Packing

[cougar]

Hi, would i be correct in thinking that packing is trying to force more air into the lungs than you normally get on a full breath? Any information would be appreciated, cheers.

 

[sanso]

Yep, correct.
@akoni: maybe You could add this to the 'how to start freediving' - thread?

 

[trux]

Yes, but when speaking about packing, freedivers mean a special technique to achieve it. Packing is a technique used to increase lung capacity by gulping air to pack more of it into the lungs. You need to learn to synchronize closing the epiglottis, filling the mouth with air, closing the mouth, opening the epiglottis, and pushing the air from mouth with the help of cheeks, soft palate and the tongue down to the lungs. The process is close to swallowing, with the difference that you push the air to the lungs, not to the stomach! It also resembles a carp - that's why it is called "faire la carpe" in French or "karpfen" in German.

Eric Fattah describes it in details in his Frenzel document at
http://www.liquivision.ca/frenzel.doc

Another how-to manual for packing can be found here:
http://www.geocities.com/weitwandern/subjects/freedive.html#PELD

Be aware that packing may be quite dangerous both for dry apnea or shallow diving, and paradoxically also at deep diving. You will find much more information if you search the DB archive using keywords like packing or lung squeeze.

 

[cougar]

Thanks, those sites you linked are very interesting, i will now spend some time reading and trying to digest the information. I have found you guys and gals on this site very generous in your natures, it is very obvious that diving has benefits far beyond just the ability to submerge.