Questions about contractions

[DivingDane]

i have decided that i want to take my freediving a little more serious, both in CW, Dynamic and static but one thing at a time.

i currently have a PB of 4:02min for static the problem is a generally never go past the 2nd contraction (not comfortable).

is there a way to overcome this discomfort from contraction and make them more relaxed or is it just pure determination to go past them.

because i'd really like to look at chracking the 5min mark but think the fear of contractions is holding me back a lot.

any help as always would be greatly appreciated.

DD

 

[Jonta]

Im not an expert but i try to lay down and relax while watching tv or something.
I dont focus on my brething i just take a big breath every 5-6 min.
I hold and start my watch when the first contraction come.
First i did 20 sek of contractions then 30 and so on. But now i start at 30 , 1:00 , 1:30 , 1:45 and one last max when i time the whole thing which is usally about 1:50 before contractions and about 1:55 whit em.
I have only trained static for 6 weeks and have a pb of 4:00(2:10 then 1:50 of contractions)

 

[DivingDane]

Interesting, might give it a try so what your saying is that i just need to toughen up and go past the contractions!

so with Practice they dont bother yu as much. because i find them REALLY uncomfortable.

DD

 

[salibandy]

Yup. Practice more and get used to them. I don't practice tables, but I hear CO2 tables can help you with dealing with contractions.

 

[DivingDane]

Thanks Salibandy

CO2 tables ahh? might start doing them more regularly then, anybody else found they help with dealing with contractions?

DD

 

[Jonta]

I think the most important is to get used to contractions.
When i first started i could barly take 3 contractions.
I started to move around.
But now i can stay completely relaxed for a longer time whit contractions.
Another thing you can do is to try to delay every contraction a littel. Dont let the the diaghram(not sure about spelling) contract for another 3sek. I do this for the first 10 contractions then they get to fast and strong for me to control.

 

[DivingDane]

Thanks for the advise sounds like it might work, will give it a try when i.m in the pool tomorrow, bring 5minutes!

DD

 

[salibandy]

I'm sure you already know this, but please do not practice in the pool alone.

Anyway, where're you from DivingDane?

 

[DivingDane]

No No, always at least one person with me if not more when we train, not owrth the risk.

Long Story, Born In Denmark Hence the DivingDane, now living in North Queensland, Australia (Cairns)

Why ya ask?

DD

 

[TRITON]

Get used to contractions.If you do your breathup correctly,they will start a bit sooner but will be much easier to cope with.When you hypervetilate they come later but are much stronger.

 

[DivingDane]

Nope i dont hyperventilate, its BAD:naughty

Normal relaxed breath up with a couple of full breaths then a 70% breath directly before the static. dont get the first contraction till about 3:30 on a 4:00 dive then another at about 4:00 and then i cant bring myself to go past them just feels really unnatural. as above looks like i just need to toughen up!

on my last dive i pushed it a bit past the 2nd contraction and managed a little over 4:30 but still cant get my head around the idea, i will eventually.

DD

 

[TRITON]

My pb is 5:55 and the first contraction starts around 2-2:30.

 

[Jonta]

When contractions start dosent really matter for me i think. One time i got em at 2:20 but still i only did 3:30 but another time i got em at 1:45 and did 3:45.
But im a noob(only 6weeks of traning) so try for youreself and dont listen to much to what i say

 

[TRITON]

Earlier contractions usualy means that you didn't blow off too much co2 and the diving reflex will be stronger therefore the consumtion of o2 will be less.

 

[Jonta]

That made it all much clearer thanks. But guys who make like 7:00min do they get contractions at 2:00min that sounds weird to me.

 

[TRITON]

I don't know that....but I know that Dave gets contractions at ~50m in DYN and can do over 240m.

 

[TRITON]

Here at deeperblue there are a lot of guys that do over 7 mins .....they can give us the answer to that.

 

[Narsil]

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules around when contractions start.

For me, contractions used to start like clockwork at around 4.20 a year or more back. My prep is shorter now, and I probably start with a little higher CO2. However that doesn't explain why my contractions usually start before 3 minutes now :vangry

So for any long hold, for me say 7mins plus, I'm doing more than 4 minutes of contractions. I don't think it makes much physiological difference in terms of my potential max, but psychologically it is harder.

That's probably why I only do a max(ish) static about once a month these days :crutch

Cheers,
Guy

 

[Macnaughty]

Hi DD,

I know the feeling with contractions. I am not at the stage where I am completely good friends with them yet. But in my experience the very worst time is immediately before the contractions come (when you are still trying to postpone them), plus the first couple of contraction which are really powerfull. For me it feels as if my entire abdomen is trying to tie it self into a knot. Once you are over the first couple, it tends to ease up, and you can focus on just letting them ride through you. Personally I find a person coaching me from the pool side to make all the difference. The first 3:00-3:30 before I get contractions are fine and I can use visualisation techniques to tone down any discomfort of the breathhold. But once things start to get rough it is REALLY nice to have a supportive voice to listen to.

Incidentally I found this minute-by-minute description of a breathhold that I find makes a lot of sense:

ImpulseAdventure - Freediving - Apnea / Breath-hold Diving

Scroll down about two screenfulls till you get to: 'What does it feel like to hold your breath / static apnea?'

Hope that helps.

By the way, DivingDane, are you studying in Queensland? I know a few danes who are or have studied there.

 

[DivingDane]

Macnaughty,

Finally someody that feels the same way i do in a breath hold that is pretty much exactly how my dive feels (static), site was quite useful and i will have to try the buddy talking to me thing if it works then sweet, so you find that after the first couple of contractions they tend to ease up a bit?

No don't study in Queensland, i studied at Curtin University in Western Australia back in 2001-2004 ( Aquaculture and marine science)then moved over here when the right job arose.

Havent really met alot of Danes up here yet, plenty back in WA but not so many up here (and even fewer freedivers) spearing takes priority up here very few people have the patients or drive to actively practise freediving.

DD