reinhaling expanding mask air

[Alun]

has anyone tried reinhaling mask air on ascent by packing through their nose? usually i just inhale by sniffing, but i think packing the expanding air could be a better way of doing it, up to the last few metres anyway, where the air probably expands too fast for packing. i haven't tried it out properly yet, but i was planning to experiment with it this weekend.
Just wondered if anyone has already tried this and what their thoughts are on it.... is it any better than sniffing??

alun

 

[Pekka]

reinhaling

When coming up you usually don't stop to wait, but surface fairly fast...atleast I do and sniffing the air from the mask is much faster.....the mask dosen't really hold much pressure in it......perhaps that would be good thing to develop..
mask that you could put some pressure on surface....like baloon so that you wouldn't need to equalize so soon.....

 

[Alun]

I'm pretty sure that packing could cope with the amount of expanding air up to about the last 5m or so.... but it depends how good you are at packing.... the reason for considering it is that it doesnt use as much energy as tensing up your intercostals trying to sniff in the air, ... i'll let you know how i get on next week!
cheers
alun

 

[Crispin]

Do you get that much air Alun to warrant packing it???

I get some from either my normal mask or from Pipemask2, either way, I get enough from ~30m to inhale some, but not to refill my lungs and pack....

interesting Mr. Bond....

 

[Angus]

Mask Pumping

Mask pumping is an important technique and a good habit to develop as it can make the difference between a SWB and reaching the surface. Octo does just it as matter of course. I tend not do it as my technique is not as good as his and I think I lose air as opposed to gain it. But I am always searching for the perfect mask and have yet to find one. Mask pumping is taught by the Performance Freedive Training by Krack and LeMaster. So it would be helpful if Octo or some you folks who do this regularly would add your expertise to this disscussion.

 

[Octo]

Hey Folks,

For me, spending energy packing at the end of the dive would inhibit my ability to relax. Not to mention, I can only pack with my mouth (so far).

I have found that stirring my available air by pumping my mask is an efficient, effective way to utilize all available air. This takes little energy and loses very little air (the exception would be if you are packing numerous times prior to decent). I start pumping when my contraction interval increases to where I am distracted by the contractions (usually on ascent within 10 meters of the surface. Three or four pumps is all that I need to stop the contractions for the duration of the dive.

As the gases in my mask expand, I only "sniff" them in, but I wonder: can any of you Yogi freedivers can pack through your nose?

 

[Erik]

I can pack through my nose, but wouldn't use it on ascent. By the time I'm breathing back that air in the mask, it's expanding fairly rapidly, plus I don't find it difficult to rebreath the mask since my lungs are still small at depth. In the top 3 metres, I think it would not really help, since my lungs are already packed and re-expanded, and I'm getting ready to exhale soon anyway. I don't exhale under water, unlike some of the divers I know....I only begin exhaling just before I break the surface, then start the aggressive breathing to recover.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

 

[icarus pacific]

what's that smell?

I've tried re using the mask air but have never had the calm environment to actually make it work, taht and by the time I have the presense of mind to try it, I'm stroking like hell for the surface. That and my mask's nose pocket is usually full of snot.

sven

 

[Pekka]

My experiences for rebreathing air from the mask are about like yours sven... but I have done it sometimes succesfully too...but as my dives are not so deep I don't think I benefit from rebreathing much...as 35m I only equalize my mask once or twice..depending how I feel...and by the way how many times or how often you guys aequalize your masks???:duh