Has Breatheology helped you?

[anthropisces]

I am forever looking for valid ways to improve my freediving abilities and always am short on pool time. I attended a brief seminar by Stig Severensin in which he discussed ways to increase your lung volume. Has anyone here used his techniques and actually increased their lung volume? Should I buy a copy of Breatheology?

 

[Simos]

I'm interested to hear the answer too - by the way there was a 20% off during the WC I think, not sure if still on offer...

 

[BristolMermaid]

Hiya

I've read both Stig & Federico Mana's books and they suggest good exercises to do to help open up the rib-cage, back and diaphragm muscles for freediving. There have been studies published showing improvement in lung volume from yoga poses that expand that area like tree, fish, locust and twists. For example - www.j-pbs.org/pdf/191/chanavirut.pdf

I use shining skull (kapalabhati) breath regularly & on the day of diving to warm up & tone the diaphragm. And some stronger full lung strteches and empty lung uddiyana bandha (diaphragm pull-up) also. Pls get a teacher to show you how to do these as yoga/pranayama can harm if done poorly. You will need to do these practices regularly and for some time before you start to see obvious benefits, so be patient ;-)

Also you'll see benefits for freediving on working the rest of the body too - flexible & stable joints in feet/ankles, shoulders and hips for DNF and mono in particular. And strength in quads & core muscles too. I'm working with a diver at the moment on core stability for monofinning.

Hope that helps? I write a monthly article on here for yoga & diving so stay in touch (Omdiver)

Thanks
Rebecca

www.omdiver.co.uk

 

[adelito]

I haven't finished the book.... But I like the tedx presentation.

 

[Salehthefish]

Hi there

Go top their website Optimize your health and performance - <br>free membership (please read) register for free there are some videos you can see totally free try them and you can know...

All Best

 

[Ms Mer]

I have the book, and it has some great stuff in there. However I'm a hands on learner so have found doing yoga classes regularly beneficial as I learn better with someone correcting me in poses and technique as I go. I see the book as a really good resource to go back to. I read it before I started yoga and I think that reading it again now, I'll get much more out of it.

 

[anthropisces]

Hiya

Pls get a teacher to show you how to do these as yoga/pranayama can harm if done poorly.

www.omdiver.co.uk

Amen to that and more. Please be sure that you are ready to accept the possibility of an injury whether you have a teacher or not. I injured myself severely in Bikram yoga two years ago. I told the instructors that I had disc problems in my lower back (herniations). The owner of the studio advised me to go fully into all of the poses and that the practice would "open me up". A few months into the practice I was as limber as a green branch but I began developing spasms in my legs, later followed by some pain that I can only describe as exhilarating. I am just now recuperated almost to the point where my back is nearly as good as when I started. Some yoga teachers will advise you to do things which will harm you. I would like to take up yoga again but I will go very slow and use my own judgement rather than being pressured by a "type-A" teacher.

 

[Simos]

Amen to that and more. Please be sure that you are ready to accept the possibility of an injury whether you have a teacher or not. I injured myself severely in Bikram yoga two years ago. I told the instructors that I had disc problems in my lower back (herniations). The owner of the studio advised me to go fully into all of the poses and that the practice would "open me up". A few months into the practice I was as limber as a green branch but I began developing spasms in my legs, later followed by some pain that I can only describe as exhilarating. I am just now recuperated almost to the point where my back is nearly as good as when I started. Some yoga teachers will advise you to do things which will harm you. I would like to take up yoga again but I will go very slow and use my own judgement rather than being pressured by a "type-A" teacher.

From my limited yoga experience I found that the faster-paced, power yoga type classes focused a lot less on correct technique and the high rep rate makes it more physically demanding which makes technique suffer even more and chances of injury are much higher.

The 'softer' approach with emphasis on correct technique etc never caused me an injury in 2-3 years of weekly yoga practice and a single fast power yoga session resulted in a minor injury. I am sure the instructor makes a big difference too...