Re: Thanks guys!
For me I found that the longer I did the mouth/nose alternating breathing, I could slow it down, from 5 mouth breaths to 5 nose breaths, 4,3,2,1 and then slow down each transition from 1 mouth breath to 1 nose breath and then I could isolate (with time) the muscular movement that put the soft palate into "nose breathing mode" and "mouth breathing mode." Then to control the soft palate, I would do nose breath, pause, relax, nose breath. That's the control of the soft palate that you need, the one that puts it in position to allow air to move into from your lungs into your mouth AND nose at the same time. When you close your throat, now you have a passage of air between sinuses/eustachian tubes and mouth. Once you can isolate the soft palate muscle in that in between mode, then go back to the Equalizing document and go through it again. Keep at it, you'll get it. Do it in a quiet place where you can hear and feel the movements. And I also think that is better to practice daily for ten minutes, rather than try to get it down all in one session of a couple of hours. Depends on you, I guess.
Another way to think of it is that you are closing your jaw while holding the muscles of your cheeks close to your teeth....I think this is a little easier to realize than trying to somehow suck your cheeks in. Try it. Thinks of your cheek muscles as enveloping your jaw and teeth bones and then maintain that tension as you close your jaw (bringing lower teeth to meet upper teeth).
This is part of the frustration and joy of freediving. There are so many things to learn about the internal workings of your own body, enough to occupy you for a lifetime! (I hope more clinics actually tackle equalizing. The ones I am familiar with do not. )
All the best,
Pete Scott
Vancouver, BC
bolts said:I do the alternating nose/mouth breathing exercises and can feel the soft palate working, but actually voluntarily CONTROLLING it is a whole other issue. It is frickin' HARD! :head Ah well, I'll keep at it.
For me I found that the longer I did the mouth/nose alternating breathing, I could slow it down, from 5 mouth breaths to 5 nose breaths, 4,3,2,1 and then slow down each transition from 1 mouth breath to 1 nose breath and then I could isolate (with time) the muscular movement that put the soft palate into "nose breathing mode" and "mouth breathing mode." Then to control the soft palate, I would do nose breath, pause, relax, nose breath. That's the control of the soft palate that you need, the one that puts it in position to allow air to move into from your lungs into your mouth AND nose at the same time. When you close your throat, now you have a passage of air between sinuses/eustachian tubes and mouth. Once you can isolate the soft palate muscle in that in between mode, then go back to the Equalizing document and go through it again. Keep at it, you'll get it. Do it in a quiet place where you can hear and feel the movements. And I also think that is better to practice daily for ten minutes, rather than try to get it down all in one session of a couple of hours. Depends on you, I guess.
While I'm at it...one other question. This may be dumb, but hey, might as well ask... :hmm When it says to "squeeze" your cheeks, is it as simple as just collapsing your cheeks when they're fully expanded? Or is there something more to it?
Another way to think of it is that you are closing your jaw while holding the muscles of your cheeks close to your teeth....I think this is a little easier to realize than trying to somehow suck your cheeks in. Try it. Thinks of your cheek muscles as enveloping your jaw and teeth bones and then maintain that tension as you close your jaw (bringing lower teeth to meet upper teeth).
I guess that's one of the harder things about reading stuff and trying to teach it to yourself....you try to interpret what the reader means, which for a newbie is kinda tough. It would be easier, I guess, to have an experienced "mentor" to help out and demonstrate things, but hey, clinics are only a few days of the year. I do appreciate the help from everyone here. Thanks again. Believe me, if I get it right, you'll likely be the first to know...
This is part of the frustration and joy of freediving. There are so many things to learn about the internal workings of your own body, enough to occupy you for a lifetime! (I hope more clinics actually tackle equalizing. The ones I am familiar with do not. )
All the best,
Pete Scott
Vancouver, BC
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