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Packing

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Zoros

New Member
Jan 11, 2003
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hello my friends,

I have for a long time been training but never really understand the concept of how to make a packing. Could someone try to explain it to me? I was hoping to imlement it to my training and hopefully it will give some better results :p

/ zoros
 
hi

You inhale as much as you can, then open your mouth and you fill it with air and just swallow it down (it looks like fish breathing ;)).
But don't swallow it in your stomach!!!
And don't forrget STOP when you feel uncomfortable!!! You may damage your lungs/rib cage.

Good luck!

Zipy
 
I just tried a simple experiment to see how my packing was progressing. After a brief warm up I exhaled into a balloon and measured the circumference. Kind'a crude but I repeated it three times +/- 1% and it is very close to the numbers from the doctor's office. When I packed and did the same test, the balloon looked a lot bigger but only measured 105%. If my high school math is still true (don't laugh, half of what they taught me in the 50's was wrong) that's about a 15% increase of vital capacity.
Let me add a big caution. I've been trying this for a few years. The first time that I did 5 packs, I pulled something in the rib cage and it hurt for weeks. Same thing happened the first time I tried to dive with 10 packs. 99% of the readers here are younger and more flexible than I. Maybe they can be smarter too.
Aloha
Bill
 
Stretching is the key

The best way to develop a packing routine is to follow a process of deep inhalation only (no packing) and while holding your breath, stretch your rib cage by bending sideways at the waist each side, as well as extending your arms above your head.

DO this gradually - you WILL be sore for a few days.

I have gotten to the point where my minimal lung pack is 15 packs I then extend my arms over my head until the urge to breathe, then repeat with bending to the left and then to the right, then with my arms clasped behind my back and pulling up. I then finish with a full exhale and then force the rest of the air in my lungs and do a reverse back until I convulse enough to have to breathe - then I repeat this with 20 packs and then 30.

I usually do this in a Yoga Lotus position (cross legged and only in a pair of shorts or swimsuit).

As long as you GRADUALLY increase the number of packs (no more than one additional pack per week at first), the less likely you will become injured.

My max last year was 55 packs for the last set I did - that was right before my attending the IAFD Instructor course.

I am certain that was a major factor in my being able to accomplish 100 feet so easily.
 
Last edited:
55 packs, that is allot.

I'm pretty shore that I'm not near that, even though I didnt count when I did my last "maximum pack", but I would guess that I packed about 25 times (Defently not more then 30). And I/we (The doctor) have measured an increase with about 2-2.5 liters, from 8-8.5L to 10.5L. (Every pack, a mouth full of air, is in my case about one deceliter)

But be aware, something happened to me aswell when I started with packing, and it was not a very comfertible feeling, and I had it for about a week. Im pretty shore that you can injure yourself badly doing this. So if youre going to do it, then increase slowly, very slowly. I have also seen people faint when doing packing, and you can imagine the hazards with that.
 
thank you everybody for your answers, I will try to learn this too. If I get any problems I will be in touch :)

/ Zoros
 
counting packs

55 packs sound like alot, (and it might be)
but rather compare volumes and not packs.

Depending on the way you pack, it is different for everyone.

Some people do small quick packs,
and other do slow big packs.

So 2 people can pack the same volume, but one does it in 15 packs, and the other in 50.

Herman
 
Re: counting packs

Originally posted by Herman
55 packs sound like alot, (and it might be)
but rather compare volumes and not packs.

Depending on the way you pack, it is different for everyone.

Some people do small quick packs,
and other do slow big packs.

So 2 people can pack the same volume, but one does it in 15 packs, and the other in 50.

Herman

You are probably correct on the amount of packs versus the volume of packs - I should have stated that in my original post. I would say that they are mouth fulls til about 35 and then I do smaller sipping motions to gradually add the additional air to my lungs. That way I can control the amount of discomfort I am experiencing, and can also maintain some control from blacking out - that is the reason why I do this exercise sitting down with no objects around me to hit my head on if I do faint in the process..

I believe the exeprience of fainting is due to the increase in blood pressure in the body and on the heart itself as the lungs expand. Some of the people I have spoken with about packing don't feel that it is of any benefit - mainly people who have been in the sport a long time. But I have found that with the combination of packing and stretching, along with a proper ventilation cycle and time period as well as a sound training program can make a world of difference as compared to just training in the Pool/Gym.

Thanks for clarifying this Herman.
 
packing to increase capacity

Hi all

Thanks for the detail on packing. I am interested in packing as a mechanism to increase lung capacity when not packing, ie, when diving. It looks to me like my limitation on volume is the elasticity of my lungs, not ability to expand the chest cavity. I am trying a combination of stretching as Cliff described, deep inhale/exhale, and packing(very carefully), repeat frequently during the day. It seems to be working. My measurement technique is pretty crude, but it indicates a gain of about 5% when not packing. My goal is to gain a liter, about 17 %.

Any suggestions on how to proceed?, types of stretching?, freqency? amount of volume gain which should be possible? any other ideas.

Thanks in advance.
 
Just for reference, I can use about 60 packs or 30, depending on the method used. Both achieve the same result.
If I use only my mouth, then it takes 60 to fill me. If I look up, take the air into my mouth and throat, close the valves, then compress the air into my lungs by bringing my head down to my chest, then it takes about 30 reps. More volume with that method.
Cheers,
Erik Y.
 
Has anyone had an issue with sore ears after packing?
 
This may be a result of packing too much air too soon. You may be experiencing some severe pressure on the eustacian tubes which in turn may be forcing air towards your ear drum.

As I stated in my previous post - packing is something you gradually develop. It takes time and I can't empahsize it enough.

The first few times I did it, via Kirk Krack showing how to do it, I was sore for days afterwards. You can really mess yourself up (permanently) if you are not careful.

Relaxiation through deep breathing and proper hydration also contribute to developing better packing as well.
 
Balloon test for packing

I just tried a simple experiment to see how my packing was progressing. After a brief warm up I exhaled into a balloon and measured the circumference. Kind'a crude but I repeated it three times +/- 1% and it is very close to the numbers from the doctor's office. When I packed and did the same test, the balloon looked a lot bigger but only measured 105%.



Bill, Don't be discouraged, you are packing much more than you think. The balloon volume does not increase as easily, the more it gets stretched. However, what you don't see is the pressure increasing in the balloon. You would need a "non stretching" balloon to be a good indicator of volume increase via packing.

By the way, great news on your 64m. I hope to be in that good a shape in 23 more years. Maybe you could post a picture of yourself to be an inspiration to us all :D

Jim
 
hi. cliff, you said fainting is caused by an increase? in bp. it happens to me ofted when i try stretch while packed. took some measurements while packed to 80% max(and without even stretching) and my bp was about 70/50. very low. can anyone give comparable figures. this a bit of a worry for me cause i dont like blacking out before i even start my dive. seems though that upon releasing packed air my bp jumps up to 150 atleast. experimenting with doing a small pack before the big one- the first to get my bp up whereupon i can pack to max without b/o. anyone tried this? dont know if it's a very good breathup, being pretty interupted and all. cheers
bevan
 
Originally posted by bevan dewar
hi. cliff, you said fainting is caused by an increase? in bp. it happens to me ofted when i try stretch while packed. took some measurements while packed to 80% max(and without even stretching) and my bp was about 70/50. very low. can anyone give comparable figures. this a bit of a worry for me cause i dont like blacking out before i even start my dive. seems though that upon releasing packed air my bp jumps up to 150 atleast. experimenting with doing a small pack before the big one- the first to get my bp up whereupon i can pack to max without b/o. anyone tried this? dont know if it's a very good breathup, being pretty interupted and all. cheers
bevan

I used the wrong terminology - it actually is a decrease in blood pressure - was thinking of something else at the same time I wrote this - I should look more carefully at what I am writing before I hit the submit button.

You will find that as you pack more often, you will lessen the likelihood of blacking out - the body seems to adapt to it.

The primary thing to remember is that packing isn't very energy efficient while diving. It takes a fair amount of effort to do it and the expendeture in energy to pack that many times isn't worth the effort. I would say mainly do dry lung packing to maintain flexibility in the chest and rib cage and while diving do no more than 5 packs before submerging.
 
Packing & Blacking

Bevan, I dry pack in order to keep flexible, just like a runner has to stretch to keep limber. I do recall a good post regarding packing, and it mentioned releasing the air SLOWLY . I make it a point to do this slow release, and it eliminates any lightheadedness. As far as packing while diving, once in a while I like to pack a little to at least make up the difference of air loss into the mask while equalizing.

Jim
 
ya, i also pack mostly to keep flexible. havent really used it on deep dives. dont have any eqilizing problems that neccesitate it. on c/w dives when i have tried it it sometimes gives me a bit more bottom time and sometimes not. though if i pull-down the increase in bottom time is massive, from 3 1/2 to 5 min on good day. which makes me think it is the effort of overcomming the extra bouyancy more than the effort of packing that costs one on a c/w dive.
bevan
p.s does anyone think high b.p is an advantage at the end of a dive or just at the beginning? why did erric f once say a low b.p=good statics. still a bit confused on this one
 
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