Freediving training dedication

[MP4/4]

I was wondering how many hours a week do (top) freedivers dedicate to their training? Most of people have "normal" job as they're not professionals...
Are there professional freedivers (who do only freediving for living:inlove)?

Also, what is your focus in traning...i've heard some do most of dry trainings while others prefer wet ones and how often do you do maximal performances?

 

[trux]

I was wondering how many hours a week do (top) freedivers dedicate to their training?

That varies wildly - from such people like Mifsud who trains 30 hours a week, to the "no-training" approach of Sara Campbell (and possibly others).

Most of people have "normal" job as they're not professionals...
Are there professional freedivers (who do only freediving for living:inlove)?

Plenty. Besides traditional amas, and other native divers who still do exist, there are plenty of professional spearfishers. And then, of course, you have plenty of people living with teaching freediving - for example: Martin Stepanek, Kirk Krack, Mandy-Hae Cruickshank in the USA, William Trubridge in Bahamas, Martin Zajac in Czech Republic, Linda and Lotta and many others in Dahab, Pierre Frolla, Stephane Mifsud in France,... the complete list would be quite long.

Also, what is your focus in traning...i've heard some do most of dry trainings while others prefer wet ones and how often do you do maximal performances?

As you tell, the methods differ too, but mostly dry training is a substitute for wet training, because you cannot spend so much time in water, or because of limited access to water. There are people who do a max attempt at each training, and others who do them only at competitions.

 

[lynsea]

That varies wildly - from such people like Mifsud who trains 30 hours a week, to the "no-training" approach of Sara Campbell (and possibly others).

how does she manage to do no training?

 

[trux]

how does she manage to do no training?

Well, that's not too difficult. I can do that too. Better question would be how she manages to make world records with such approach. However, I suspect little bit that the "no-training" method is just Linda's invention (at least to some degree). On the other hand, it is true that Sara did 3 world records just about 6 months after she started freediving (if I remember well), so she did not have a lot of time to train anyway.

 

[kelp princess]

Well, that's not too difficult. I can do that too. Better question would be how she manages to make world records with such approach. However, I suspect little bit that the "no-training" method is just Linda's invention (at least to some degree). On the other hand, it is true that Sara did 3 world records just about 6 months after she started freediving (if I remember well), so she did not have a lot of time to train anyway.

Hi trux - you really need to define what you mean by "no training". Sara is an avid yoga instructor and practitioner - so by default she is practicing breathing exercises and flexing her intercostals every single day. not to mention the meditative quality of some yoga disciplines.

it may be that sara is not doing co2 tables or other "freedive" related training but i would argue that one of the largest contributing factors to her success has been her yoga training.

she was not some average joe who just walked off the street, out-of shape, and into a world record - she was primed in other ways.

cheers,

kp

 

[Bill]

Trux
Don't forget the most important point. To be a great athlete, you have to pick your parents carefully. After that it's just a head game.

 

[trux]

... she was not some average joe who just walked off the street, out-of shape, and into a world record - she was primed in other ways. ...

Yes, that's for sure, and I know all that. I was just giving her as an example to demonstrate how much training methods may differ - from diving daily several hours, to practically not diving at all. The "no-training" was just taken from Linda's blog who uses to poke fun at Sara in this way, but I think everyone here knows that Sara does not just stay watching the TV all day long

 

[kelp princess]

Yes, that's for sure, and I know all that. I was just giving her as an example to demonstrate how much training methods may differ - from diving daily several hours, to practically not diving at all.

yes, i know you KNOW that dear trux, but our new inquisitive minds like Lynsea and MP4/4 may not know that :t

cheers,

kp

 

[lynsea]

yeah that's kind of what i meant. she must have a real natural talent (besides the yoga) for freediving if she can break world records like that.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

I thought that Sara practices constant weight in the ocean a lot?

And that by "no training" she means no statics/tables/etc.?

 

[shoutatthesky]

Doesn't Sara live in Dahab now? I can't imagine she would move there and not make a point of regularly getting in the ocean for a dive.

Dave Mullins works full time and trains in the evenings and weekends, and I sure he is not the only elite level athlete who has major time constraints to their training. I think ultimately it comes down to the quality of training you do. 10 hours per week of specific training based on experience and knowledge will be infinitely better than 30 hours of non-specific, poorly planned, or uninformed training.

 

[chrismar]

I would say that most of the elite athletes with jobs train somewhere in the range of 10-15 hours a week on average. It kinda depends if you'd include gym work, underwater hockey/rugby, spearfishing and other nonspecific stuff as training or not. A bit like the 'no training' thing for Sara, I guess.