No contractions?

[farawayheart]

And most importantly startle as many SCUBA divers at depth as you can!!! The look on their face is priceless!!!!

Ahaha, it's not quite in your league, but a few times when I've been under my friend's seen lifeguards peering over the edge worryingly to check I'm not floating there lifeless or something, especially when they're new and don't want trouble xD

 

[WiSe]

I get strong contractions around the 1:20 - 1:40 mark, in a dry static, however i can still hold my breath over 3 minutes static, but will be enduring the contractions. I'm a spearo, so ignoring them is not a huge worry for me, however 1 minute + underwater and i start experiencing them.

 

[WhaleTail]

Wow! I had no idea there was diffrence either. I am a VERY inexperienced freediver anyway. I get the urge to breathe with the hic-up (throat type)type of contractions all the time...early in my dive. I can stop them if I concentrate very hard but then I get nervous and need to surface for a breath. I know that by more experience, I will overcome this but like others here...I am even more confused with this.

thats the whole point of the later part of this thread: it is very hard to tell the difference. A contraction is a diaphragm spasm. the urge to breath is triggered by other factors initially. In one year non-stop training I am still unsure in the water when I am really getting contractions, but I have realized it's a lot later than I think. I have been so over conscious of all these signals recently that my HR has gone up due to worrying about them and my apnea is actually worse than 3 months ago! Go figure...

 

[monkeyhatfork]

for me the difference between a small need to breath hic-up type feeling and the real contraction is substantial. I'll get the smaller hicup type thing at random, but the real contractions which usually start after 2:30 in dry static,they are a strange feeling a very strong flexing, pumping feeling like your diaphram/ribcage etc. are gonna try and breath on thier own. I've been doing static first thing in the morning and how I handle the contractions usually determines how I handle the rest of the day, if they are easy to deal with then I will do a harder pool session, if difficult or panic it's usually a sign i'm to tired/overtraining and I'll do a easier water session later or take a rest day.

 

[monkeyhatfork]

by the way don't notice them yet in dynamics, maybe not going far enough or maybe the monofin undulations cover them up to a degree.

 

[azapa]

In a pool, I use bifins mono style, and it certainly does not hide them for me. I will get my first contraction at 45M normally. I find it easier to feel them in the pool because there is less to pay attention to. (ie. it's boring as hell!) In the ocean, spearfishing, fish, weed, caves, rocks, currents, cold, visibility, depth, style etc, all obfuscate the subtleties for me.

 

[monkeyhatfork]

I don't really push myself in the pool ,as I lack a buddy at the moment, so I stick to 50m lengths that are rather easy,no contractions. I'm looking forward to a clinic I'm taking in a few weeks to see what I max out at in a safe setting, I'm guessing I'll get contractions closer to 75m

 

[waxlips]

i get contractions in several seconds and endure them for several minutes sometimes. i like to start them early by acting like i'm breathing because i really enjoy them just put a dance tune in my head and literally feel the beat for most of or the whole song i'm singing in that mind of mine. like being in a dance club but without external sound. the bass is the contractions. i know your probably thinking its weird but it works for me. in another thread i mentioned a real song coming on at the public pool just as the contractions started and it going with them. now THAT was a real treat!