My training. Will it work?

[Recreational_spearo]

Hello everyone, I'll share my training diary with you. Thanks to bboynaki for inspiration. I hope to be consistent. My goal is to be ready to hunt at -20/25 meters with a good dive time, say 2'30", by early summer; not at the end of the season, as has been the case for years. Since winter diving opportunities are rare, I've decided to start this "training" program.
I hope to receive advices on how to achieve the goal from all of you. Thanks in advance.

I started in very conservative mode both in pool and gym, trying to strengthening muscle, tendons, joints etc, and avoid injury.

FL=full lung
RV=forced exhale
FRC=passive exhale

1st MONTH

-- Day 1

morning: jogging 40'; then in the evening apnea walk (sit on the couch until first contraction, then walk). 1st attempt, contraction at 1:50, end 2:33; 2nd attempt, contraction at 1:50, end at 2:53

-- Day 2 - Nothing

-- Day 3 - Home Gym

Farmer walk - 2x30" with two 29 kg dumbells
Back Squat 68kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 60kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 6-4 reps
Incline bench press with 19 kg dumbells 2x12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbell 2x12-10 reps

-- Day 4 Apnea walk: Contraction at 1:45, end at 2:42

-- Day 5 - Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, no neckweight)

2xSTA (1st contr) + 25 mt DYN
4x25DYN RV Sprint rest 90 secs
20x25DYN full lung @1:00
10x50DYN FL @4:00 and @ 3:30
then 50DYN, 10 breath at wall, 25DYN, 10 breath, 25DYN

TOT UW 1250 mt

-- Day 6 - Home Gym

Farmer walk - 2x30" with two 30 kg dumbells
Back Squat 68kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 60kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 7-5 reps
Incline bench press with 19 kg dumbells 2x12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbell 2x12-9 reps

in the evening

Apnea walk: 1st contr 1:42, end at 2:41

-- Day 7 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, no neckweight)

2x25DYN slow
4x25DYN on RV rest 90 secs
2x12x25DYN FL @50"
6x50DYN FL @2:30
1x50DYN FL + turn

TOT UW 1100 mt

 

[jigsaw2]

Nice work staying consistent with both pool and dry training. Your approach looks balanced, especially with the conservative start to avoid injuries. As you go, just keep an eye on recovery; those leg sessions plus apnea walks can add up. Progress should come steadily if you keep building like this. Looking forward to seeing your next updates.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

Thanks for your reply, @jigsaw2 .

Here's the continuation of the 1st MONTH

-- Day 8

Jogging 45'

-- Day 9 - Home gym

Farmer walk - 2x30" with two 32 kg dumbells
Back Squat 69kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 62kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 7-5 reps
Incline bench press with 20 kg dumbells 2x12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbell 2x12-10 reps

-- Day 10 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, no neckweight, all FRC) - quick workout

1xSTA+25DYN FRC
14x25DYN FRC @1:00
2x100 crawl with restricted snorkel (mimic resistance breathing mask)

TOT UW 375 mt

-- Day 11 Apnea walk: Contraction at 1:35, end at 2:30

-- Day 12

Spearfishing: depth 8-18 mt, max dive time 01:40

then 10 dives on FRC until 10 mt, searching for relaxation, no ego dives, max dive time 01:10

-- Day 13 - Home gym

Farmer walk - 2x35" with two 32 kg dumbells
Back Squat 69kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 62kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 7-6 reps
Incline bench press with 20 kg dumbells 2x12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbell 2x9-9 reps

-- Day 14

Spearfishing depth between 18-21 mt, max dive time 01:30

 

[Recreational_spearo]

1st MONTH

-- Day 15

Apnea spin bike in the morning

2x30'' @02:00
5x35" @02:00
5x37" @02:00

then, in the afternoon,

Apnea walk

1st contr. 01:38 end at 02:32
1st contr. 01:56 end at 03:06

-- Day 16

Spearfishing. About 25 dives at 7-8 mt, then 3-4 dives at 20 mt, Dive times 1'20"-1'30".

-- Day 17 - Home gym

Back Squat 70kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 63kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 8-5 reps
Incline bench press with 21 kg dumbells 2x12_10 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbells 3x12-8_6 reps

-- Day 18

Nothing

-- Day 19 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, neckweight on)

1xSTA+25DYN
5x50DYN FL @04:00
5x50, turn and 3 kicks @04:00
1x50DYN FL, turn and 6 kicks
4x25DYN FRC sprint rec. 90"
2x100 crawl with restricted snorkel rest 01:00

TOT UW 675 mt

-- Day 20

Nothing

-- Day 21 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, neckweight on)

1xSTA+DYN total time 1'50"
4x50DYN FL @02:30
10x50DYN FL @02:15
10x50DYN FL @02:00
10x50DYN FL @01:50
10x25DYN FRC @01:00

For the first time I pushed a little harder to try to undestand wich recovery would allow me to feel the increase in CO2 and, at the same time, to finish the series of DYN. This interval is @1'50"

 

[Recreational_spearo]

1st MONTH

what I written on the day 21 in the previous post is reffered at Day 22 - Total UW 1975 mt -

This is the real day 21
-- Day 21 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, neckweight on)

1xSTA+25DYN
5x50DYN FL @02:45
5x50DYN FL @02:40
10x50DYN FL @02:30

TOT UW 1025 mt

-- Day 23 - Home gym

Farmer walk with 30Kg dumbells 2x30"
Back Squat 70kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 63kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 8-4-3 reps
Incline bench press with 21 kg dumbells 2x12_12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbells 2x12-12 reps

-- Day 24 - Freediving (speargun forgotten at home)

12 dives on FRC with short hang at bottom, depth 10-15 mt, max dive time 1'07"

then only one dive at -21 mt on full lung, dive time 1'36".

Really nice dive, relaxed, I only came back up because of the cold.

-- Day 25 - Home gym

Farmer walk 2x40"with 30Kg dumbells
Back Squat 71kg 2x12 reps
Deadlift 64kg 2x12 reps
BW Chin ups 6-4-4 reps
Incline bench press with 21 kg dumbells 2x12_12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbells 2x12-12 reps

-- Day 26 Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, neckweight on)

1xSTA+25DYN dive time 1'45"
12x25DYN FRC @01:00
4x25DYN FRC Sprint @02:00
12x50DYN FL @01:50
2x100 crawl no fins with restricted snorkel

TOT UW 1025 mt

-- Day 27

Nothing

-- Day 28 - Home Gym

Farmer walk 2x45"with 30Kg dumbells
Back Squat 72kg 2x12 reps
Lunges 5L-5R with 2 16 kg Kettlebells
BW Chin ups 7-5 reps
Incline bench press with 21 kg dumbells 2x12_12 reps
Overhead press with 13kg dumbells 2x12-12 reps

Then 5 devil press with a 20kg plate and 5L+5R gorilla rows with 16kg KB. Rest 01:00 and repeat 3 times

-- Day 29 - Pool (snorkeling rubber fins, neckweight on)

1xSTA+35DYN dive time 1'50"
12x25DYN FRC @00:55
12x50DYN FL @01:50
5x50DYN FL @1'45"
4x25DYN FRC Sprint rest 90"
3x100 crawl no fins with restricted snorkel

TOT UW 1285 mt

That's all for now.

If you have suggestions for next days and weeks, I'm all ears.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

-- Day 30 - Nothing

MONTH 2

-- Day 1 - Open water

9 dives FIM on FRC depth 8-14 meters with short hangs, max dive time 1'10"
5 dives on full lung, focus on duck dive.

5mm open cell wetsuit, 3mm socks, 6kg weight belt, water temp 16°C.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

MONTH 2

-- Day 2

Chest and diaphragm stretching

-- Day 3 - Pool (rubber fins and neck weight)

1xSTA+25DYN on full lungs
12x25DYN FRC (6x@55" and 6x@55")
7x50DYN FL @1'50"

This set was incredibly tiring, I couldn't stand the contractions, and my legs felt heavy during the last few meters of each rep.
Could it be because of the blood donation yesterday morning?

2x150 crawl with restricted snorkel
Then some 25DYN FRC just for fun, no contractions, full recovery.

TOT UW 775 mt

 

[Recreational_spearo]

-- Day 4 - Home gym

Back Squat 74kg 2x12 reps
Lunges 2x(5L-5R) with 2 16 kg Kettlebells
BW Chin ups 8-5 reps

Then 10 squat in overhead press with a 20kg plate and 5L+5R gorilla rows with 16kg KB. Rest 01:00 and repeat 2 times

-- Day 5 - Nothing

 

[rollerGR]

I have commando pullups and pistol squats to suggest as good bodyweight exercises.

Heavy bag work is also usually better than virtually any exercise, bodyweight or not. You could try having a few 10-10-10 minutes sessions. A padded wall can suffice if there's no bag around

 

[Recreational_spearo]

-- Day 6 - Pool (snorkeling rubber fins)

12x25DYN FRC (6x@55", 6x@50")

6x50DYN FL (Go, stop at 25m until 40", back to 50m) with fins but without neckweight
full recovery the, 3x50 DYN FL (same as above, but stop at 25 until 42"). quite hard sets, very heavy legs and headaches probably due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide

Switched to wearing both fins and neckweight

1x50DYN FL, complete recovery
2x50DYN FL (stop at 25m, wait until 45", then 25mt) complete recovery
2x50DYN FL (stop at 25m, wait until 60", then 25mt) complete recovery

these sets were more beautiful, I felt my heart slow down during the stop at 25, I can probably increase the hang next sesison.

TOT UW 1000 mt

 

[Recreational_spearo]

-- Day 7 - home gym

Deadilft 78 kg 1x8
Kettlebell swing 16kg 3x(10R+10L)
Walk with 2x16 kg kettlebells on shoulders 3x1:00
Chinups 8-5

then 7 squat in overhead press with 20kg plate and 7 gorilla rows each hand with 16kg kettlebell, 4sets @2:00

 

[Recreational_spearo]

Question: I typically train in the pool twice a week. If one of these days the sea conditions are good, is it advisable to train in the sea or continue working in the pool? My concern is that the volume of freediving in the sea is lower than in the pool. In fact, in the sea I would do about 10 dives at FRC of 10-15 meters and 2 or 3 at 20 meters (total underwater 200-300 meters at FRC and 80-120 meters with full lungs); while in the pool I almost always go over 800 meters underwater. On the other hand, in the sea the body would adapt better to the pressure, something that is completely lacking in the pool.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

I have commando pullups and pistol squats to suggest as good bodyweight exercises.

Heavy bag work is also usually better than virtually any exercise, bodyweight or not. You could try having a few 10-10-10 minutes sessions. A padded wall can suffice if there's no bag around

Thanks for suggestion @rollerGR. I will try it.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

MONTH 2

-- Day 8 -- Open water

15 dives on FRC max depth 12 mt, max dive time 1'00"

Water temp 16°C
Old 7 mm open cell jacket, 5 mm open cell trousers, 3 mm socks, weight belt 6 kg.

-- Day 9 - Open water

7 dives on FRC up to 12 mt;
3 dives on full lung 23-25 mt, max dive time 1'30""

-- Day 10 - Pool (short rubber fins and neck weigth on full lungs)

1xSTA 1st contraction+ DYN on FL 25 mt total time 2'07"
1x50DYN + turn and 10 kicks, on FL
1x50DYN + turn and 20 kicks, on full lung
4x (25DYN FL, STOP until 1'00"-1'00"-1'10"-1'15", 25DYN FL)
1x75DYN FL
6x50DYN FL @1'50" quite hard!
4x25DYN FRC sprint @1'30"
2x50mt crawl with restricted snorkel

TOT UW 800 mt

-- Day 11 - Home Gym

Back Squat 74kg 2x12 reps
Lunges 3x10(5L-5R) with two16 kg Kettlebells
BW Chin ups 8-6-4 reps

Then 5 squat in overhead press with a two 16kg kettlebells, 5L+5R gorilla rows with the same KBs, 5 biceps curl and 5 triceps extensions with one kettlebell. Rest 01:00 and repeat 3 times.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

--- Day 12 - Pool (short rubber fins and neck weigth only on full lungs)

1xSTA 1st contraction+ 25DYN on FL total time 1'50"
1x50DYN + turn and 10 kicks, on FL
1x50DYN + turn and 25 kicks, on full lung
4x (25DYN FL, STOP until 1'00"-1'10"-1'20"-1'20", 25DYN FL)
1x75DYN FL
6x50DYN FL @1'50" quite hard!
4x25DYN FRC sprint @1'00"

TOT UW 800 mt

--- Day 13 - Nothing

 

[Recreational_spearo]

2nd MONTH
--- day 14 -

Nothing

---day 15 -

Freediving open water

3 dives on FRC up to 10 m
5 dives at 21 m

water temp 14°C, jacket 8mm, pants 5mm, 6kg

-- Day 16 -

Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight)

1xSTA+25 DYN (about 1'50")
50 DYN on full lungs + turn and 15 kicks
50 DYN FL + turn and 30 kicks
3x(25 DYN-stop at bottom-25DYN) - didn't measure the "STOP TIME"
1x75 DYN
1x50 DYN

Tot UW 600 mt.

- Day 17 and 18

Nothing

--- Day 19

Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight, only Full lungs)

1xSTA+25 DYN (about 2 min)
50 DYN on full lungs + turn and 20 kicks
1x75 DYN
4x(25 DYN-stop at bottom-25DYN) - STOP TIME 1'15", 1'25", 1'35", 1'35"
1x75 DYN
6x50 DYN @2'00"

Tot UW 725 mt.

--- Day 20

Nothing

--- Day 21

Jogging 45'

 

[Recreational_spearo]

a loooong loooong pause (one entire month - from 24th day on month 2 to 23rd day of month 3 - without training except some running session)

MONTH 3

--- Day 24 ---

Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight, all on full lungs)

1xSTA+30 DYN
1x50 DYN + turn and 20 kicks
1x75 DYN
4x(25 DYN-stop at bottom-25DYN) - "STOP TIME" 1'00", 1'15", 1'30", 1'30"
6x50 DYN @2'00"
100 m. crawl with restricted snorkel

Tot UW 650 mt.

late evening

Jogging 35 min.

--- Day 25 -

Nothing

--- Day 26 -

Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight, all on full lungs)

1xSTA+25 DYN
1x50 DYN + turn and 20 kicks
1x75 DYN
6x(25 DYN-stop at bottom-25DYN) - "STOP TIME" 1'00", 1'15", 1'15", 1'15", 1'15", 1'15"
2x50 DYN @2'00"
1x40 DNF

Tot UW 550 mt.

late evening

Jogging 35 min.

---Day 27 -

Jogging 35 min.

--- Day 28

Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight, all on full lungs)

1xSTA+25 DYN (about 1'50")
3x75 DYN
5x(25 DYN-stop at bottom-25DYN) - "STOP TIME" 1'00", 1'15", 1'15", 1'15", 1'20"
3x25 DYN FRC
100 m. crawl with restricted snorkel

Tot UW 575 mt.

--- Day 29

Pool training focused on short distance sprint (25 mt) with a local freediving club

--- Day 30 - Home Gym

Squat, OH press, Romanian Deadlift, Push-ups, Barbell bent row, Farmer carries

--- Day 31 - Pool (short rubber fins and neck weight, all on full lungs)

1xSTA+25 DYN (about 2'15")
3x75 DYN
10x50 DYN @2'30"
8x25 DYN short recovery, but no contractions
3x100 crawl with restricted snorkel

Tot UW 950 mt.

 

[Recreational_spearo]

4th MONTH

-- Day 1 --

Jogging 40 minutes

-- Day 2 --

One RV Apnea Walk -- 21 secs :-(

then
Home Gym

Full body weight training

-- Day 3 --

8xRV DRY STATIC (41", 36", 45", 59", 54", 58", 48")

then, after few hours, POOL TRAINING (neickweight and short rubber fins)

1xSTA+ 40DYN (about 2'30")
3x75DYN (more than 2' dive time)
slow 40DYN
slow 50DYN
4x50DYN @2'30"
100 crawl

Tot UW 500 mt

-- Day 4 --

Jogging 40 minutes

-- Day 5 --

Pool Training with a local freediving club - too easy!

-- Day 6 --

Running and weight training at home

-- Day 7 --

Running 55 minutes

-- Day 8, 9, 10 and 11 --

Nothing except for an RV APNEA WALK - just 21"

-- Day 12 -- POOL

1xSTA+25DYN (about 2'15")
1x50DYN+20 kicks
2x50DYN long recovery
10x50DYN @3'
1x50DYN + 10 kicks
1x50DYN + turn
8x25DYN fast pace, without neckweight

Tot UW 975 mt

Late evening with local freediving club at the pool

-- Day 13 --

Weight training at home

 

[Recreational_spearo]

4th MONTH

-- Day 14 -- POOL TRAINING (neckweight and new short rubber fins)

I replaced the old Cressi Rondinella rubber fins with new, shorter and stiffer swimming Decathlon's fins.

1xSTA+25DYN about 1'40"
2x50DYN+10 kicks
1x50DYN
2x50DYN+15 kicks
12x50DYN @2'30"
4x50 @2'30"
50 mt crawl

Tot UW 1075 mt

-- Day 15 -- Nothing

--Day 16 -- POOL TRAINING (neckweight and rubber fins)

2xSTA+25DYN
1xSTA+50DYN
4x50DYN+20 kicks
1x75DYN
1x50DYN

Tot UW 425 mt

 

[Recreational_spearo]

4th MONTH

- Day 17 --

Running 30 minutes

-- Day 18 --

RV DRY STATIC (25", 27", 28", 26", 30", 33", 33", 29")

--- Day 19, 20 and 21 --

Nothing

-- Day 22 --

RV DRY STATIC (37", 44", 50", 44", 40", 51", 42", 54")

-- Day 23 --

APNEA WALK, stand still until 1st contraction

1st contr 1'02", end at 1'40"
1st contr 56", end at 1'46"

then POOL TRAINING

2xSTA+25DYN
1xSTA+50DYN (about 2'30")
4x75DYN (about 1'30" each)
1 slow 40DYN
10x50DYN @2'30"
GO-STOP-GO - 25DYN, stop until 1'00", 25DYN)

Tot UW 950 mt