Shift in 1st Contraction Time

[Waterenthusiast]

Hi everybody,
I was wondering if your time for the first contraction was changing since you began to freedive seriously, or if you just had a more longer struggle phase.
I mean over the years, cause my fist contraction is still betweeen 2'and 2'30" for years now, but i manage to push it to 4'07" (Wet Static, no breathe up).
Just curious if those 8' guys started with similar times or if they naturally have a longer relaxed phase.
Have a nice day
Christophe

 

[jome]

Well, I used to have to struggle a lot to get to 3 minutes and now in a good static 1st contraction comes around 4:30-5:00. So it definately does shift. How much of it is physiological adaptation and how much comes just from learning to relax, learding a good preparation and warmup etc, I cannot say.

I can say that without any preparation, just a deep inhale and go, my first contraction will come around 1:30 (which is about what I used to get in the very beginning), so propably a lot depends on the things I listed above...

 

[Ricochet]

I startet freediving last summer, and for the last whole year my contractions started at 2:00. (at first b/h)
But all in a sudden the time shift to 3:00 about one week ago.
I asume this shift was caused by daily apnea-cycling which I started a week before the shift. (real bike, no helmet, no crash so far :blackeye)

 

[portinfer]

Apnea cycling ? Ricochet how far do you cycle or how do you do that ? I ride a bike to work everyday - I guess it tales me about 12 mins if I sprint but normally I don't rush so it takes about 18mins I guess... It's not far.

Gradual hill in the middle that then slopes down and goes back to flat again.

Do you do a breath hold then cycle as far as you can then exhale and breath up (gasping I'd imagine) before the next breath hold ?

I am wondering how many breath holds I can do on the way in ? (By the way my dry static hold is in the region of 5mins / most wet dives to 6m are in the region of 1:15 or so...)

I definitely noticed that at the end of last season my contractions were coming at about 2mins at least while on aspetto at about 6m. That was diving most days for an hour and a half. THis year I have been diving less frequently (3 times a week ?) but for longer - like 2 hours to 2 and a half hours - the occasional 3hours. I have noticed that my contractions are still around 1:20 or so (at -6m)... not sure on land as I dont practice dry statics any more.

But I would say that this would indicate that more frequent shorter dives are more beneficial than less frequent longer sessions. (Not very scientific ! But in my opinion if I was diving everyday I think that the contractions at -6m would slowly move towards the 2min mark - longest dive last year was 2:41 down to about 8m I think)

Let me know how you apnea-cycle (and also if it stands up in court if you total a car ...)

Ed

 

[£íáµ]

depends on condition ...

mal so mal so
comme si comme sa

 

[Ricochet]

@ Portinfer
The apnea cycling is no serious practice.
I cycle for like 15 mins while I try to maintain high CO2 levels.
There are lanterns along the way and I usualy hold my breath for '3 lanterns' (75m) and breath for 25m.
Though I have no idea if longer breatholds and rests whould be more beneficial.
I should experiment with it and do longer sessions (also to get a better stamina :-/).

Sascha