Preparing for static apnea competition

[ShallowGuy]

So I've signed up for a small competition for static apnea. I don't go there to fight for any AIDA points or whatsoever but see it rather as a opportunity to see how the competition actually looks like (my first one) and spend some time with people sharing same hobby.

I have no idea how to prepare for it. Got few questions which I would be happy if someone could answer:

- Breakfast. What should I eat? I was thinking going there on empty stomach, is it a good idea? What to eat the night before?

- Is it wise to train tables the week before competition? Or is it better to give up physical activity and tables days before?

- Nose clip/goggles or mask, which is better?

- Sleep. How important is it for static?

- More of general static question: how is it possible some of you guys survive 70+ contractions? In one thread on DB member claims surviving 125. I could never go over 20, am I a just mentally weak?

- Hotness. Will it go away in wet static or is as bad as with dry ones?

- Wetsuit. I've got a surfing one, 3mm with short sleeve. Is it adequate for competition? Or maybe it is better to be in swimming trunks?

For those who have competed in the past, how the day of competition looks like? Is there a lot of stress etc?

 

[Kars]

Hi Shallowguy,

I shall paint you a picture of a typical freediving competition.
The number of participants is oversee-able, usually between 20 and 40.
The general atmosphere is relaxed with a bit of nervous laughter here and there as people are anticipating a long tough dive. You#r going to benervous too, and its ok. Focus on the things you can do, like relaxing. I like taking a little quiet meditative walk outside, in the fresh air, to clear my mind and energise myself before I sneak in 1 hour before my OT.
For static you'll need to know when your attempt is, if it's late, then having an easy to digest meal is needed. Sleep is important, having things ready and laid and planned out helps to keep relaxed. On the day of competition, I try to retain the slowness of the morning, avoid doing anything fast.

Announce an easy to do time, avoid having expectations, your goal should be to go there, meet nice people, have laughs, and do a nice easy static. The best performances came to me when I dissociated my dive from results.

Important things to know:

Pool water temperature, it influences suit choice, preparation choice.
Official top time, affects choices of food, travel options, sleep. - write it on your hand together with the start position.

Less important things, pool layout -> avoid drafts, and traffic.
Things to bring: dive equipment, music, comfortable matt, blanked, drinks, food, coach

Arranging and have a coach, this is really nice he or she will make sure you're in time, and talk you through the surface protocol, and support and celebrates with you. Hooking up with a local coach is possible, but if he or she is also a participant its nice that your annunciations (affecting starting times -Official Top time) are comfortably far apart.

Don't do a lot O2 training before competition (a bit extra CO2 maybe) because it will mentally tire yourself too much.
In training, practice the full surface protocol, including taking mask etc really off - no simulations!.

Do your competition dive like your training. Have at least 1 training two weeks before competition going all out including the SP (WITH A BUDDY!). To be familiar. Going all out is difficult, because people brace themselves for the fight, and that cost lots of O2. The art is NOT to fight in the fighting phase.

The hotness can be due to CO2, ignore that kind.
Contractions, I never count them, I avoid activities that lure me into ESTIMATING where I am. (Estimations cost A LOT of energy)

If the pool is cold, do a preparation outside of it, and only get in 5 minutes before OT. Avoid shivering.

I hope this helps!

Love, courage and water,

Kars

So I've signed up for a small competition for static apnea. I don't go there to fight for any AIDA points or whatsoever but see it rather as a opportunity to see how the competition actually looks like (my first one) and spend some time with people sharing same hobby.

I have no idea how to prepare for it. Got few questions which I would be happy if someone could answer:

- Breakfast. What should I eat? I was thinking going there on empty stomach, is it a good idea? What to eat the night before?

- Is it wise to train tables the week before competition? Or is it better to give up physical activity and tables days before?

- Nose clip/goggles or mask, which is better?

- Sleep. How important is it for static?

- More of general static question: how is it possible some of you guys survive 70+ contractions? In one thread on DB member claims surviving 125. I could never go over 20, am I a just mentally weak?

- Hotness. Will it go away in wet static or is as bad as with dry ones?

- Wetsuit. I've got a surfing one, 3mm with short sleeve. Is it adequate for competition? Or maybe it is better to be in swimming trunks?

For those who have competed in the past, how the day of competition looks like? Is there a lot of stress etc?

 

[growingupninja]

Kars has lots of good advice.

I would add, based on a couple of little freediving comps I have done that you shouldn't introduce anything new that you haven't trained with before. For instance, if you are used to a mask and somebody with a 9 min breathhold tells you a noseclip is the way to go on the day of the comp and offers to loan you theirs, but you haven't really practiced holds that way, just stick with your mask.

And have a simple routine of some sort (when you do warm-up, how soon before the event you eat, even how you put on your goggles or whatever). If you don't have one, in the week before, establish one. It will help ground you if you are nervous and help to stay focused and relaxed.

As far as contractions I can't really answer that as it is different for everyone. Just trust the safeties and let yourself relax 100% during the hold. The more relaxed you are the less you will be bothered by contractions. A lot of guys with very respectable statics almost never train static, but they do other activities/trainings that are much higher stress and intensity. So to be motionless in a pool with a safety/coach right there is a delicious luxury and relaxing is very easy.

 

[ShallowGuy]

Kars and growingupninja, thank you for solid advice.

 

[AmberNerissa]

I'm no static expert but this is what has worked for me.
Most people don't eat before statics. I try to have a meal about 3 hours before. Carbs are good as they digest easily (pasta, cereal etc).
I keep going on CO2 tables until a couple of days before the comp. Definitely ease off any physical activity in the week before.
Noseclip/goggles means better facial immersion and stops any air leaking out your nose but basically it comes down to whatever you are comfortable using.
I'd suggest wearing a wetsuit as it will help you float but if you heat up that is something you want to consider. 3mm is pretty thick but if it is short sleeves you should be ok. Just don't wear a cap/hood.
Good luck! let us know how you go.

 

[ShallowGuy]

So, competition is finished, here are few points someone may find useful:

- breakfast - I had some oats (or rather musli) with no milk, not too much, around 4 hours before my top. It worked well for me, I had (almost) empty stomach by didn't feel to hungry

- as advised here, I didn't introduce anything new (perhaps everything was new - my first real wet static). By that I mean I used the same warm up I use for dry statics with a little difference of doing two short warm up attempts in water

- short sleeve 3mm wetsuit was just fine, perhaps even a little bit too cold

- I did some o2 tables three days before comp - it was a mistake. In none of dry attempts days before comp I was able to achieve any satisfying time. It left me disappointed and had rather negative if any impact on my preparation (should listen to advise from you guys)

- a day before comp I did completely nothing. Went for a relaxing walk to park with my daughter, had a very unhealthy meal in McDonald's and didn't even think about competition for a second - which I believe worked well

- as for breathing - I couldn't inhale all the air I normally do - by reading Deeprblue I learned it is due to a pressure water gives. Didn't realize this before (never did wet attempts)

- I've used mask - was hesitating to the end but chosen mask - don't know if I could do better with nose-clip and goggles (I had just a normal swimming ones)

- ONE MAJOR POINT - as Kars wrote - practiced your protocol. I did 3 imaginary protocol routines with my little daughter (she has some fun) but it was definately not enough. After I finished my attempt on comp I was really confused and almost failed protocol - it's a solid advise for anyone who starts in comp for the first time to practice it

Overall it was a good day, something enjoyable (at least for those who didn't fight for AIDA points

Thanks everyone for the input in this thread, advise here is really solid

 

[growingupninja]

Congrats! Sounds like you had some fun and learned some things....

Re: facegear.. for pool the big advantage to goggles vs mask is that a mask covers much of the facial receptors that detect cold water and activate dive reflex; goggles leave more of the face uncovered and are more streamlined. However pool water is not typically cold enough to activate dive response in me from just facial immersion based on tests I have done on myself...

For your surface protocol did you have somebody acting as your coach and yelling you through surface protocol? The little comps I have done, for DYN I am always very clear headed at the end but for DNF and STA I conclude in a hypoxic fog and am steady(ish) on my legs but certainly not thinking about AIDA rules. I doubt I would make SP in time without hearing somebody scream, "MASK! MASK! SIGNAL..! SIGNAL!". Usually it is Tanc since he is the loudest

 

[ShallowGuy]

Congrats! Sounds like you had some fun and learned some things....

Re: facegear.. for pool the big advantage to goggles vs mask is that a mask covers much of the facial receptors that detect cold water and activate dive reflex; goggles leave more of the face uncovered and are more streamlined. However pool water is not typically cold enough to activate dive response in me from just facial immersion based on tests I have done on myself...

For your surface protocol did you have somebody acting as your coach and yelling you through surface protocol? The little comps I have done, for DYN I am always very clear headed at the end but for DNF and STA I conclude in a hypoxic fog and am steady(ish) on my legs but certainly not thinking about AIDA rules. I doubt I would make SP in time without hearing somebody scream, "MASK! MASK! SIGNAL..! SIGNAL!". Usually it is Tanc since he is the loudest

Yes, I had person acting as my coach.

However the view of AIDA judge staring at me after I finished my STA really confused me (probably "hypoxic fog" didn't help either).

 

[Kars]

Pleased to hear you had a nice first competition! What base level competition personal best did you set? How was the ambiance, did you meet any new potential dive buddies?

About surface protocol, I include 3 hook breaths to that in my training, so it becomes an automated process.
What you also can do, while working in the struggle phase, is mentally go through the SP. Also I think it's a good idea to open the eyes in the last 30-45-60 seconds of the breath-hold to regain focus and some alertness to time your surfacing well. With eyes open you may detect a tunnel vision effect, if you do you have about 10 seconds to get fresh air. The hypoxic fog is very tough to deal with, it makes judging when to come up also very difficult.

I think static with just a good noseclip is better then wearing goggles, mask etc.
Tom Sietas quit using anything on his face. And I must say that feels very nice, relaxing and free.

About breathing in water, its more difficult breathing sitting up or belly down. Belly up provides the easiest breathing.

One more thing, make a report about your experience and observations. Have a logbook.

I'm pleased to hear it all went well and your eager for more!

hoera!

 

[ShallowGuy]

Pleased to hear you had a nice first competition! What base level competition personal best did you set? How was the ambiance, did you meet any new potential dive buddies?

About surface protocol, I include 3 hook breaths to that in my training, so it becomes an automated process.
What you also can do, while working in the struggle phase, is mentally go through the SP. Also I think it's a good idea to open the eyes in the last 30-45-60 seconds of the breath-hold to regain focus and some alertness to time your surfacing well. With eyes open you may detect a tunnel vision effect, if you do you have about 10 seconds to get fresh air. The hypoxic fog is very tough to deal with, it makes judging when to come up also very difficult.

I think static with just a good noseclip is better then wearing goggles, mask etc.
Tom Sietas quit using anything on his face. And I must say that feels very nice, relaxing and free.

About breathing in water, its more difficult breathing sitting up or belly down. Belly up provides the easiest breathing.

One more thing, make a report about your experience and observations. Have a logbook.

I'm pleased to hear it all went well and your eager for more!

hoera!

Thanks for kind words Kars.

On the day of comp I was really tired and had few difficult few weeks in my personal life so I set my time to 4:00 (the time I wanted to achieve that day).
I did slightly over 5 minutes without some massive effort which is satisfying (for beginner like me that is).

I met few people and I know I will meet them on other occasions so I'm getting some freediving colleagues, which is great.

I will start my logbook soon once I'll back to training (suffered injury).

Also, I have to work on my breath up, seems like belly up breathing might help me to improve results.

Thanks

 

[Kars]

Where are the days when beginners did 1'45" ??

Have a speedy recovery, thanks for the report!

 

[ShallowGuy]

Where are the days when beginners did 1'45" ??

Have a speedy recovery, thanks for the report!

I guess with all the knowledge resources you can find nowadays online it is easier to prepare and train yourself than it was few years ago.

Thanks

 

[giddyuptiger]

For your surface protocol did you have somebody acting as your coach and yelling you through surface protocol? The little comps I have done, for DYN I am always very clear headed at the end but for DNF and STA I conclude in a hypoxic fog and am steady(ish) on my legs but certainly not thinking about AIDA rules. I doubt I would make SP in time without hearing somebody scream, "MASK! MASK! SIGNAL..! SIGNAL!". Usually it is Tanc since he is the loudest

Hypoxic fog? You were off with the fairies.

 

[growingupninja]

Hypoxic fog? You were off with the fairies.

Yep, you can start marketing yourself as the cure for hypoxic fog or faires or mermaids, whichever you prefer

 

[giddyuptiger]

Yep, you can start marketing yourself as the cure for hypoxic fog or faires or mermaids, whichever you prefer

I feel pretty confident that all the yelling in the world wouldn't have saved me from my DNF performance in that comp. lol