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Respectable static breath hold
- Thread starterdrewjharper1900
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Im not quite a perfectionist but i always like to be the best i can possibly be. haha
Depends on your definition of respect. Two examples.
I do respect a perfect 5 minute breath-hold with text book preparation, dive and finish. My respect is further increased if the performance looks easy, while it was hard to do for the diver. Anyone who could be regarded as a master of the technique of breathing and relaxation earns respect.
I have no respect for a 7 minute breath-hold with a lot of brute force and bad breathing technique. My respect is further decreased if the performer whines about the environmental aspects of the dive. Examples are excuses like: the water is too cold, the suit is too hot, my buddy had a bad breath, I forgot my lucky charm or the nicest one... the judge gave me "that" look... You know the examples...
So... it isn't that difficult to have a respectable breath-hold. Do you best dive, and make it to look easy. So easy other people are convinced that freediving is not difficult and it is a fun sport to do, just by watching your breath-hold.
I do respect a perfect 5 minute breath-hold with text book preparation, dive and finish. My respect is further increased if the performance looks easy, while it was hard to do for the diver. Anyone who could be regarded as a master of the technique of breathing and relaxation earns respect.
I have no respect for a 7 minute breath-hold with a lot of brute force and bad breathing technique. My respect is further decreased if the performer whines about the environmental aspects of the dive. Examples are excuses like: the water is too cold, the suit is too hot, my buddy had a bad breath, I forgot my lucky charm or the nicest one... the judge gave me "that" look... You know the examples...
So... it isn't that difficult to have a respectable breath-hold. Do you best dive, and make it to look easy. So easy other people are convinced that freediving is not difficult and it is a fun sport to do, just by watching your breath-hold.
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A respectable ability to hold the breath is not really based on time, but rather on controlling the urge to breathe.
If your car crashes into a river and you didn't even manage to take a deep breath, and you manage to hold your breath for 30 seconds and escape from the car, well that's very respectable. Believe it or not, a study was done where people were thrust into cold water without warning; the average time a person could hold their breath was 8-10 seconds before exhaling and then inhaling water.
If you can hold your breath long beyond the point where you get a strong urge to breathe, that's respectable.
If your car crashes into a river and you didn't even manage to take a deep breath, and you manage to hold your breath for 30 seconds and escape from the car, well that's very respectable. Believe it or not, a study was done where people were thrust into cold water without warning; the average time a person could hold their breath was 8-10 seconds before exhaling and then inhaling water.
If you can hold your breath long beyond the point where you get a strong urge to breathe, that's respectable.
@Rik - great post 
@Eric - cold water shock has had a lot of well documented (peer-reviewed) research studies performed.
One of the most recent videos has been put together by Dr Gordon Geisbrecht from the University of Manitoba.
A ten minute synopsis of the key findings is available here:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1xohI3B4Uc]YouTube - Cold Water Boot Camp‎[/ame]
and the main website is here:
Cold Water Boot Camp
I believe (although I'm no expert) that the physiological reaction that forces the gasp reflex and hyperventilation in cold water isn't really dealt with by the sort of practices and training that we do as freedivers. However, there are good studies that this initial cold shock reflex can be *reduced* (not removed) by repeated exposure to cold water - even if the individual no longer hyperventilates on exposure, I remember that there were artefacts appearing on ECGs (heart monitors) upon cold water immersion.
I'm gonna stop there, I love this topic - I could go on for hours.
@Eric - cold water shock has had a lot of well documented (peer-reviewed) research studies performed.
One of the most recent videos has been put together by Dr Gordon Geisbrecht from the University of Manitoba.
A ten minute synopsis of the key findings is available here:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1xohI3B4Uc]YouTube - Cold Water Boot Camp‎[/ame]
and the main website is here:
Cold Water Boot Camp
I believe (although I'm no expert) that the physiological reaction that forces the gasp reflex and hyperventilation in cold water isn't really dealt with by the sort of practices and training that we do as freedivers. However, there are good studies that this initial cold shock reflex can be *reduced* (not removed) by repeated exposure to cold water - even if the individual no longer hyperventilates on exposure, I remember that there were artefacts appearing on ECGs (heart monitors) upon cold water immersion.
I'm gonna stop there, I love this topic - I could go on for hours.
I have done extensive experiments plunging myself into 4-6C water without any wetsuit and holding my breath. The urge to breathe comes instantly and massively, the contractions come immediately. But a trained freediver can still hold his breath for several minutes despite all of that. So yes, apnea training does give you the power to overcome the cold shock.
Actually some years ago I had an invitation from Giesbrecht to go to Alberta and do some tests in his lab! I wanted to go but had no time.