Freediving Media Base & Apnea Training Manager

[trux]

About a year ago, after I compiled the first version of my Freediving Video Collection, I saw the format won't support further extensions easily, so I started developing a database driven website that would allow more comfortable browsing in the collection. Soon, the first version of the Freediving Media Base was created, but when filling it with old and new data, I started to add new features and improving it again and again. I then added also my Collection of Weird Fins into it, and then started working on an online database of freediving training exercises and session.

The project started to be more and more complicated, and the development longer than previewed. I wanted to complete it before publishing, but since about February I find only little time to fix the remaining bugs and add still missing or incomplete functionality. However, since the databases are already full of useful data that could serve others, I decided today to release the website public, in spite of the missing features.

So feel free to use it, but be aware that there is still a lot of development needed for completing the website.

Besides the new and more complete Collection of Weird Fins, The website has two main parts:

1) Freediving Media Base
It is a database of freediving resources - list of books, DVDs, VHS videos, calenders, documents, online videos, programs, websites and other media mostly available online. It is sortable, categorized, and researchable. It contain link to media in many different languages not only English), including such exotic ones like Russian or Japanese. You can easily add links to media not available yet in the database, by simply dragging and dropping them on the page (see the FAQ for detailed demonstration)

2) Apnea Training Manager
This is not only a database of diverse static and dynamic freediving exercises, but also an online tool for dry training hypoxic and hypercapnic tables and other static exercises. It has built-in counters coaching you through the exercise similarly to other similar available apnea training tools. It is much more complex though, and allows you to plan not only single tables, but entire sessions, or even yearly plans. More features are in works, and I'll continue to inform about them here. The program should be compatible with any operating system (including Macs and diverse Unix/Posix systems). You only need a current Javascript enabled and CSS2 capable browser (there may be though some minor compatibility issue that I am continually addressing).

Also here, you can add new tables and other exercises.

The whole website comes in three language versions - English, Czech, and French. The Czech and French versions may not be perfect yet - I started with the English one, and may need to add or fix some details in the other languages.

The major part of the website is available for free, though the Apnea Training Manager requires you to register and pass though a simple test verifying your basic security awareness. There are some enhanced functions that are planned to be for paying members (very cheap yearly membership), but most of the functions are available for free.

Some 3rd party images and other material were used on the website - whenever it was possible I tried to get permissions for use. In case you see media added to the database that you are owner of and do not wish to have them, or of you find any material violating any copyrights, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Well, I could continue much longer with the description, but I guess it is enough for the beginning. Let me know if you have any doubts or questions not addressed in the FAQ.


PS: I am going to post about the new resources also in other old threads. Please do not consider it spamming. I am just posting it there because I know many visitors do not come regularly, but may be interested in topics they subscribed to (freediving books, videos, apnea training programs, weird fins, ...)


Hope you'll enjoy it!
Ivo Truxa / aka trux

 

[Jorg]

Very good work! Looks excellent, but a little bit slow on the database queries. I'll for sure look around this site a lot.

 

[trux]

The queries are very fast in fact. It is the downloading of the data that is relatively slow. This is addressed in the FAQ. It is because a relatively huge amount of data is transferred - not only what you see on the first look, but also all the media details you can see then immediately when you click the record. You can accelerate it by reducing the number of records per page.

 

[Jorg]

Yes it works fine now... What a lot of data! Amazing work...

 

[Jorg]

Haha! During registration you have to answer some basic questions about freediving, to make sure you are experienced enough to use the training tool. I guess I have to throw away my instructor license... I got it 3 times wrong and am now banned from registering for 24 hours! Maybe I should fill in questions without having our crying baby on my lap.

I am now going to bed and cry very hard...

 

[trux]

Sorry for that! :ban :waterwork rofl

BTW, there is certain tolerance built-in, so you really had to be distracted

 

[azapa]

oops, i failed too, justifiably maybe. you list "increasing lungs residual volume" as a potential problem on the last question. Is this so?

 

[trux]

Well, the questions are randomly generated from a bigger database, so they may vary each time, and their order too, so I do not know what was the last question in your case. But yes, the increasing of residual lung volume is generally considered as a possible risk of excessive and regular packing. That's because of the extrem streching of alveoli tissue, it may lose some elasticity.

I admit that the question may be little bit more difficult than I intended. Possibly because I've read too much physiological information and expected everyone being familiar with it too. However, there is still certain number of failed answers possible in each round, so if you try answering carefully, you have a good chance to pass. If I see too many problems with the subscriptions, I'll try to simplify the quiz or increase the tolerance, but for now, I'd prefer avoiding that unqualified people get access to the training manager too easily.

BTW, Jorg just notified me that there is a problem starting the Training Manager in Firefox (when you manage to pass the registration). I'll fix it later tonight - it is just a minor incompatibility.

 

[SanderP]

I'm impressed, trux! Looks like a very well done website (and it seems like the first of its kind in the apnea community). Just registered, haven't had time to get familiar with it yet, but I'll take my time tomorrow. Looks like this might turn quite popular in the future.

 

[Bill]

Age discrimination rears its ugly head. I hope this doesn't mean that I have to stop training.
--Bill
P.S. Thanks for the list of reading material.

 

[trux]

Sorry, for that Bill You do not need to send the medical certificate - I'll approve you manually. I just want to avoid causing any harm to anyone that may be in increased risk. That's why I limit the lower and upper age groups and ask for a medical certificate. At freedivers I know from the community and know they dive regularly, I have no problems approving them without the ceritificate.

 

[trux]

OK, the Firefox incompatibility in Apnea Trainig Manager is now fixed, so it should work.


There is a screenshot from the Apnea Training Manager here for those who did not manage to pass through the annoying registration procedure

​

 

[shoutatthesky]

Looks as if I am going to have to do some study. It would be helpful if you could tell us which questions we got wrong or at least how many.

 

[trux]

Well, I do not want to tell which questions were answered wrong, because it would make it too easy to get in even for people who are completely ignorant about security in freediving. As for the number of failed answers - you may be right, I will look into it and possibly add some info about it later.

 

[drunkinbda]

bah.. banned for failing too >.< try again tomorrow night 0.o although ill be comin home after a late night. we shall see.

 

[NotSoDeep]

How can I remove my account, if I want to?

 

[marginatus]

Got in... in the second round

 

[trux]

How can I remove my account, if I want to?

Well, this is currently not possible from the user interface, but I may add it in future if it shows to be necessary or frequently needed. You can though remove or change most of the profile info (including the handle), if you are afraid of disclosure of the personal data there or want to start anew with the same handle. That should be sufficient for every case, but if there is some specific reason you really prefere having the account removed, let me know and I'll do it.

 

[trux]

Got in... in the second round

Happy to see there are some freedivers here who passed the test
I admit some of the questions and answers are tricky, but there is certain tolerance built in. You can miss two answers in the first round, though there are some very wrong answers (very apparently wrong) that are weighted more and would be sufficient for disqualifying the result alone.

At the beginning, seeing some experienced freedivers failing the quiz, I was little bit afraid the test is too hard, but now there is already a nice number of registered members, so it is apparent it is possible to pass it if you read and answer carefully.

Sorry for being so strict with the access, but I do not want to risk harming some kids who have no idea about possible risks at breath-holding, such as for example hyperventilation. Disclaimers and waivers used at other applications may be good for legal responsibility, but rarely someone really reads them or cares about them. And they definitely do not improve the real security. I hope that by testing the knowledge, and displaying the conditions in several steps, I manage to avoid some of stupidities some less experienced users could do and possibly harming themselves.

 

[fcallagy]

well done trux a lot of work obviously went into it. congrats on a great site.