CO2 O2 table Question

[Student]

I read the sticky about beginning free diving and found what I've been looking for but have two simple maybe dumb questions.

Ventilate: Does this mean normal at rest what ever comes natural breathing, or breathing as described in breath up chest /belly?

"The breath holds in a CO2 table are usually 50% of your personal best".
Is there a suggested method for preparing for this test of PB? or simply your PB whoever you achieve it?

Thanks.

An example of a CO² Table:
1. ventilate 2:30 static 1:30
2. ventilate 2:15 static 1:30
3. ventilate 2:00 static 1:30
4. ventilate 1:45 static 1:30
5. ventilate 1:30 static 1:30
6. ventilate 1:15 static 1:30
7. ventilate 1:00 static 1:30
8. ventilate 1:00 static 1:30
total duration 25:15

 

[yugyug]

I'm not an expert on tables, but I'll answer to get the ball rolling.

first question: the rest period between statics, the ventilate, various types of breathing should happen - fast inhale focussed recovery breaths to begin followed by relaxed abdominal breathing to re-oxygenate your blood, and maybe a few big breaths just before the next static if that works for you. Maybe you can experiment with what feels confortable

Just whatever personal best or target seems right for you. I wouldn't worry about this much in dry statics. I usually end a table with a max static attempt.

Also, I continue tables further than the one you posted, and reduce the ventilate time down to 15 seconds, in 15 second increments.

 

[cebaztian]

The purpose of a CO2 table is to train adaptation and tolerance to CO2.
The major visible sign of high CO2 are contractions.

Ergo: hold your breath with many contractions. Dont bother thinking about if there is aright or wrong way to breath. The less you breath,the earlier the contractions.

Why not try a table of:
10 contractions
20
30
40
50
e t c

Some intresting stuff about O2 here:
Freedive tests

Sebastian

 

[Pav]

I've cut and paste my recent post below and will link it over here as it seems like a more relevant thread and forum for the topic.

I've always been content with a short breath hold when hunting which ranges between 1min - 3mins depending on circumstances.

I have been reading around the mental approach to longer holds in the Manual of Freediving.

I am now considering the tables people refer to on the forum threads, but not really sure I understand the value or how to use them (frequency of training / do you lose the value if you stop using them for a week? / risk etc / how to create a personal table?). My own conclusion is that these tables are designed to train your body to accept the discomfort of longer breath holds? Can you benifit by breathing out prior to your hold so reducing the length of time you hold and complete a set of tables quicker but still gain?

Sorry, I have browsed the threads but need a dummies guide from the view point of a spearo.

 

[yugyug]

I think the purpose of a CO2 table is to adapt your body to gently increasing levels of CO2 over an extended period of time - this way you become familiar with the effects on your body and can train your will incrementally.

if you do a table with exhale statics, the urge to breath will come much faster, perhaps not enough time to adapt your mind to what is happening in your body? Exhale statics do make your heart beat drop dramatically, though, which is a good thing to become familiar with.

but I think regular inhale tables will probably be more helpful because they are closer to how you dive when spearfishing (unless you are diving FRC).

ps. I find walking dynamics, inhale and exhale, good training for spearfishing. But watch it with the exhale ones, you can get dizzy and fall over pretty suddenly :blackeye