question on tables and static time

[las_dudas]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to freediving and I've recently started with practicing tables.
I do them every day because I have a lot of free time but my question is..
If I do my tables every day, how much progress will I make in 10 days (or longer) I'm asking this because I go spearfishing with a friend in 10 days and I don't wanna make a fool out of my self.

I'm doing tables now almost for 2 weeks and I got from 1:45 to 3 minutes. I got once to 3:36 but I've never been able to do that a second time. Always between 3:00 and 3:10
Is that normal?

thx

 

[Arjen]

You are doing to much tables, your body and mind nead a rest. Take a break for a couple of days. It is much more efficient to do hard tables at most three days in a row followed by a rest day. If they are really hard, only 2 days in a row. Also, as you are going to do spearfishing, mix in some apnea walking. It will help with the spearfishing and it will give you some more training options.

 

[CCtrader]

Do the tables just before spearfishing. After you got fully equipped, and ready to jump in the water, just wait and do the tables and you’ll see that it will be much easier… That's what i do, as i'm not the person that can jump in the water and make a 3 minute dive in the first immersion. I have to prepare myself to accomplish this...

Cheers,

S.

 

[las_dudas]

thanks for the advice.
But I have one more question..
I have a static time of 3:00, how far should I be able to swim than.
Cuz my limit is 25m without fins. Is that normal or should I be able to do a longer distance.

Gtz

 

[CCtrader]

Don't see any relation between the two...

Depends how u swim and relax underwater...

 

[las_dudas]

Sorry for the stupid question. Went to the pool today and guess what..
I got 40m dynamic without fins. Still have a static of 3:10 but did some relaxation and yoga excercise before I started. So I added 15m with just doing some simple excersices.

Thx for the comments

 

[las_dudas]

You are doing to much tables, your body and mind nead a rest. Take a break for a couple of days. It is much more efficient to do hard tables at most three days in a row followed by a rest day. If they are really hard, only 2 days in a row. Also, as you are going to do spearfishing, mix in some apnea walking. It will help with the spearfishing and it will give you some more training options.

I'm just 16 years old so I don't wanna make my tables to hard. I rather make them a little bit easier and do them every day than having a burn out. I started with apnea walking excercises and I must say.. They are much more fun than tables!!

 

[haughki]

Hi las_dudas,

A few thoughts:

If you are new to freediving, keep in mind that blacking out in the water is immediately life threatening. I don't mean to scare you at all, but take a minute to think about it. I hope the person/people you're going diving with have good training and follow reasonable safety protocols. At the very least, you should dive one up, one down, and make sure someone's within arm's reach when you're surfacing, in case you black out.

Given that, instead of focusing so much on times and distances, I'd suggest this: try paying attention to how you are feeling. This is hard for most people. It was very hard for me at first, and it still takes effort. Most people aren't well trained to pay attention to how they are feeling. But, for freediving, it's especially important. Try to give youself, body and mind, some attention. The issue is: your ability to hold your breath will vary a lot: it's not a simple equation. And, the consequenses of in-water-blackout can be very, very serious. I.e., death.

For example, if you are thinking about going spearfishing with your friend, and you want to make sure you don't "look bad," this will probably affect your breath hold. Or, if you have coffee that morning. Or if you're worried about your dog. Or bad night's sleep, or .... anything. You don't need to be paranoid, just try to be aware of what's going on with -you-. In my opinion, this is better practice than any tables.

That said, tables are great. But I agree with previous posters: ease off a bit. One every other day is plenty to start. You need to give your body time to adapt to the changes; otherwise, I think you're risking injury. If you can, take it easy, and try to trust in yourself. Other people may have a lot to say about your "performance," but in the end, you can be there for yourself and just enjoy diving: doing what you enjoy and want to do. I think that's what it's really about.

Good luck!

Hawkeye Parker

 

[las_dudas]

Hi las_dudas,

A few thoughts:

If you are new to freediving, keep in mind that blacking out in the water is immediately life threatening. I don't mean to scare you at all, but take a minute to think about it. I hope the person/people you're going diving with have good training and follow reasonable safety protocols. At the very least, you should dive one up, one down, and make sure someone's within arm's reach when you're surfacing, in case you black out.

Given that, instead of focusing so much on times and distances, I'd suggest this: try paying attention to how you are feeling. This is hard for most people. It was very hard for me at first, and it still takes effort. Most people aren't well trained to pay attention to how they are feeling. But, for freediving, it's especially important. Try to give youself, body and mind, some attention. The issue is: your ability to hold your breath will vary a lot: it's not a simple equation. And, the consequenses of in-water-blackout can be very, very serious. I.e., death.

For example, if you are thinking about going spearfishing with your friend, and you want to make sure you don't "look bad," this will probably affect your breath hold. Or, if you have coffee that morning. Or if you're worried about your dog. Or bad night's sleep, or .... anything. You don't need to be paranoid, just try to be aware of what's going on with -you-. In my opinion, this is better practice than any tables.

That said, tables are great. But I agree with previous posters: ease off a bit. One every other day is plenty to start. You need to give your body time to adapt to the changes; otherwise, I think you're risking injury. If you can, take it easy, and try to trust in yourself. Other people may have a lot to say about your "performance," but in the end, you can be there for yourself and just enjoy diving: doing what you enjoy and want to do. I think that's what it's really about.

Good luck!

Hawkeye Parker

Thanks for your comment and I must say I agree with you in every fact.
Don't worry about my safety.. I'm training with an experienced freediver (the same dude I'm going spearfishing with) and as a matter of fact I'm having my first lesson of an AIDA instructor this saturday.

About how I feel.. My friend told me the same but he also told me that I'll probably forget about my breathe holding time when we are spearfishing because I'm to busy with enjoying myself.

I'll take it easier on my tables and I'll see what the futur brings.
It just must be so great to stay down for 3 min without having any problems.

Grtz

 

[Narsil]

Hawkeye's comments are spot on. Agree that you should just consider tables as a tool, like many others, that you might use for a while and move on from.

Sadly, freediving progression is seldom straight line heading north... I have friends who's longest breath hold was achived at their first FD course, and spend several years breaking through that level. You might find periods where you progress very quickly, then slip back, plateau for a while... etc. I'd personally avoid being too results focused in terms of time and distance in your early stages especially.

Regarding,

It just must be so great to stay down for 3 min without having any problems.

I'd suggest that 3 minutes is a very, very long time for a working dive. I have been spearfishing quite a few years and have a good breath hold, but would hardly ever do a dive that long, even if most of it was spent in 'aspetto' mode.


Have fun and be safe

Guy