I want to share some of my experience with trying different breathups.....
Since i've started to compete in freediving in 2004, i've tried many ways of breathing and got to some conclusions that i will try to share with you.
When i'm doing statics(without warmups and with normal breathing,like i'm sleeping),contractions come pretty early, at about 1:40-2:00 and start to be very hard to cope with after 3-3:30,and that way my PB is about 4mins...
Also i've tried doing warmups and hyperventilation and that way my PB is 5:55(on my bed) and i haven't had LMC's or blackouts doing statics either way(with or without hyperventilation).I always end my dive due to contractions that become too strong.
So, when I'm doing STATICS I do some kind of hypervetilation that enables me to relax for a longer period of time during a breathold, saving my oxygen, as I don't have to fight contractions from 2 minutes(that I think also raises oxygen consumption).
On the other hand when I'm doing DYN,CWT,DNF,CNF.....I use a totally different breathup.My breathing is VERY slow and VERY shallow and i think i start my dive slightly hypercapnic as I have the urge to breath(not contractions) basically from the begining of the dive.I started breathing this way after reading many articles,threads here on deeperblue and when I started to really understand what happens in one's body and how it reacts when it's not breathing.When doing this kind of a breathup contractions come earlier ,but the diving reflex in much stronger and very early into my dive i start to feel blood moving from the extermities to the core.Since i altered my breathup i've done PBs in all the disciplines(except STA) and i've come up with exhausted legs but PERFECTLY clear in my mind.
At the end I want to say that I just wanted to share MY experience with everyone and in any way i'm not encouraging anyone to hyperventilate.
Stay safe and NEVER,NEVER DIVE ALONE