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Martin Stepanek Crushing it October 3-9, 2011. Egypt

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flamencoguru

flamencoguru

Member
Nov 23, 2009
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I'm sure many of us have been following Martin's progress. Things are getting interesting! Here is a video of Martin giving a "hang-loose" sign at 120m.... complete beast!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNUzefTLdgA]STEPANEK - XTB World Record Challenge 2011 Easy turn at 120m - YouTube[/ame]

We'll see what he gives us in the coming days.

Ladies and Gents... fasten your seat belts!!
 
I joked that he gave us the shaka because he was so narc'd out, but Niki promptly responded that he does not experience narcosis. Surprised to hear that considering this is the limiting obstacle for several of the other big dogs. Are any others immune to it even past 100m?
 
I don't think anybody considers it the limiting obstacle - not that I know of anyway. EQ is the main one. My own narcosis comes and goes a bit. I've had a couple of dives past 110m that were narcosis free, 118m was nice and clear, but other times it has been significant as shallow as 90-100m.

It's a whole separate topic, but I think erratic descent speed might be quite a big factor for me. From memory Martin's profiles are very consistent, which could help to reduce the narcosis.
 
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Ol Dirty Diver said:
I joked that he gave us the shaka because he was so narc'd out, but Niki promptly responded that he does not experience narcosis. Surprised to hear that considering this is the limiting obstacle for several of the other big dogs. Are any others immune to it even past 100m?
Click to expand...

He probably does experience narcosis, but manages it so well that it isn't an issue. Kind of like people who handle their booze well versus the ones who turn into slobbering idiots.
 
Nice to hear clarification from one of the big dogs himself! Guess I arrived at that notion after hearing about one of your long dives, Walter's 40 sec hang, etc.

I've wondered if one's alcohol (i.e., beer) tolerance/experience may help with dealing with narcosis, not physiologically but mentally? In the same way that someone needs to "deal" when driving under the influence or otherwise having to remain responsible?
 
Oh it's caused problems, sure. I think it's more of a safety concern than a performance limiter though. The kind of thing that can really stuff up a dive every now and then. Wish I could get rid of it...
 
x_yeti said:
He probably does experience narcosis, ...
Click to expand...
At the last record attempt in Egypt he told me he really did not. And he knows well what narcosis is because he worked years as a professional technical diver, so it is not the case that he has it, just do not realize it.

I find amazing he is diving to 120m with a plain mask, not even a Sphera. Well, if the video is indeed from a 120m dive. But in the same time Martin answered me to a question when he is going to put away the mask and start using a noseclip, that he'll do it when he starts having problems with a mask. So perhaps it really is on a 120m dive. Just it is a bit suprising that it is such a relatively big-volume mask.
 
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Those spheras can compress quite a lot though, no?

Edit - oh, it's not a sphera. Nice!
 
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Yes, just that's why Spheras are better for deep diving. But he does not have any Sphera on this video
 
There is a new video on the website today. (Hmm, well, nothing really interesting, just a group photo :( )

 
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trux said:
At the last record attempt in Egypt he told me he really did not. And he knows well what narcosis is because he worked years as a professional technical diver, so it is not the case that he has it, just do not realize it.

I find amazing he is diving to 120m with a plain mask, not even a Sphera. Well, if the video is indeed from a 120m dive. But in the same time Martin answered me to a question when he is going to out away the mask and start using a noseclip, that he'll do it when he starts having problems with a mask. So perhaps it really is on a 120m dive. Just it is a bit suprising that it is such a relatively big-volume mask.
Click to expand...
You sure that's not a Sphera? Looks like it to me. In any case, it must be nice to still have his no-mask card up his sleeve, though diving with a mask is potentially at odds with maximum reflex stimulation (which may be another card up his sleeve to draw later).

It's no secret his chest flexibility is one of his strongest weapons. One day at Honaunau under Martin's supervision I watched him do a very deep exhale dive. After surfacing he said "That was a good one...Felt my sternum touch my spine." I'm not so sure he was joking.
 
Yes, after looking at the video again, you may be right that it is Sphera. On the first view it looked to be a different mask to me.
 
I hope he make it especially for cnf since atm william in this discipline is the deepest athlete with a big gap of metres compared to others.
Nice to see martin coming back since his last record didn't heard a lot about him, maybe too much busy with his new school. I've read that he'll come to lignano too for indoor aida event
 
It looks like Stepanek keeps the cards very close to his chest. His official attempts are scheduled from today. Does anyone know anyhting about when the first attempt will go down and in what discipline? Or maybe he doesn't know himself yet, but decides from how he feels in the morning? And then there is the weather conditions etc. Any info?
 
Ol Dirty Diver said:
I've wondered if one's alcohol (i.e., beer) tolerance/experience may help with dealing with narcosis, not physiologically but mentally? In the same way that someone needs to "deal" when driving under the influence or otherwise having to remain responsible?
Click to expand...

Been speaking to Herbert?

Trux, you can't state that with certainty. Ever had a friend say he is 100% fine after having had a couple of drinks? A person's alcohol tolerance might be high enough not to display any major changes in behaviour and the person might not 'feel' affected, but that doesn't mean that the person IS unaffected. Maybe we can get him to walk on a straight line at 100m? :)
 
At least with alcohol tolerance, the amount you're drinking regularly makes a significant difference to your level of impairment after a given number of drinks. I went from 1-2 dozen drinks a day to total abstinence for seven years. When I finally had another drink, a third of a glass of wine had me giggling like a schoolgirl. Kathryn can vouch ;)

I doubt narcosis would be any different?
 
Repeated exposure to narcosis does seem to increase resistance, as I have found and Will T. has taken to the extreme.
 
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