Newbie: Need Help

[reesemortensen]

Ok, i did try....not full table, just my maxium to see how this works.

Actually i am more confused. It did increase as i did breath more before, or relax myself more. It went from holding 28 seconds to 42 seconds.

Maybe i could 50 seconds fully relaxed (i was at the car, my mom driving, radio full sound, and i was listening to what they said). Anyway, the problem is...i still dont know when to stop.

At 42 seconds, i had contractions every second, and started feel dizzy, plus see blurry, and feel weird. So i stopped.

After doing it couple of times i had headache. Did anyone had it? (but later didnt have).

Anyway, is it the correct moment to stop? LOL...i felt truly dizzy....LOL

Well...how will i get to increase my capacity???

Nora

 

[lungfish]

Hi Reese and Danny,

It seems to me that it would be a terrible waste if one didn't try to share the things one is passionate about with others. Freediving is a great way to illustrate how one can master ones mind and body to do things that aren't possible for the untrained person. Even better, it allows one to go to places where one's perceptions and skills of observation and survival are challenged and enhanced.

Frankly, even though I had nationally ranked times when I was 18 and undertook intense competitive swimming training (Olympic level workouts), I couldn't really say that I had mastered swimming until I could freedive.

The heart rate slows whenever you practice breathing up correctly...or whenever you think about a particularly satisfying dive.

About your apnea drills, this is ok... tomorrow do the C02 section (it should seem easier). You will feel some adjustments taking place as you learn how to hold your breath. The headache and struggle will go away as you work on this first phase of the tolerance tables. Just do it, go with it. You will notice that your sensations when holding your breath will change... Most people do not even think about their breathing and lungs as much as freedivers actively practice using them so you are going to learn some things. Doesn't sound like a problem for you....

As far as my own martial arts background, I did a lot of different things including training in Japan. I spent some time with Chinese martial arts and studied for awhile under the top instructors of the Wu Tang Gung-fu federation (Lin Chiao Liu, Adam Hsu, Kurt Wong..). Fought tournament Olympic Tae Kwon Do, qualified for the trials but didn't go. Left competitive karate for scholarship in classical budo and weapons. Spent more time with Iaido, Aikido and Aiki-jutsu with emphasis on learning history and philosophy of different Ryu.

I think the concentration is quite complimentary to freediving and such a good exercise. Like Yoga, or board/stone breaking, candle cutting, and other feats that arise when we successfully integrate our will with our bodies.

As far as my own choices and the Kona place, it seems like the right move. I want to buy a home or two on the island and I need some time to learn the area and find the places I want to invest in.... and I would like to start a business or three there - including some kind of freediving/spearo related biz. Not really sure, just yet. Too many good ideas, gotta sort'em out...

Anyway, keep trying. It takes time to master breath hold skills. Just try to complete the sets. If you can do them, then try to do it a second time - in other words, wait two days and then do the entire Phase 1 drill again... once you can complete it comfortably and you get used to apnea, then we'll up the duration and you can start seeing improvement.

All the best

Danny, Reese, and any one else who reads this is quite welcome to come visit in Kona and dive like madmen(women).

Lungfish

 

[reesemortensen]

WOW lungfish, you did many things!!!!!

Umm you have many plans i can see. Its really good I admire ya!!!

You did really many different martial arts...WOW!

You rock!

I will try get used to those tables.

How much will be the increase each time i am comfortable with 1 table? I mean, i dont understand how this increase process goes??

Anyway...thankkssssss,

I hope one day to meet ya

Nora

 

[lungfish]

I think that a couple of things kind of pulled it all together for me.... I read Miyamoto Musashi's Go Rin No Sho and I studied Project Management (Look up Project Management Institute on Google). Essentially, both the book and the vocation are about the same thing. Project management is the art of making things happen, creating things, developing things, finding things, etc... it is the skill of life and so fundamental that there are very few things in your world that don't have the ghostly fingerprints of project managers on them. It is a great vocation that can let you travel and do all kinds of crazy stuff.

So basically, find what you like to do - make certain that you are ethically, morally, physically, financially, familial, spiritually aligned (look up Buddhist- Noble Eight Fold Path on Google) and then go and do it. There is no age restriction to this and those who understand it succeed when they put that understanding to use.

I studied martial arts by identifying the best schools available in the town I was in, or the best opportunities, and training like a maniac. When I lived in Missoula, Montana, I fought exhibition matches using kickboxing against boxers. I studied a type of Karate-do from a man who won the All Japan Karate Championships twice - only one other, Kanazawa, has done that. I studied Gung Fu from some of the best available in the US.... I just made certain that I identified authentic schools and representatives of authentic systems or identified specific techniques or fighters that I wanted to learn about. Further, I studied a lot of books and histories about martial arts, philosophy, spiritual practices, chi/ki, meditation and breathing, etc...

I think that Gichin Funakoshi summed it up nicely... "When it is raining, practice Karate Do, when it is sunny practice karate-do, when you are tired practice karate do....."

About the tables...

After you better understand your limits we can increase the increments by, say, five seconds. Just build up slowly while you get familiar with how it feels. Believe it or not, your body has enough 02 in it to sustain it for a very long time. Try to do the tables in a quiet moment.

As a swimmer with a large chest expansion I could hold my breath, without training for about 3:45. It took me about three months of practice to break through 5minutes and it takes serious, consistent practice to continue improving. However, I quit doing long statics trying for my personal best and instead only focused on the tolerance tables. Now, in my tolerance tables I regularly do longer than my personal best and I really have no idea how long I could actually hold my breath....

All I know is that I can stay down with the dolphins a little longer if I keep practicing....

Lungfish

 

[reesemortensen]

WOOOW! Thanks for all the info

I love when you write about everything ;-)

You did 3:45??? WOW! I read many that their first time was like 2-4 mins. Then...whats wrong with me??? Overstressed?? LOL

Thanks, very nice pics by the way. :-D

(do you ever chat? by msn or yahoo, or even skype?

Nora

 

[lungfish]

Hi Reese,
Don't worry, it is all about experience and familiarity with the sensations of apnea. The more you do it, the longer you will be able to do it.
It is important to find a calm, quiet place to do the tolerance tables. If you do the breath-up pattern for the first two minutes while you focus on reducing your heart rate, it will be easier. You might try to visualize successful, comfortable breath-holds the same way you visualize archery shots...

About archery, you say you like compound bows over recurves.... is it about the control at the end of the draw? You have to be quite strong and smooth to shoot a recurve repeatedly because of the constant tension. Because of this the shot demands a more complete movement rather than a hold on an exhale with a slow release. What is your preference?

I once watched a group of Japanese archers shooting clay pots hanging from ropes - from horseback at a full gallop using Japanese long bows. They are interesting because the arrow is long and the draw pulls all the way to the shoulder before the release. This forces the head to one side and a somewhat different sight picture. It is deadly accurate though and the arrows are big and heavy, compared to European bows. Long range, like the English Yew wood Longbow.

I think one of my favorite images of a Japanese archer is from Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. The bandits entered the village on horse back and a lone bowman pics up his arrow and draws his bow. As the rain falls, he pauses and becomes one with the moment - and then the shot is released and a horseman dies.

Don't worry about freediving and body building. Just make certain that you do aerobic training 3-4 times a week and tolerance tables. Karate is good, so is swimming, running, etc. I like to work on the punching bag, myself and then cross train to avoid boredom.

I suppose we could set up a chat... PM me on this site and I will forward my email address... I also have a public address lungfish001@yahoo.com

Lungfish

 

[reesemortensen]

Ummm i have tried compound, but was a lil too heavy for me (65lbs draw). So i bought a simple recurve, very very cheap just to not be bored and to not lose the practice. I like the compound. Both are equally hard, because in competitions, in compound you are allowed less mistakes than in recurve (because compound is more precise). Its a whole different thing. I love compound. I plan to buy a Hoyt Ultratec or Protec.

I do aerobic in form of karate (for me, it works me up very well), and spinning. I walk a lot too.

I will do the CO2 tables tonight.

Thanks

And i will send ya the PM. I added ya in my yahoo account.

Nora

 

[Pocoshower]

WOOOW! Thanks for all the info

I love when you write about everything ;-)

You did 3:45??? WOW! I read many that their first time was like 2-4 mins. Then...whats wrong with me??? Overstressed?? LOL

Thanks, very nice pics by the way. :-D

(do you ever chat? by msn or yahoo, or even skype?

Nora

Hola Nora

Try to forget a little bit about your maximum. Do the tables to the end and you will suprise yourself in very short time.

If you push yourself to the maximum very often your body will create a wall that will be hard to pass. Un poco de paciencia,

Saludos

Carlos

 

[reesemortensen]

Gracias carlos!

Aunque aun no tengo claro que es mi maximo, pero claro, tengo que tener paciencia y lo descubrire!!!

(translation: i still not sure whats my maximum, but ofcourse, i should have patience and i will discover it)

Thanks a lot

Un saludo desde españa hacia mexico!!

Nora

 

[naiad]

It took me about three months of practice to break through 5minutes and it takes serious, consistent practice to continue improving. However, I quit doing long statics trying for my personal best and instead only focused on the tolerance tables. Now, in my tolerance tables I regularly do longer than my personal best and I really have no idea how long I could actually hold my breath....

Same with me. I regularly do long statics in tables, close to my max time, and I haven't gone for a max for a while now.

Lucia

 

[Lehmann108]

WOW lungfish, you did many things!!!!!

Umm you have many plans i can see. Its really good I admire ya!!!

You did really many different martial arts...WOW!

You rock!

I will try get used to those tables.

How much will be the increase each time i am comfortable with 1 table? I mean, i dont understand how this increase process goes??

Anyway...thankkssssss,

I hope one day to meet ya

Nora

Nora, I've done the tables for only two weeks and I've gone from a 1:00 static to a 3:00 static. Your times you mention in the other posts sound very short. Do you smoke? Are you breathing-up correctly?

 

[reesemortensen]

I dont smoke. and actually my first table i went up to 1:10 min. I didnt warm up properly on the first attempt.

Thanks

nora

 

[Lehmann108]

I dont smoke. and actually my first table i went up to 1:10 min. I didnt warm up properly on the first attempt.

Thanks

nora

Definitely have to breath up to get the longer times....and relax

 

[TIMO1]

Dear Newby and lungfish

Your questions asked and answers given helped me a lot.

Just a question. When I do 50M'S my lungs feel sore for aday or so. Is this normal?

Thanks

 

[TIMO1]

Dear Newby and lungfish

Your questions asked and answers given helped me a lot.

Just a question. When I do 50M'S my lungs feel sore for aday or so. Is this normal?

Thanks