Question for more experienced freedivers/spearfishermans

[Ivan J]

I started spearfishing again after some freediving training (4 months) to improve spearfishing performance.Question is is related to early contractions on bottom during ambush spearfishing.
I know that early contraction(about after 40 sec) has to do with the relaxation and dive technique, but on the other hand I can do a dry apnea walking duration of 1.40 min. after 1.20 min. static.
Have you had similar sensations or Im "eat by my expectations."?-thanks!!

 

[cdavis]

There is so much difference among divers on things that affect contractions, individual physiology, technique, conditions, etc, that is is very hard to give good advice in a format like this. Different response to contractions is one of the reasons diving with an attentive buddy is so important.

My norm is to have contractions starting about 30 seconds. They are so mild that I hardly notice them until past a minute. I dive half lung, which promotes early soft contractions and a strong early blood shift.

 

[Ivan J]

Im deal with spearfishing for more than 10 years,and looks like a freediving training kicks strong diving reflex to me.I tryed walking apnea with pulse oximetar and data was bit strange.. After 1:20 min. walking O2 saturation was 95% and as D.R.start heart rate drops and sat.rised to 98% with more contraction.Maybe that is why in ambush spearfishing i fell uncomfortable contraction more early then before training.And,thanx for answer my post!

 

[kiks]

I have a similar problem with an early contractions, even when I'm doing apnea walking. During static for a 1:20min it's fine but immediately as I start walking it starts and only getting worse. As for a spearfishing sometimes I get them as soon as I hit the bottom. I know that I could endure then for a long time but that is not how it should be in my opinion. I know this because I can walk for 2 min after a 1:20min of static so prolonged apnea is not an issue. I'm still trying to figure it out what's wrong.

 

[cdavis]

Ivan, you might find that focusing on technique to minimize energy expenditure (and c02 production) very early in the dive might help you a lot in minimizing early uncomfortable contractions. Think better weighting better streamlining and especially better surface dive. What may be happening is you are using a lot of effort to get down. Early in the dive, there is very little DR, so the c02 produced gets straight to the sensors in the chest. As you relax, DR kicks in and the c02 hit spreads out, lowering the concentration at your sensors, so contractions seem to get less for a short time.

In my case, if I do everything right (not that often) I'll get a mild but noticeable urge to breath about 20-25 seconds, which soon dissipates and I'm in for a long comfortable dive.