds and the specific times and frequencies of inhalations/exhalations. I know this is (can be -will be?) very individual and that everyone needs to find his/her own pace and best practice in that (which works best for yourself to achieve the best possible breathhold with max. comfort), but I'd like to hear about the possibilities.

For a (dry) static now, after laying down and I'm doing a 5 minute preparation:
30sec breathhold - 30sec breathing
30sec breathhold - 30sec breathing
30sec breathhold - 20sec breathing
40sec breathhold - 90sec breathing

I focus on diaphragm breathing of course and the depth of my breaths inhalation as well as exhalations. Last 90 seconds of breathing I make sure my exhales are twice as long as my inhalations (ratio 3s-6s or 4s-8s). After that, I do one or MAX. two hard exhales with shallow inhalations before. Then, a max. inhalation (belly first, then chest...) and I'm off, holding my breath. This works quite well for me, I did a 3:50 dry static with this last week. An new PB.

Yesterday I chatted with a lady who does a 10 minute breathe up with cycles of 10-10-10-10 seconds and 15-15-15-15 seconds:
10sec inhalation - 10sec breathhold - 10sec exhalation - 10sec breathhold (no air in lungs).
...And the same with 15 sec for each part of the cycle.

I would like to implement this and tried it but it seems VERY hard to do for me, even with 10sec (and I am laying down, relaxed!), I tend to get all tensed and I gasp for air after three or four cycles (can not contral my inhalation to last 10sec...). And my stomach is contracting like I'm holding my breath for 3 minutes already... - so, the 15sec cycle is way out my league and the 20sec the lady talked about - she said that was very hard and I don't even dare to dream that... Lol...

I heard about a 5-10-5-5 ratio (inhale, hold, exhale, hold without air in lungs)... Do you have any tips on this? Or other ratios? Which ones could I try?
I just would like to hear your experiences and experiments. I want to experiment too and have some examples to start with...

So, could you tell me about yours?

Thanks!

 

[allinapnea]

Ok, so, I did a forum search. Found some interesting stuff already. Seems like some say most (if not all) breathe-ups are still hyperventilating... ?
I'm puzzled and want to stay safe of course...

Anyone has any thoughts on this?

 

[sai]

Just read a great article on Will's website. Select it from the dropdown menu.

Writings | William Trubridge

 

[dimitris33]

The better breath up is your natural one with the condition that you have already stretched your body and lungs correctly before entering the water.

I cannot write much but this is what I concluded after years of reading, breathing techniques and experimenting.

 

[Ms Mer]

I try and make sure that my exhale is double the ratio of my inhale - as you describe 3-6, 4-8 etc. If the exhale is longer than the inhale then you reduce the risk of hyperventilating.

Exhale holds are always hard! Maybe focus on doing say 4 or 5 sets, however many you can do that you can complete fully. I would say that the aim is to build your CO2 tolerance, lung strength and capacity and remain relaxed. You don't want it to be easy, but (IMHO) you don't want to push it to the point that you are really struggling and your technique is going out the window so to speak. I'm going through a similar thing with 1 breath holds at present and understand where you are coming from.

It sounds like you are doing well - 3.50 dry max attempt is good.

 

[baiyoke]

If the exhale is longer than the inhale then you reduce the risk of hyperventilating.

Have you got any source or reference on this? It does not really make sense to me, since you could be ventilating the same amount of air as the reversed pattern 6,3 instead og 3,6.
Allthough there might be a small tendency to inhale a smaller amount, if inhale is short... Or maybe you are refering to the same mechanism as mentioned below.

I use the slow exhale to relaxe my body and mind. I make resistance with my throat or lips or teeth. If you focus on prolonging the first half of the exhale (hold back the first 50%, and then let go), then the lungs are expanded, and gasses in bloodstream and lungs have a bigger area to exchange gasses... Some do short breathholds at the top of the breathing cycle...

The key to not overventilate must be, as I see it, the amount of air you breath over time. So theoretically you can breath deep, if you do it very slow, or hold yoyr breath shortly... However in practice, you might still be ventilating more CO2 out than you think.

I personally like to overventilate very slightly before a static attempt, because CO2 is my limit at present, and it makes me relax better in the beginning of breathhold. However it might change in the future. In training very slight overventilating only makes sense, if you have trouble to relax, and need a short period to reach that state. However many people don't recommend it... It's your call...

Before a static attempt, I'm presently experimenting with doing 6-8 min of slightly more hyperventilation, a deep 4-4 or 5-5, up until a few minutes before breathhold. This is to flush body tissue from CO2 and store more O2. Then 2 minutes before breathhold I breath very relaxed to restore normal CO2 levels. The last 2-3 breaths are deeper, but slow... just to make me feel like I really got some nice clean air inside my lungs (combination of psychological feeling and slight overventilation).

I have a very strong diveresponse to compensate for the slight overventilation, for others it might be a bad idea.

I have a feeling, that in the future I might keep things simple, or at least, when I'm reaching my O2 limit, and getting better at CO2 management, I'll start with higher/neutral/normal CO2 levels.

For warmup I try to keep it short, fx 3 progressively longer exhale dives, some short dives in the water with face and eyes stimulated by water...

Please note that, apart from getting you relaxed, the breathup is not a magic thing in itself (like there's no "secret ninja breathup")... however getting a good match for you might be pure magic for you... if what you do makes you relaxed in body and mind, it might make a big difference... (except for the overly hyperventilation thing...)

 

[allinapnea]

Hi all, thanks for the highly informative reply! (To be sure: it's not my intention to start another: "it's hyperventilation", "no it isn't!" - thread!!!)

Ms Mer: what do you mean by exhale holds: just breathing out and then stop ...errr...breathing for as long as you can? Or do you mean the cycles as I described: for example: 10s inhale, 10s apnea, 10s exhale, 10s apnea...?

Cheers!

 

[Ms Mer]

Have you got any source or reference on this? It does not really make sense to me, since you could be ventilating the same amount of air as the reversed pattern 6,3 instead og 3,6.

It is based on pranayama. Personally I find it relaxing and it works for me. By focusing on the longer exhale compared to inhale, then squeezing my diaphragm at the end of the exhale, relaxing it, I am able to taken in my O2 on the next inhale. It's the same breathing that I use in yoga.

Hi all, thanks for the highly informative reply! (To be sure: it's not my intention to start another: "it's hyperventilation", "no it isn't!" - thread!!!)

Ms Mer: what do you mean by exhale holds: just breathing out and then stop ...errr...breathing for as long as you can? Or do you mean the cycles as I described: for example: 10s inhale, 10s apnea, 10s exhale, 10s apnea...?

Cheers!

Thats right - exhaling fully and then into the breathhold. Contractions come on very quickly and also bloodshift/vasoconstriction (I never know which it is -one happens more at depth but anyway you get strange sensations in your hands, arms, legs as the body sends signals to the brain to direct the bloodflow to the major organs as its not needed in the extremities. I primarily do these dry as I find them really good prep before a pool session. It also has the effect of triggering the body to get rid of anything in your digestive and urinary system that you would rather have out than in!