Inhalation speed

[black1]

Hello all

I recently finished the Performance Freediving Intermediate course which was fantastic and I learned quite alot about physiology, safety, breathing patterns etc, etc and met some really great people. In the course we are taught for breathing pattern to take a quick inhalation and slow exhalation, inhalation increases heart rate and exhalation slows it down which is what we want.
Speaking to some spearo buddies of mine they all do slow inhalations along with slow exhalations, I was wondering what others here do for there breathing pattern as far as "fast" inhalation or "slow" inhalation? followed by slow exhalations, thanks all.

 

[trux]

Yes, you want a slow heart rate during the dive, so it is true that lowering it already before the immersion can help, but on the other hand having rapid HR during the breath-up actually helps oxygenating the body (especially the venous blood) better. So it has both advantages and disaatvatages, and both of the methods you mention can work. If you have good, strong, and quick diving reflex, having rapid HR prior the dive may be better for you. That's usually the case for people who start their dive on relatively high level of CO2. In contrary, when you hyperventilate, which already increases the heart-rate, you may be more interested in lowering it, because it also delays the diving reflex, hence getting it as low as possible before the immersion makes sense.

 

[black1]

Trux does slow inhalation speed up a persons heart rate cosiderably or mildy, I suppose it depends on the person, health, weight, etc, etc. I have not tried it yet to breath with a "slow" inhalation and exhalation and see if there is a difference for me personally as compared to a "Fast" inhalation with slow exhalation, will have to give it a try. I was taught in PF to use if desired no more than "5" purges (mild form of hyperventilation) then return to normal relaxed breathing pattern for at least 2 to 3 cycles then peak inhalation and dive, I prefer around "3" purges and no more just to feel slightly more comfortable in the dive, I know there is a long thread on this and no need to go in to it here, but, I was curious about speed or no speed of inhalation, thanks.

 

[trux]

Yes, there are diverse factors involved. You can read more about vagal stimulation, or about respiratory arrhythmia when you google the terms - for example this link will be at the top, and it indeed describes it well:

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_sinus_arrhythmia"]Respiratory sinus arrhythmia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

What is not mentioned there, is that the rapid inhale can also lead to hyperventilation when not done properly. That itself already increases the HR alone. Then the muscular effort needed for the rapid inhalation may lead to more muscle work than necessary and in consequence to higher O2 consumption and HR again. And then, it can also disturb your relaxation, having impact on the HR again. But if you learn doing it properly and get used to it, it can certainly have advantages.

 

[black1]

I guess I should say a "quicker than normal inhale" rather than rapid, this is what I do so I dont believe it puts me in a hyperventilation area. Thanks Trux always a pleasure.