Hold times

[5kgLifter]

Being asthmatic, in the sense of a reliever asthma inhaler used 2 to 3 times a year as required, due to allergy or exercise induced in cold weather cycling; the latter of which I mostly walk it off and recover that way, as I have done since before I was given any medication...I wondered if any others had started out at low hold times, which are my personal bests obviously and I'm happy with them, don't get me wrong.

But my initial maximum hold was 40 seconds last week; and this week has increased to 1:34 seconds since I have been doing the CO2 and O2 tables in the mornings, one every other day this week, and only 3 sessions last week of the CO2, until I looked around the site and realised I should really have been doing both :head. I wondered if my initial max hold was worked out incorrectly by me, is there a good way in which to assess the max hold? as I intend to see if it has altered on Sunday so that I can recalulate the tables for next week's apnea sessions.

I just wondered if others had started at these sort of hold times and if they manage to progress to such as 4 minutes at all, from this base, over the course of their training.

 

[5kgLifter]

I've taken a good look around the forum, but I can't find any info on these points, so I'll just go with instinct tomorrow when I assess the new breath-hold time.

 

[Mullins]

I wondered if my initial max hold was worked out incorrectly by me, is there a good way in which to assess the max hold?

Yes: hold your breath as long as you can

 

[yoda turtle]

my first breath hold was 40 secs in june 08 with a bit of practice I got to an official 4mins 15 in october 08...you will get better in time but stay relaxed.

 

[5kgLifter]

Yes: hold your breath as long as you can

Many thanks Mullins, so I'm doing the max hold assessment in the correct way, that's good to know.

 

[5kgLifter]

my first breath hold was 40 secs in june 08 with a bit of practice I got to an official 4mins 15 in october 08...you will get better in time but stay relaxed.

40 secs, wow the same base start, I just though my initial time was way low, but obviously it's not as uncommon a time as I thought it would have been; I figured the asthma might have played a part in it, but thankfully, it doesn't seem the case.

I'm staying relaxed, and just enjoying the experience of gradual improvement, but it's nice to know that a 4 minute mark can be achieved from a base start of 40 secs.

When at college, I've even taking to walking one of the corridors with a breath hold at the end of the day, I don't know how far it is, but I get to the other end okay; maybe I'll ask the establishment what the distance is, although they may give me an odd look, but I won't tell them why I'm inquiring; when I go past the offices, I make out that I'm scratching/rubbing my face, so that they've no idea I'm holding my breath...no gasping when I reach the other end, so it's not too taxing, which is wiser I know with walking apnea, for safety reasons. I put safety above everything else, including increase of breath hold, otherwise I would see little point in it.

Many thanks for your positive responses.

 

[flying_spanner]

I've only been Freediving a year now. When I started I could barely swim one length of a 33m pool holding my breath. Now I can manage 130m (5 lengths of a 25m pool and a turn & push).

I get quite bad Hayfever. As I'm presently working as a Builder again, my allergies have been really bad of late (all the dust really sets me off). I've noticed that I have a constant heavy chest feeling as one of the symptoms. It means that my first couple of breath ups feel like crap until I have a good streatch.

I find time in the pool can help me relax. So I suggest spend time learning how to relax completely. And get comfortable. Think to your self if a breath hold is making you feel anxious "I'm fine, there is no danger I have a good buddy, I've done this before" then you should be able to shrug off the anxiety.

Asthmatics are often really good at this. As they are taught to try to control their breathing/heartrate/anxiety should they have an Asthema attack when medication isn't at hand.

Just a thought, give it a try and see if it helps makes those times longer

 

[yoda turtle]

Ha ha ..yeah when i apnea walk and people are around I have to do the all sorts of things to avoid getting their attention

 

[5kgLifter]

I've only been Freediving a year now. When I started I could barely swim one length of a 33m pool holding my breath. Now I can manage 130m (5 lengths of a 25m pool and a turn & push).

I get quite bad Hayfever. As I'm presently working as a Builder again, my allergies have been really bad of late (all the dust really sets me off). I've noticed that I have a constant heavy chest feeling as one of the symptoms. It means that my first couple of breath ups feel like crap until I have a good streatch.

I find time in the pool can help me relax. So I suggest spend time learning how to relax completely. And get comfortable. Think to your self if a breath hold is making you feel anxious "I'm fine, there is no danger I have a good buddy, I've done this before" then you should be able to shrug off the anxiety.

Asthmatics are often really good at this. As they are taught to try to control their breathing/heartrate/anxiety should they have an Asthema attack when medication isn't at hand.

Just a thought, give it a try and see if it helps makes those times longer

I did yoga for some years, and still like to do headstands, mainly just to prove I can do it. But I gave up Dynamic Yoga after problems with a bad increase in peristalsis due to all the twists involved in the 243 sequence move that I used to follow; however, I still do the Nidra, which is excellent for relaxation, so I think that is helping. And learning more and more, through this site, viewing other forums, and the internet in general, is beneficial in making sure I know as much as I possibly can, such as the fact that contractions are good, and not to be just given in to....

I find doing Neti helps with cleaning the nasal passages after being in dusty surroundings; I probably should do it every day, maybe I'll get myself back in the habit. It's just a small pinch of salt in some warm, lukewarm, water, in a Neti pot, and then just poured through each nostril separately; I prefer to let in come out the other nostril, whilst some let it drain through the mouth. The salt is to ensure correct osmotic pressure (??), if it burns slightly, then I got it wrong. [I was just thinking, you probably know all this already].

I also suffer from Hayfever, duirng grass cutting season, which I have to take constant medication for, in the form of one tablet daily, otherwise I cannot sleep, due to being 'water-logged'...sometimes, life doesn't seem very fair...but I keep doing what I really want to do. Medication starts in Feb and finishes about Oct, but it has no side effects of drowsiness, thankfully.

Many thanks for all the encouragement folks.