Do freediving breathing techniques help with high altitude trekking?

MilesD · May 9, 2014

Hi, slightly odd one here. I recently returned from a long trek around the Himalayas, quite a few times going above 5000m. For the first time while trekking I focused on my breathing, taking deep breaths, sometimes even air packing a little, then forcing myself to exhale slowly. I even did a 2 min breath hold on waking at 4900m. It might all be psychological, but I've never trekked better. Does anyone think there might be a correlation, or know anything about this?

Kars · May 10, 2014

Hi Miles, great to hear your experiences!

I think efficient belly breathing, large vital capacity, for sure help to increase O2 intake when the air is 'thin'.
I do not know about breath holding having benefits, but like you I love to hear other peoples ratio on the subject.

MilesD · May 10, 2014

Hi Kars
I don't think the breath hold per se had any benefits, but it made me feel prepared somehow for that day's climb, almost like my lungs were ready and primed even before I started. I dunno ... high altitude trekking is all about the thin air, and how much of it u can get into yr lungs. It just makes intrinsic sense to me that deep belly breathing is going to help somehow, as opposed to shallow panting, which I fell into easily enough when I stopped thinking about it. But it might all be psychological, which is fine too, as long as it works!

Kars · May 10, 2014

Well it appears that your breath-hold to start the day helped to set your mind comfort boundaries much further, so the effort of walking at 5000m felt like a light task.
Will this also work for a non-freediver?

MilesD · May 10, 2014

I think anyone who takes the time to learn proper breathe-up technique, who works at it, does a little hypoxic training, even if it's while walking around the park, and increases his breath hold times and lung capacity generally will benefit while climbing at altitude.

Do freediving breathing techniques help with high altitude trekking?