frc training progress finally some results

[ktreloar]

hey guys,

Just wanted to share some of the results i have been getting with diving on frc. About 3 months ago i started permanently diving on frc and have tried various methods of training. At first i tried the static then swim but found it to be really rough and not beneficial for the diving i wanted to do. So I started mixing it up with some hard cardio and 3/4 to empty lung static routines, along with 2 sets of dnf 25m swims at 80% with 15 seconds recovery between. About 2 weeks ago i started to get some more positive results with dives lasting up to 2:40 to 20m and nearly 3:40 in 3/4 empty lung statics

sorry for the ramble but im so stoked to be finally getting decent results..

cheers guys

Ktreloar

 

[fflupo]

can you explain the sense rough in the static - swim connection?


cheers
wolf

 

[demasoni]

Congrats and thanks for sharing your results.

My questions:

What made you adopt FRC?

At what time during your longest FRC dives (2:40 to 20m) do your contractions start?

Thanks

 

[ktreloar]

hey guys,

thanks for the feed back..

hey fflupo

i was finding the static/swim rough as in the contractions were pretty brutal and since i train in a fairly cold pool my legs give way really early in the swim, also im just about on full exhale to sink to the bottom of the pool. not really sure if im doing it right or not basically i stand in the pool for 5 mins then do one full inhale and exhale, then exhale till i sink to pool then swim. overall dive times around 2.00 to 2.15 mins

what training methods are you finding most effective at the moment?

hey demasoni

I switched to frc after finding that my dive times were longer and more comfortable... i think the first frc dive i did was to about 22m was pretty rough because i wasnt weighted right and was just about at a full exhale to sink.. haha

hmm during my long dives the contractions can vary when they happen, on my 2:40 dive i didnt get contractions till about 1:50 i left the bottom at about 2:05 and had a comfortable ascent. I think for me i depends on how many warm ups i do as to when i get contractions sometimes i dont get any and just have a strong urge to breathe. So i set my alarm for 1:30 on my watch regarless of the depth and return to the surface when that goes off.

Thanks again for the feed back guys.

Cheers

Ktreloar

 

[cdavis]

ktreloar,

Great results!

Doing static/swim frc practice at or near full exhale will be a killer on contractions. Try wearing some weight and inhale to your normal frc volume. Also, wait to start swimming until your DR kicks in strong. My marker is the first urge to breath, just before the first contraction. Those two things, especially more inhale, will make it much easier. I've been practicing that for a year or so of pool work, the results have been wonderful and its a minimal strain kind of training. Contractions are low intensity and come on late.

I've approached training from a non intensive aspect. What you describe is pretty intense, but your results have come fast, so all to the good. I'd be careful to have a good buddy around the way you are doing it.

 

[fflupo]

use a heart rate monitor!
they are cheap with a chest strap and watch
and i train with suit in the pool to avoid being too negative and hit the bottom.

the contraction are strong but i like them ;-) and i try to relax this part of the diaphragm where i feel them and it works, the dive reflex is the key to a more comfortable dive, after it kicks in i am in a different state of mind and the contractions are very shallow and the performance is incredible for frc/empty

if you push your heart rate up before you go in the water and then jump in and hold it until first contraction and dyn, on exhale of course, you will benefit

train hard

wolf

 

[ktreloar]

cheers for the info cdavis and fllupo

i went down the pool today and tried the static/swim with a rashie on, managed dives up to 2:45 (1:55/2:00 min static followed by 50 m swim) will have to look at using a suit because i have noticed that when im in cold water contractions come on really quickly.. hmm its really strange because in warm water i dont get them till 1:45 to 2:00mins but in cold water i get mild ones after only 45 seconds, doesnt really affect the overall performance just makes it more uncomfortable haha probably have the worst tolerance to cold water.. usually shiver while im on the bottom during the static..

fflupo just a quick question wat suit are using in the pool?
i might start using an old 2 piece 3mm with a bit of extra weight, haha cant stand being cold.

Cheers

Ktreloar

 

[fflupo]

1.5mm elios nylon inside
btw. cold water helps the performance!

 

[cdavis]

My best dive is the one where I've just gotten cold, but haven't started to shiver during the dive. Once that starts, my times go to zilch.

Kreteloar, 2:45 is pretty decent, good show. You are doing the same pattern I have been using. If you want to maximize your down time, try a 60 % inhale (weighted to lay on bottom), stretch the static a bit and swim very slow, enough that the 50 meters takes 1:30 or there-abouts. I suspect you will get to 4 minutes before me.

Connor

 

[titan]

what about when you guys come back to inhale dive what happen to your performance, contractions , etc?!?!?!!? I would be glad to ear

 

[ktreloar]

hows it going titan..

as far as performances go i would say that training on frc hasnt really done anything bad for more inhale.. before i started frc training my static was around 5:15 now after training for frc after a few months my PB is about 6.00 mins so i think in way the training helped. Also my empty lung static has increased from about 2.00mins to just over 3 mins, i mainly train close to empty/ 3/4 empty so maybe plays a factor..

cheers

ktreloar

 

[titan]

I don't pack for depths below my rv on inhale to aviod squeezes it's much more safe to have a blood shift at 10m pressure than at 20m pressure I have natural big lungs I never did more than 10 packs, but for depht and recreational I do mostly half lung I try times to times total exhale statics normaly they stop at 1 min due to discomfort that 1/4 really gives more safety and confort but training is training has to be hard

but I came from dahab recently doing for 2 weeks inhale to less than that now even 2 pack at the pool is difficult ?!?!!? but performance is equal with just inhale (if not better)

I would like to gather some more data by the moment pack for pb's frc (for me for the moment just half lung ) for recreational

 

[laminar]

what about when you guys come back to inhale dive what happen to your performance, contractions , etc?!?!?!!? I would be glad to ear

I can share my only experience of FRC to inhale:

After some hard training in early 2009 and all FRC training in the pool (100m+ FRC with monofin and lots of 50m FRC sprint sets), I made a pb of 169m in DYN with inhale at our indoor nationals and came up fresh as can be (legs dead). I believe I got my first contractions at 95m and they were nice and gentle. I came up due to leg fatigue and a sense of being near the 200m wall and not sure of how I was feeling since I'd never been that far before. Recovery was in 3-5 seconds.

I was also speed/power training in the gym and that was definitely a helpful factor.

I had not decided to inhale until the last minute before my official top. It was almost automatic, since I hadn't competed in over 4 years in DYN.

It was a strange psychological feeling to know I had inhaled. Gave me a sense of being able to go much further than before. Given that experience, I am sure with similar training, I can go over 200m assuming the time to train.

I find FRC training more efficient. It feels more intense and takes less time.

 

[titan]

well dyn 169 only on inhale by itself it's pretty good but contractions at 96 m it's like woaaaa I feel that contractions are the same with inhale or pack but that is incredible

more data more data

by the way is there any course based on frc or others inovative ways of freediving like nowarm ups etc?!?!!?!?

 

[titan]

looks like I probably had some kind of squeeze on the thraquea or lung since even inhale looks unberable but frc is ok in other words 5 days rest no sea action this weekend :S

 

[cdavis]

training frc as it affects full lung:

In training, doing static/dynamic,I've found a direct relation between the amount of inhale and the time to first contraction as well as total dive time. But in training, there is no difference in effort between full, 1/2 and empty lung. In real diving, the increase in effort to get down pretty much burns up the advantage. However, there seem to be lots of other advantages, efficient movement, etc, that carry over to full lung. For reasons other than the amount of inhale, frc training has extended my full lung time capacity in real diving considerably, but depth hasn't changed on full lung. For depth, two things seem to be going on, first, my chest/diaphragm flexibility is getting better, which should increase depth, but, at the same time, my maximum inhale volume has gone down, so its almost a wash.

Note: I'm diving almost exclusively 60% inhale and only do full lung for a couple of dives, just to see what depth is comfortable.

Connor

 

[titan]

I think a generally trio trainig with frc predominant would be great but chest, thraquea,lung flexilibity can give bad surprises time to time

 

[fflupo]

with the frc training over the last 4 years, my depth increased by 100% not to forget all the other benefits like less weights for recreational, DCS, safety etc.

the full inhale without packing, i do only for max dives,

at the moment i train exhale sprints which is a leg burner ;-)

 

[ktreloar]

hey guys,

just read through the recent posts, nice work guys good to see that there is alot of guys getting good results. havent done any specific training in frc as such.. in the last couple of days... went diving for crayfish yesterday and had a ball aye... frc dives to 7.5-8m 1 mins dives with quick recoveries as a test to see how my training was effecting my diving, usual recovery was 20-30 seconds, but i noticed i was still clear headed and no muscle fatigue... (i know should be giving myself double the time, however when i train i usually do 40X25m dyn with fins sprints with 10-15 seconds recovery between and usually play underwater hockey after that twice a week or go to the gym) was happy as pulling crays out from underneath ledges haha gotta use a snare over here crayfish cant have any injuries when captured. :blackeye

it almost seems untapped the potential that frc has towards freediving, hmm makes me think the amount about of flack it copped in the past and now it seems to be making freediving more enjoyable...

Im stoked with the results im getting with frc , after 3 months of training for specific frc diving im now doing dives to 25m+ for 2 mins and comfortable spearing dives for over 2 mins.

thanks alot guys for the information and the advice that has been passed on.. Where i come from im the just about the only guy in my state doing this type of diving, before i was going in blind hahahahha :blackeye

cheers

haha still got alot to improve hahha

Ktreloar

 

[ktreloar]

hey guys

just posting my progress with training for frc...

havent done to much training in the last couple of days think i have pinched a nerve in my neck so havent been for a dive.. did a couple of frc statics today and was suprised when i managed to hit 4 mins... haha seems training is paying off...

hmm went for a dive in 25-26m water twice last week, felt a little squishy at 26m (mainly because i have not dived this depth for nearly 6 months) but after a few dives was doing comfortable 2 mins dives with 5-6 mins recoveries between even managed to pull a jumbo cray out from under a ledge... starting to really notice how much of an affect the dive reflex is having on my deep dives. By the time i have arrived at the bottom it sought of feels like im almost in a trance, time seemed to fly by. Only thing that seems to be a bit of a challenge is working out the correct speed to be descending on. Between 1-10m im at about 0.7 m/s and after that my speed increases to around 1 m/s by the time i reach the bottom. Just curious as to what speed you guys aim for on the way down?!?
i have noticed that if i go to fast 1 m/s + my dives are uncomfortable once i get to the bottom. If i take it slower then 1 m/s when i hit the bottom my chest doesnt feel as squished.

would like to hear how the rest of you guys are going with your frc training?!?!

cheers guys

ktreloar