Having trouble clearing past 30-35m

[Noah]

It seems my old technique of "pinch and blow" equalization is not going to cut it past 30-35m. Feel as though I've run out of proper volume to facilitate if that makes sense. Anyone care to recommend some tips/training resources to a spearfisherman?

Thankyou

 

[Julian Chapman]

Noah, I presume that you are trying to blow from your lungs, rather than using the Frenzel technique. If so, look up Frenzel and get a friend or instructor to help you with it. Once you have the feel for it, it is easy.

 

[Noah]

Yes, I do believe I am using a combination of lungs/mouth to clear, Thankyou for your reply

 

[Julian Chapman]

Noah, The rib cage (and therefore the lungs) reaches a point beyond which they can be compressed no further by the waer pressure- usually at about 30m. This means that you can´t breath any more air out of them for clearing/equalizing. . Frenzel involves trapping a pocket of air in the mouth and using the tongue rather than lungs, to push it into the ear canals and sinuses. To dive deeper, you can use "mouthfill": Fill the mouth with air before reaching the depth at which the lungs can´t compress further, then use Frenzel to equalise. I wish you good luck and happy, safe diving.

 

[Noah]

"Mouth fill", yes I have been playing with that, but does one have to "refill" the mouth again at some point past 30m? Or is the air trapped in mouth enough to go all the way?

 

[Julian Chapman]

Noah, you can make one mouthfill before you reach the residual volume of your lungs and this will allow several Frenzel eqaulizations. . However, please seek other´s advice too- I am not a instructor, just an ageing diver!

 

[emile.c]

"Mouth fill", yes I have been playing with that, but does one have to "refill" the mouth again at some point past 30m? Or is the air trapped in mouth enough to go all the way?

Theoretically, you could fill at 15m and go to 60m. without refilling.
Bu then other factors come into play. Equalizing the mask only till a certain depth, keeping your epiglottis closed the entire time (once you open it you loose the air) and mastering mouthfill and the sequential frenzel (with it's different tongue locks).
Filling after 25-30m. starts to get difficult, and gets very hard (for some impossible) after 35-40 meters (as you have experienced).

You should also practice a lot diaphragm stretching (uddiyana bandha) and adbominal strenght with Kapalabhati.
These exercise will help you be stronger while moving air and elastic when your lungs collapse.

I suggest you follow (if available) an advanced course to master these techniques, as there are many exercises you can do in shallow water without too much risk of deep dives.

Beware that filling at depth (after your residual by pushing air from lugs to mouth with your abdomen can cause serious barotrauma, so practice with care.

Have fun and dive safe!

 

[Noah]

Excellent info, Thankyou both very much!!

 

[cdavis]

Hi Noah,

Until you master mouthfil, stretching exercises can add 5 meters or more to your depth range. I do a combination of diaphragm stretches and intercostal stretches and it makes a very significant difference in how deep I can equalize. The intercostal stretch seems to make more difference for me than the diaphragm stretch. Do both 4 to 5 time a week. Takes several weeks to see improvement.

Good luck and tell us some fish stories.

Connor

 

[Noah]

Good to see you again old friend!! I may just try to talk you into going diving with me sometime so I can pick your brain lol... Have an awesome spring in Homassassa FL, vertical 50m drop, good for training if you want to come up

 

[emile.c]

This is a very good article on mouth-fill (or Frenzel-Fattah) :
http://dumagatfreedive.com/2014/12/01/frenzel-and-mouth-fill-equalization-techniques/

Good advices from cdavis and remember to take your time to master your depth limit before unblocking new levels!

Cheers!
Emile

 

[Noah]

Thankyou Emil!!

 

[cdavis]

spring offshore or onshore??

 

[Noah]

spring offshore or onshore??

Onshore, back in a swamp lol

 

[cdavis]

Now you got my attention, check your conversations

 

[Kray]

I keep hearing this "sequential frenzel (with it's different tongue locks)", what is it ?

 

[emile.c]

I keep hearing this "sequential frenzel (with it's different tongue locks)", what is it ?

Krav sequential frenzel it's a frenzel done with less and less air using tongue locks in a sequential way.
Basically frenzel it's just a name given to a kind of equalization where you use movement from your tongue to create air pressure to "push air into your ears".
To do this you need to block some air behind your tongue, so you have more or less three ways to do this.
1. Using your teeth and tongue (like if you say T) this is called T lock. This is the one that uses the more air.
2. using the upper middle hard palate and tongue (as when you say KA) that's the K lock.
3. and last using the back of your your tongue against the upper back of your hard palate ( like if you want to say H ) this is H lock.

These ways are sequenzial to each other because they allow you to equalize using less and less air.

Emile

 

[Kray]

Thanks, sounds useful. I'll play around with them.

 

[WhiteMamba]

It seems my old technique of "pinch and blow" equalization is not going to cut it past 30-35m. Feel as though I've run out of proper volume to facilitate if that makes sense. Anyone care to recommend some tips/training resources to a spearfisherman?

Thankyou

The Frenzel technique should be helpful if applied properly.