Need my Tuesday coffee

[Simos]

Right, brace yourselves for a(nother) silly thread

I'm probably talking to the wrong crowd here but I love a nice cup of coffee and as a creature of habit, I have one every afternoon... apart from Tuesdays!!! That's because I freedive (pool training) every Tuesday evening.

So I suppose my questions are:

1. Is coffee in general bad for freediving? (even if avoided on the same day as diving)

2. How big of an effect would a cup of coffee have say 5 hours before freediving?

3. Given that it's just training and not a competition, would it matter at all if I had coffee before diving? ie would my training session be less effective or will the training benefit be the same but my time/distance would be less?

 

[wjohnson100]

Personally, I think you can guilt yourself into problems bigger than the actual problem of coffee. Obviously, coffee is a stimulant, and to that extent, it is not a positive; however, the reality is that drinking one cup of coffee is not going to affect you drastically, especially if 5 hours before. I drink coca cola all the time and have no problem doing 6 minute breath holds. Less coffee (or coca cola) is best, but if you wanna cup, go for it, and don't waste the O2 feeling guilty about it.

 

[wjohnson100]

All that said, if you get serious and want to reach your maximum potential, diet matters, and that includes coffee (and coca cola). Still drinking coca cola here though, so I am a bad example.

 

[wjohnson100]

In general, I think that things like coffee, coca cola, or any other poor food choice, have a bigger effect systemically than on any one particular breath hold or training session. Basically they prevent you from reaching your full potential, both in terms of general health, and of freediving performance, so in the end, you must decide your own level of commitment to your performance, and eat accordingly.

 

[wjohnson100]

For me, training in 3 hours, going out to get the coca cola. I'm thirsty.

 

[ReefTroll]

I think if you regularly drink caffeine your body doesn't get much of an effect from it, well not as much as if it was a new thing. Moderation is key I guess.

 

[Simos]

Thanks guys. I am not that serious about max performances and freedive mainly for fun and relaxation - my main worry is that it would kill my enjoyment a bit if I was doing a static and could feel my heart pumping. But I think you hit the nail on the head by saying that I have more 'sins' in terms of nutrition than coffee.

I guess on the other hand I can make myself feel better about having coffee because it has anti-oxidants that are needed after apnea lol

 

[cdavis]

Coffee effects on apnea are not well understood. A stimulant should be bad, but if you are addicted to caffeine, not having it can be worse. For sure, I felt terrible one day of my freediving course and it seemed to be lack of my normal caffeine hit. Drank my fill the next day and felt fine. The idea that it keeps you from reaching your max potential makes sense, but how many of us are really trying to get to max?

Something else funny that I have observed and several other DBers have reported. Moderately stiff coffee an hour or so before apnea and comfortable holds are quite a bit longer. I've done PBs 3 times like that. No idea how it works, but there sure seems to be a connection. I would not be surprised if there is some catch, sort of like hyperventilation, that might bite you in the end, but I have not seen it.

Connor

 

[Simos]

Yes I guess it's an odd one - in static I imagine it won't help but I wonder whether it could help with dynamic. In most other sports, a coffee boost before training would be beneficial...

 

[cdavis]

Most of my training is a combination of static/dynamic. FRC in the deep end of the pool, lay still for as long as comfortable, roughly 1.5-2.5 minutes, then swim about 50 yards, 3-4 minute total time. I'm trying to mimic my "real diving" pattern. Odd, but the benefit seems to come with a longer comfortable time in the static.

 

[Simos]

Interesting Connor - maybe I should have a red bull or something 30 mins before getting in the water next time I get to do some statics (ie not for a long time!) and see what happens!!!