Facial immersion, mask flooding, and static performance

[Ward2]

It occured to me that flooding your mask/goggles with cold water would help the mammalian diving reflex kick in, thus enhancing static performance (dry/wet, training/competition). It would solve the problem of facial immersion during warm-up without having to remove the snorkel from the mask as well.

1) Does anyone do this?

2) Is it allowed in competition?

3) aside from psychological stressors, is it physiologically different from bare facial immersion?

Food for thought...

Ward F. Ward

 

[laminar]

Ward2,


I used fluid goggles in Spain for my static. I felt great. The easiest 5:32 of my life.

I like having my fluid on my eyes for deep training--it does indeed slow you down.

And then there's the whole feeling of being 'immersed.'

Pete

 

[A Brownsword]

I just tried static with only a nose clip, and found it very effective. I found that I could relax much better, and that combined with being in a warm hooded suit made the static much more comfortable than previous attempts.

 

[blues_diver]

more on the mamalian diving reflex

Hey guys,

A little help. So does the mammalian diving reflex kick in faster when the face is immersed in cold water? But I’ve read somewhere that the cold water actually zaps your O2 and that you should strive to get warmer to get decent bottom times. Thanks in advance!

 

[basco]

both right and wrong. If you are cold without shivering and you still can relax. Then the reflex will be stronger, but as soon as you start freezing, you burn oxygen. However you get the strongest reflex from immersing your face in cold water. So the body should be warm, but the face should be cold = a good wetsuit

 

[subaquaticus]

I saw some guys doing static comps with a nose-clip ; among them Guillaume Néry (nose-clip + bare eyes)...

 

[jome]

I also use only a nose clip. It feels uncomfortable for the first few times you try it, but you get used to it. An extra benefit is that you cannot peek your watch even if you wanted to, so you just have to concentrate on relaxing...I also flood my suit and hood just before static. It cools me down nicely and gives me a sort of "water bed" in side my suit on which to lie on and helps me relax.

I don't think any rules prohibit flooding your mask with cold water. In fact I've been meaning to test it.

But truth be told, any of these don't seem to affect my times that much. I still do my best times completely dry and have done statics with goggles+nose clip, a mask and just a nose clip all within 10 seconds of my wet pb. Maybe that ice water would be the next experiment

Also tried dry static with a mask full of water once. Not very pleasant

 

[subaquaticus]

I also use only a nose clip. It feels uncomfortable for the first few times you try it, but you get used to it. An extra benefit is that you cannot peek your watch even if you wanted to, so you just have to concentrate on relaxing...I also flood my suit and hood just before static. It cools me down nicely and gives me a sort of "water bed" in side my suit on which to lie on and helps me relax.

I don't think any rules prohibit flooding your mask with cold water. In fact I've been meaning to test it.

But truth be told, any of these don't seem to affect my times that much. I still do my best times completely dry and have done statics with goggles+nose clip, a mask and just a nose clip all within 10 seconds of my wet pb. Maybe that ice water would be the next experiment

Also tried dry static with a mask full of water once. Not very pleasant

Did you try CW with nose-clip ?

Next week I am buying my paradisia directly from the producer (living in Villefranche)... I shall buy probably a pair of XP Seal (those new goggles with quite large eyes applying onto the front and not onto the eyes...) ;

I shall try doing CW with nose-clip :

1. + bare eyes

2. + goggles filled with a saline solution (0.9 g/l)

 

[jome]

I haven't tried cw with a nose clip for several reasons.
-Have not had money to get fluid goggles
-Diving in 4 celcius water with fluid goggles is propably very uncomfortable. I always have problems with my sinuses because of the cold as it is. At least a mask warms my forehead
-My diving is not limited by the ability to equalize or to have enough air

It's something I would like to try, but it's really just finetuning. Baby steps compared to the giant leaps I can improve in other areas.

We tried to arrange to buy 5 paradisias from the guy (can't remember his name, was it Bernard or something?) last week, but we never met him. Fortunately I already own one. It just would've been a nice to bring some back for others...They are so damn hard to get over the internet

 

[Bill]

A few years ago, I started doing statics without a mask. The time it took to settle down was cut in half. One day I forgot the nose clip and rather than go back to a mask, I tried bare faced. It felt so good that I never used the nose clip again. If the water is under 27 or has too much chlorine, I keep my eyes closed most of the time. In warmer water it is more relaxing to partially open them. I also do 3-4 warm up holds on my back and when I roll over at 'top', that is the first time my face gets wet. I think it is good to keep experimenting, rather than staying with the first routine that works. Eric comes up with some wild ideas, but I always seem to learn something when I try them.
Aloha
Bill

 

[teppo]

I prefer noseclip, with bare eyes.
Without a noseclip I leak some air, thats annoying.
My coach (helper person) tells me times every time I make an ok sign to the safety/judge, so no need to check watch. Rules say that atheletes coach can speak to the athlete with a low voice. Even my ears are under water, I hear well.
In surfacing, there is only noseclip to take off.

 

[subaquaticus]

I prefer noseclip, with bare eyes.

Very interesting ... You are the second person I meet doing so (the first being Guillaume Néry, in pool static)....

Do you open your eyes underwater ? Doesn't it hurt :waterwork ? Do you see well ?

 

[subaquaticus]

We tried to arrange to buy 5 paradisias from the guy (can't remember his name, was it Bernard or something?) last week, but we never met him. Fortunately I already own one. It just would've been a nice to bring some back for others...They are so damn hard to get over the internet

The problem is that Bernard does not speak such good English...

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=39897&highlight=paradisia

December 3rd, 2003
donmoore
Registered User
Rep Power: 10
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posts: 768

Need French speaking person!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Would someone who speaks French well, help me? I am trying to purchase some Paradisia nose clips from Bernard Chabannes and we can’t understand each other. He tried to give me his e-mail address because apparently he can read and write English better than speak it, but I just couldn’t understand him enough to get the address correct.

The e-mail address on his web page is no longer working and he has another one.

Please PM me and I will give you his phone number. I’ll reimburse you for the phone call.
Many Thanks,
don

There is clearly a problem of linguistic interface and that is why I made the proposal to put some "linguistic oil" in DB's machinery...

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=60963&page=2

 

[subaquaticus]

I haven't tried cw with a nose clip for several reasons.
-Have not had money to get fluid goggles

Is it that necessary to acquire an expensive pair of fluid goggles (160 €) ?

Why don't you take normal goggles filled with a saline solution (0.9 g/l : a tea spoon in a liter of plain water)...

 

[jome]

You're propably right in the sense that I dive eyes closed for a great portion of a CW dive anyway. So to try it, you could propably get away with just normal goggles. But I do like to be able to see when the need arises. For example if my lanyard gets stuck (not impossible, has happened to me a couple of times), I may well appreciate the ability to see

But true, I could give it a try on a shallower dive...

 

[subaquaticus]

You're propably right in the sense that I dive eyes closed for a great portion of a CW dive anyway.

????

How is it possible to have eyes closed during CW ? Don't you need to see the cable ? Do you wear a mask ?

 

[jome]

I look at the rope for the first few meters to get my bearings and position right. At latest at freefall I close my eyes. It really doesn't matter that much in freefall if you're perfectly straight. Just keep your chin tucked in and body relaxed. No need to see to do that.

When I think I might be closing the bottom plate, I take short peeks to see if I've arrived yet.

On ascent, eyes closed (let the rope guide you) for most of the way. When I feel positive byoancy taking over, I open them again.

I find this helps me concentrate on the "essentials". With eyes open, you just get distracted by things like "where is that bottom plate, can I make it?". But I'm sure it doesn't work for every one.

The thing is, at least in Finland, it's so dark anyway that you can't see. So why even bother

I do the same usually in dynamic. I peek every now and then to make sure I'm going straight and when closing a turn. But most of the time eyes closed...