Forgotten origin

[Pottie]

Hi guys,

first time in 5 years that i am posting a freedive related message. Have been preoccupied with life and now it is time to return to the underwater world of freediving.

I started a week ago on my journey to make a come back and just to relive the joy of breathold diving.

Started cycling and swimming to get the fitness back and on the static side i am comfortable at 2:30, seems like there is something like freedive memory.

Going diving this weekend for the first time and i am already experiencing those first time jitters, even the smell of my wetsuits and other equipment make me wonder why did i do this crazy sport in the first place.

Wanted to know from other freedivers that decided to come out of retirement how they experineced the adventure the second time around.

Pottie

 

[cdavis]

Get in the water and you will remember, no problem.

I took a 5 year break between about 41 and 46. Starting again felt pretty weird. 30 feet, which used to be a shallow dive, felt deep, breath control was shot the first few days. Scared me almost to death, afraid I'd just gotten old and my diving days were done. I was bad out of cardio shape and realized I'd finally hit the age where regular exercise was a requirement, apnea practice too. It all came back in a little while and I was diving as good as ever in a couple of years(I don't get regular opportunity to dive). Keep at it and you just get better with age.

Connor

 

[WillUnderwater]

Welcome back to the sport and welcome to DB!

 

[Pottie]

Guys,

i am truly amazed by how well the body remembers. I have heard of "muscle memory" that body builder refer to but i not truly believe in freedive memory.

I have been back into my training routine for a week and if you take into account that i have been out of training and diving for a number of years i am surprised by my results achieved in the fisrt 6 days.

I am able to swim 60 x 50m in 58 min, heart rate steady at 143 bpm and i am in my zone 99% of the time. Muscles of course are complaining and are of course sore and stif but i love the feeling. I have had 3 swim sessions and today had my 3rd static session and was able to do a comfortable 3:00.

I walked back to my car with a huge grin, i was so scared that i might have forgotten everything or at least that my mind was able but that my body was going to be a stumble block.

I must admit that the most dificult exercise at this stage are 50m dynamics, they take everthing out of me, smile.

So i am now seriously excited about this second take at this most incredible sport. Just need to convince my two retired dive buddies to also come out of retirement.

Can't wait to go and dive.

Pottie

 

[Tony Babowicz]

Life got in the way of freediving from 1992-2007. I went spearfishing again with some buddies in June 07. I instantly became addicted again. My results are, well, maybe I'll talk about it a little bit next week. I am completely happy again....

 

[miguel-van]

Hi guys,

Took a 3 years family break to!

Now I'm back at freediving again I feel so much more relaxed than before. My static increased significantly, from 4'00 before to 6'00" now...

I have to get used to depth again though. But the progress is just so much easier than a couple of years back.

Even if the water is only around 10°c now, I can't wait to get in tomorrow!

Cheers.

 

[Pottie]

Made me wonder, i think the first time around one is trying to overcome the challenges by pushing oneself too hard, physically and then mentally but more emphasis on the physical side.We all want to be the best and we end up exhausting ourselves in the process.

Now that we are older and somewhat wiser it becomes easier (sort of) because we are more mentally focused and that is what freediving is realy all about, we are diving with our minds and our hearts now. We have accepted that time has moved on and physically we can't perform the same as a couple of years back so now we don't have to compete with ourselves or anybody else anymore, we are just too greatfull to be back in the water and i think this is were we struck gold....freediving is all about you and your ability, not trying to be Herbert or Umberto or any other professional freediver, just you and the water and being at piece with yourself.

Maybe it is a good thing to take a break.

 

[Tony Babowicz]

Well said Pottie...That is exactly what I am talking about.Now that I have no one to compete with but myself and I have nothing to prove, I am exceeding the goals that I have for myself without the stress of "having to succeed" .
Tony

 

[unirdna]

Scared me almost to death, afraid I'd just gotten old and my diving days were done.

...Says the guy laying down PB's in his 50's! HA!

 

[Pottie]

PB's in his 50's, well i will tell you this much, i have had the pleasure to dive with a guy by the name of Volkmer Fischer down here in South Africa on many occasions and at the age of 55 he was the oldest entrant at the 2002 freedive champs. He was such an inspiration for us more younger freedivers whose average age was 28.

He is still diving but not competitive anymore, more into spearfishing latley.

So for me at age 42 there is still plenty of dive years left rofl

 

[azapa]

Leo Muraoka is 53 and has just earned the US national FIM record at 81M

 

[cdavis]

Just wait until there are a whole bunch of serious divers in their 70s and 80s. You will REALLY see some PBs then.

Connor