Question Monofin snorkling

[Pegasus]

Hello everyone

So, I learnt to swim underwater before I learnt to swim on top of it, much to the annoyance of my swim teachers. I've always been interested in scuba diving and was regularly asking my colleagues that dive what they were up to and what equipment they had etc etc. However, I was never really up for giving it a try, I don't know why it just didn't take so well.

Anyway, I've picked up my swimming quite a lot the past 6 months. I go three, sometimes four times a week and go into the fast lane. There's triathletes and competitive swimmers blasting front crawl up and down all the time, trying to go as fast as they can. I can just about keep up with my breathstroke. I'm not intested in the speed competition, I just swim breathstroke underwater until I need to come up, which is about after 20 meters, swim there and back normally and then do the same again.

So I figured i'm more intersted in getting better at that sort of thing and they I started practising dolphin kick and looking at monofins, then reading about freediving etc.

> What I really want to do for now is perhaps just get used to having my feet strapped together in a monofin in the pool, practise my kick and just cruising about on or just below the surface with a snorkel or conventional breathing with a few short runs (aiming for 25m) underwater until the natural urge to want to breath again occurs, mainly for a workout and improving my breatholding time just by becoming fitter for now. I'm not really interested in surpressing the need for breath for the moment.

I read all this stuff about blackouts/samba and it freaks me out a bit.

1) Is what i'm proposing safe enough for the moment until I can get onto a course?
2) Does using a fin drastically change how and when I would want to breath in the pool?

 

[cdavis]

The distances you reference should be no problem. A heathy person is in little or no danger of blackout before one minute.
a fin changes increases distance and speed. By itself, it doesn't have much effect on breathing rate.

If you get very far into it, a course would do you a lot of good.

 

[Deano 647]

Hello everyone

So, I learnt to swim underwater before I learnt to swim on top of it, much to the annoyance of my swim teachers. I've always been interested in scuba diving and was regularly asking my colleagues that dive what they were up to and what equipment they had etc etc. However, I was never really up for giving it a try, I don't know why it just didn't take so well.

Anyway, I've picked up my swimming quite a lot the past 6 months. I go three, sometimes four times a week and go into the fast lane. There's triathletes and competitive swimmers blasting front crawl up and down all the time, trying to go as fast as they can. I can just about keep up with my breathstroke. I'm not intested in the speed competition, I just swim breathstroke underwater until I need to come up, which is about after 20 meters, swim there and back normally and then do the same again.

So I figured i'm more intersted in getting better at that sort of thing and they I started practising dolphin kick and looking at monofins, then reading about freediving etc.

> What I really want to do for now is perhaps just get used to having my feet strapped together in a monofin in the pool, practise my kick and just cruising about on or just below the surface with a snorkel or conventional breathing with a few short runs (aiming for 25m) underwater until the natural urge to want to breath again occurs, mainly for a workout and improving my breatholding time just by becoming fitter for now. I'm not really interested in surpressing the need for breath for the moment.

I read all this stuff about blackouts/samba and it freaks me out a bit.

1) Is what i'm proposing safe enough for the moment until I can get onto a course?
2) Does using a fin drastically change how and when I would want to breath in the pool?

Hi Pegasus, the first thing you should do before anything else is a take a basic freediving course that is available in your area. You will learn SO much ... and most of tour questions will be answered. What city/country do you live in ? - Dean

 

[Pegasus]

Hi Pegasus, the first thing you should do before anything else is a take a basic freediving course that is available in your area. You will learn SO much ... and most of tour questions will be answered. What city/country do you live in ? - Dean

Hi Deano

I'm in the Central UK, seems to be difficult to find any courses or even clubs for that matter. I have looked.

 

[pfeffinski]

hey pegasus

one very important thing to consider for your safety is your surface time inbetween the dives. i think the official suggestion is to spend at least the same amount of time on the surface (while breathing normally and relaxed) as you have spent during your previous dive. i heard other suggestions like to spend the doubble amount of time on the surface, and me personally i stick to that, better safe then sorry. if you only dive in the pool you dont necessarly need a fancy dive computer, but SEAC (and probably more brands) sell a simple water and depth proof watch for about 30 euros. it has a standart stop watch function.

while beeing on the surface try to be as calm and relaxed as you can physically and mentally and breath completely normal (dont hyperventilate!)

have fun=)

 

[Deano 647]

Hi Deano

I'm in the Central UK, seems to be difficult to find any courses or even clubs for that matter. I have looked.

Hi Pegasus. In the UK you could not possibly go wrong by contacting legendary UK freediver and instructor Georgina Miller. She may not be local to you, but if you reach out to her, she will certainly know who is. See here. https://www.aquacityfreediving.com

 

[Pegasus]

Hi Pegasus. In the UK you could not possibly go wrong by contacting legendary UK freediver and instructor Georgina Miller. She may not be local to you, but if you reach out to her, she will certainly know who is. See here. https://www.aquacityfreediving.com

Thanks very much for the recommendation!

 

[SDC79]

Hi Deano

I'm in the Central UK, seems to be difficult to find any courses or even clubs for that matter. I have looked.

Whereabouts? I ask because whilst it can be hard to find clubs and courses in the U.K., they do exist and I may be able to direct you to one. Feel free to send me a direct message if you'd rather not share your location with everyone. And good luck either way!

 

[Deano 647]

Whereabouts? I ask because whilst it can be hard to find clubs and courses in the U.K., they do exist and I may be able to direct you to one. Feel free to send me a direct message if you'd rather not share your location with everyone. And good luck either way!

I'm in Australia ! As usggested just contact Georgina Miller, I'm sure she'll steer you right https://www.aquacityfreediving.com/contact/

 

[SDC79]

I'm in Australia ! As usggested just contact Georgina Miller, I'm sure she'll steer you right https://www.aquacityfreediving.com/contact/

Thanks, but I meant where is Pegasus?!

Georgina is both marvellous and lovely, but Aquacity is a long way from basically everywhere, and there are plenty of courses and clubs closer to 'central U.K.' (including my own club, as an example). What's more, whilst Georgina will certainly be aware of BFA-affiliated clubs (she is their current chair, I believe), there are clubs which don't use the BFA any more, primarily because they no longer provide insurance cover to members.

There's plenty more freediving going on in the U.K. than it would appear from looking at the BFA and competitions.

 

[Pegasus]

Thanks, but I meant where is Pegasus?!

Georgina is both marvellous and lovely, but Aquacity is a long way from basically everywhere, and there are plenty of courses and clubs closer to 'central U.K.' (including my own club, as an example). What's more, whilst Georgina will certainly be aware of BFA-affiliated clubs (she is their current chair, I believe), there are clubs which don't use the BFA any more, primarily because they no longer provide insurance cover to members.

There's plenty more freediving going on in the U.K. than it would appear from looking at the BFA and competitions.

The best part of course, Yorkshire.