Lung Training

[ivan]

hi Guys

As some of you would know ive been doing dry static practice and this is the only training I have done, From tommorow I plan on doing my secong bit of training, im going to try and increase my lung capacity. I want to increase the amount I can take in on a single breath more so than packing, this is the training Im considering doing, Wake up before school do 10 sets of my max pack which is 10 packs come home from school and do 30sets of 10packs this will be 40sets a day is this enough all so Am I on the right track in trying to increase my lung capacity or is there a faster and better way to do it I understand Lung capacity is not all that important but any imput from you guys would be most appreciated i cant buy any powerlung things or anything like that cos im poor but I believe that practicing lung packing will increaese the amount I can take on one breath, thanks

cheers

 

[basco]

Well, instead of trying to increase your max lung volume, try to lower your residual volume(the amount of air thats left in your lungs after total exhale). It's more easy on the lung tissue and you wont hurt yourself as bad as with packing if something goes wrong. There are some good yoga postures for this.

As for the total lung volume, the best way to go is to breath a lot when the body is immersed in water. Swimmers often have large lungs. So swim a lot, or play UW-rugby or something like that. I think you'll benefit more from that than from packing, because when you pack, you do passive streching, but many big breahts immersed in water, are more like active stretching. I tried myself to stretch and pack my lungs in order to make them bigger, but I didnt see any results, actually they became smaller instead. (Maybe because I didnt dive for almost the whole winter)

Maybe anyone else has better experience? Maybe you can learn how to pack more, but when I packed and stretched a lot, I didnt see any difference in total inhaled volume.

Of course, dive a lot and your lungs will also grow. There have been studies here made on the staff of the submarine escape tank who daily do a lot of 20 meter dives. Their lungs did grow a bit every year.

And pleeeease, put in some more dots in your texts. This is killing me!!

 

[basco]

One more thing, how old are you boy? Remember like with all physical training, nothing will happen over a night! Lungs develop over months and years of training. In general the lungs grow until you are about 18-20, and I guess you're are a bit younger than that? So your lungs are still growing and developing, don't hurt them. Just dive and be happy.

The lungs has nothing(not much anyway) to do with it.. I know many divers with lungs half the size of other divers but that still dive a lot deeper and hold their breath longer anyway! It's all in your head.

 

[ivan]

hi Basco

Do you mean full stops sorry about that I will try but im pretty poor at english. Im 16 and have some bad news today I woke up and did the 10sets of 10 packs like I said. It felt okay then I went to school and about 4 hours later I started feeling pain in the lower part of my throat and upper part of my chest. then about 3pm today it became really painful and It really hurt when I swallowed and moved I was getting worried. It has settled down a bit know but I don;t know what happen I felt okay when doing the packing this morning. I cant dive regularly because of wheather and depth of ocean I dive around once a month I was just wondering if their were some dry lung exercises that would increase my lung size maybe Eric fattah or someone might know some. I am the only person who does this apnea stuff in my area so I have pretty much learnt stuff from trial and error and have hurt my body a bit in doing so. This is why im seeking assitance from you guys who know how to do these things. Also would pack stetching be more effective at increasing the amount I can inhale on one breath than actual packing. I know lungs arnt that important but it would be handy. Also how does swimming increase your lung capacity I didn't really understand wouldnt it be just as effective to practice breathing deeply. As you can see my knowlege is very limited but I think I might try pack stretching or something when this pain goes away. Thanks for youe info Basco.

cheers

Ps is that better with the full stops

 

[basco]

The swimming makes your lungs bigger because when your body is submerged in water and you breath heavily, the muscles around the lungs have to work a lot. The stronger muscles will allow you to fill your lungs easier and much more. I belive that the lungs themselves adapt and become more flexible and bigger too. Anyway, most of the people in sports like cross country skiing and swimming develop large lung volumes. So I guess that that's the way to go + a lot yoga-stretching so your ribcage will be flexible when you go deeeeep.

You are still young, and your body is still developing fast. Try to swim a lot. Thats my advice. Anything that will make you breath like crazy when submerged in water. If you think that powerlung-thing is too expensive, try out the one at http://www.ultrabreathe.com/. It a bit more simply, but its much cheaper.

I dont have time to write more now --> dive

 

[ivan]

hi

Thanks Basco if swimmings the only way to go I will swim, but first I will try and email Eric fattah and see what he thinks.

cheers

 

[Griff]

crazy idea

if you want a device to create resistance to breathing, then how about using a narrow diameter pipe to breathe through, like a straw or something. in effect, you create a lower pressure with your lungs to achieve the greater flow rate needed. similar to swimming? if this has been tried and deemed a failure, then somebody please say so.

Mark

 

[Griff]

Respitaroty Trainers.

Looking at the website i'm more convinced about the straw idea. i think it would be very easy to make one of those things yourself. all you need is an old snorkle, for the mothpiece, and a ball valve to attach to it. i'd cut the snorkel off to reduce the amount of air that is rebreathed. that gives you the adjustable form to use for different applications. it wont look as cool though...:hmm

 

[Jersey Jim]

Lung exercise device

Ivan:
If you are looking for a way to strengthen the muscles that help you inhale, just sit in the shallow end of a pool with a snorkel and adjust the depth you submerge your head, an inch at a time. You will be able to custom tune the inhale resistance to an incredible amount. If you get really good, you could take a piece of plastic pipe and extend the length of the snorkel by a couple of inches. You'll find this to be incredible training.
Good luck,
Jim

 

[DSV]

If you guys don't want to buy a Power Lung (about $90 U.S.) then get a short piece of PVC pipe and glue a ball valve on it. (about $5 U.S.) Then you can adjust the volume of air that comes through it.


DSV

 

[ivan]

Hi

Thanks guys for the response. Griff and DSV i have no practical skills what so ever and that thing with the ball would probably be to hard for me to make. Jersey Jim i was interested in what you said about the snorkel do you mean just jump in the pool with a snorkel and breath and sink further down until the snorkels almost under. How does that increase your lung capactity also do you have a program or do you just jump in with a snorkel and breath. This is what I have come up with to improve lung capacity. Wake up swim 1 to 2 km come home and do 30sets of my max packs. And maybe some of this snorkel breathing thing.

cheers

 

[DSV]

Lung Stretches

Ivan,

Do you know how to "pack"?

If so you can do lung and chest wall stretches by inhaling and then packing as much air in as is possible. Please be careful not to over pack because you can hurt yourself. Just go until you get uncomfortable then hold for about 10 secs. Do 3 to 5 a day. This will help make your chest cavity and lungs more flexible which will help increase lung capacity.

If you don't know how to pack check out www.freedivehawaii.com under the Physiology tag and check out the article by Erik Fattah on the Frenzel Technique. At the end of the article (also very informative on equalization) there is a segment on "Packing".

DSV

 

[ivan]

DSV

I think I can pack I inhale to max then fill my mouth and force air into lungs this is a pack isint it. I did do this until I got hurt the other day Sore bottom of throat and lungs its a bit better now. I understand how to pack stretch this is when you pack then say put your arms abvove head and bend forward and push back out. then put arms behind back and push chest out and stretch and do it on the left and right as well. Is this pack strecthing also what is better at increasing lung capacity Pack strecthcing or just Packing.

cheers