Simpler Frenzel - snort and gargle

[johnlock]

I've been working through Eric's Frenzel document on and off for a couple weeks and it's finally working for me.


I think it should be possible to learn the technique a lot simpler however. As Simo points out:

"lately I've been telling people this:\-Simply sit down, exhale all your air. All of it
-Take a mouthfull of air (don't inhale, just open mouth, close mouth)
-Equalize"
​

But I'd like to expand on a simpler way of learning the soft palette control needed for the "equalize" step. I don't believe any kind of unnatural decoupling or detraining is required. The throat action used to snort phlegm from the sinuses consists of negative pressure in the lungs against a closed epiglottis with the soft palette in the lowered position. Then the epiglottis is released and air is forcefully sucked from the nasal cavity to clear any mucous/phlegm. This is a similar sound and action as occurs in snoring I believe.

The student therefore only needs to be aware of putting their throat into a gargle position (soft palette raised, controlling the epiglottis) or a snort position (soft palette lowered, controlling the epiglottis).


I would guess that any beginner could learn Frenzel in a matter of minutes like so:

1. Be aware of your natural gargle and snort throat positions.
2. Exhale all your air as far as possible.
3. Open your mouth and close it again so some air is squeezed between your cheeks.
4. Your throat is in the gargle position, gradually move it towards the snort position until the air escapes through your nose (or block your nose and feel your nostrils flare - push harder to equalize your ears).
5. Try to breath out - confirm that your lungs are still empty.
​

Any thoughts? Any beginners want to try this?

John

 

[watts]

Any tips on hands free?

 

[johnlock]

Any tips on hands free?

Well that's a completely different topic. I'm trying to learn this at the moment both by the yawn route, as described in the excellent
Freediving Team of Finland - The Frenzel Technique
(see part 7: Controlling the Eustachian tubes) and by the swallow route, as described by the BTV (VTO - Voluntary Tubal Opening) document:
http://eng.apnea.co.il/edu/btv_eng.doc

This appears to be much harder than any of the other techniques to learn. The BTV doc for example claims only a 30% success rate with students.

Does anyone have any other information on this?

Cheers,
John

 

[mark northq]

Hi John,
Im a beginner trying the Frenzal method as i have trouble equalising using the valsalva method.I cant do it though.When you say snort do u mean like trying to blow your nose?? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers
Mark

 

[johnlock]

Hi John,
Im a beginner trying the Frenzal method as i have trouble equalising using the valsalva method.I cant do it though.When you say snort do u mean like trying to blow your nose?? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers
Mark

Hi Mark,

No I don't mean blowing your nose. When you blow your nose (as in valsalva), your epiglottis (throat) is open and your soft palette is lowered (accessing the nasal cavity).
By snort, I mean inhaling like you do when you clear mucous from your nasal cavity into your throat like when you have a cold.
I think this is a better model for learning Frenzel because at the start of a natural snort you keep your epiglottis closed while building negative pressure in the lungs. The soft palette is automatically lowered so that when you open your throat, air is forcefully sucked from the nasal cavity (not the mouth).
A cough is a similar manouver except the throat is held closed while positive pressure is developed in lungs. The soft palette is held raised so that when the throat is opened air is forcefully expelled through the mouth (not the nose).

Anyway keep practicing and good luck!

 

[petrosp]

Hi John,

I am a beginner in freediving and I have been struggling with head down valsava past 10 meters and so I have been desperately trying to learn the Frenzel technique. I had no luck with all the guides on the net so far and I have been trying hard... That is until I came across your simple guide. After I spent about an hour on it I am convinced that I can do it outside the water. I tried it head up in the water yesterday and although it's early days I was able to do my first frenzel at 3m.

There's a lot more work to do on my part but I feel confident that I will make it. At this point I wanted to say a big thanks for all your help in making this simple guide.

Happy diving,

Petros