Hi everyone!
Have been reading through this forum for the past few weeks, feels like a really great supportive community, very excited to join!
So I've been training for my AIDA 2 for the past couple of months, and have been on 5 ocean dives with amazing instructors (Roberta and Matt in Vancouver). Like many other beginners on this forum, I'm having a lot of trouble with Frenzel.
Initially I tried to not over-think it and kept it simple for a few weeks, closed my glottis and focused on the back of my tongue - can do a mild equalization, but was not strong enough to be successful underwater. After a month without success, I started reading more about the detailed steps - practiced opening and closing my glottis for days, practiced raising and lowering my soft palate for days, have been practicing and experimenting both dry and with a snorkel in the bathtub for weeks with no luck.
I *think* I've narrowed it down to my soft palate.
I can control my soft palate really well with my glottis open. I can breathe in and breathe out, and switch between breathing through my nose and mouth quite rapidly. I can also open and close my glottis rapidly to stop my breath while breathing in or out.
I can't seem to control my soft palate with my glottis closed. When my glottis is closed, my soft palate is raised, and I can't make it neutral! When I fill my cheeks with air and close my glottis, I've been trying to squeeze the air from my cheeks through my nose with no luck.
Have been experimenting and practicing for weeks with no luck, so I'm desperate for some suggestions! Including - "Stop thinking about it this way, and try something completely different".
Thanks in advance!
Alan
(By the way, I'm an experienced scuba diver and can make it down 40m without any issues with valsalva. So, I know what it feels like to equalize and don't have any physical issues getting to depth. In case that makes a difference)
Have been reading through this forum for the past few weeks, feels like a really great supportive community, very excited to join!
So I've been training for my AIDA 2 for the past couple of months, and have been on 5 ocean dives with amazing instructors (Roberta and Matt in Vancouver). Like many other beginners on this forum, I'm having a lot of trouble with Frenzel.
Initially I tried to not over-think it and kept it simple for a few weeks, closed my glottis and focused on the back of my tongue - can do a mild equalization, but was not strong enough to be successful underwater. After a month without success, I started reading more about the detailed steps - practiced opening and closing my glottis for days, practiced raising and lowering my soft palate for days, have been practicing and experimenting both dry and with a snorkel in the bathtub for weeks with no luck.
I *think* I've narrowed it down to my soft palate.
I can control my soft palate really well with my glottis open. I can breathe in and breathe out, and switch between breathing through my nose and mouth quite rapidly. I can also open and close my glottis rapidly to stop my breath while breathing in or out.
I can't seem to control my soft palate with my glottis closed. When my glottis is closed, my soft palate is raised, and I can't make it neutral! When I fill my cheeks with air and close my glottis, I've been trying to squeeze the air from my cheeks through my nose with no luck.
Have been experimenting and practicing for weeks with no luck, so I'm desperate for some suggestions! Including - "Stop thinking about it this way, and try something completely different".
Thanks in advance!
Alan
(By the way, I'm an experienced scuba diver and can make it down 40m without any issues with valsalva. So, I know what it feels like to equalize and don't have any physical issues getting to depth. In case that makes a difference)