something to think about

[andrsn]

hey everyone,

i just wanted to put my thoughts down in writing about what's been going on here for the past few months. as you all know, we have an extremely elite group of divers that are active on these forums. many of which have mind-boggling statistics. i've been seeing quite a bit of oooh-ing and aaah-ing and wanting and wishing to be super-human just like them. maybe they've ruined the bell-curve or something, but i think we need to look at the bigger picture here.

what if you could magically transcend your skills so that you're now capable of diving near record depths? what if all of a sudden you started bringing home 300lbs of fish everytime you went out spearfishing? where would you go from there? what would you be wishing for then?

i believe that life is about learning and growing and becoming, in your eyes, good at what you love to do. whether it's raising a family, running a business, competing in sports, or excelling in your own personal hobbies(ie. freediving/spearfishing). grattitude will only come from the hardwork you put in to achieve something you've set out to accomplish.

the point that i'm trying to get accross is that everyone should look at the reasons why they are in this sport. if it's just "hunting for ego"(as carlos eyles puts it) then this is a lost cause, but if you're in it for the love of the sport and the grattitude and fulfillment you get from learning how to fit into the underwater world, then enjoy your time growing and learning from it and not comparing yourself to others. yeah, maybe someone else can dive deeper and hold their breath longer than you, but does that really make them a better person? in competition, sure, but in everyday life, no way!

everyone is going to have their own 'learning curve'. although some people seem to have been marine mammals in their past lives, this is not the case for most of us. if you find yourself in the shadows of these people, i humbly suggest that you try to realize how this forum would serve you better as a tool, than a crutch.


most sincerely,
anderson york

ps. i deeply apologize if i've offended anyone here, but please understand the importance ringing the 'reality bell' here for freediving's greener individuals.

 

[scott]

anderson,

Well said and no offense taken (since I think it was my last post which stimulated this thread - although it may have been coming anyway).

For the record, my comments were tongue-in-cheek and only to excuse my "other Scott" snaffu.

For me personally, when I read about these divers with mind-bongling statistics, I think about the training and discipline they must go through to acheive these results (see "even" Cliff's latest post on packing and training). I just want to show up in the water and begin diving - forget that stretching, those gym workouts, breathhold exercises, etc. I will never be like these guys (and ladies) because (at the very least), I'm not willing to pay the price.

I'm too busy in my other life being a husband, father, worker, etc. Freediving is just a great hobby and if I can learn some tips (read shortcuts) from the experts, then I'm better off for it.

I don't want to be like them - but I still want to "ooh and aah" at their acheivements because I can appreciate the efforts that brought them forth.

Sincerely,


Scott (I'm happy being) Nelson

 

[Angus]

A great reminder

SPOT ON!

 

[Erik]

if it's just "hunting for ego"(as carlos eyles puts it) then this is a lost cause[/B]

I would say that in my case, it's "hunting to remove ego".

Well said Anderson; I don't see how anyone could be offended by your words.
I believe that those of us who compete are really in competition with ourselves. No one I have met has come across as wanting to "kick my ass"....there has always been the open sharing of techniques and ideas, and great camraderie. These are my impressions, I'm sure there are exceptions. All the competitors I have met also love freediving as recreation.....it's not like some sports where people take 6 months off to get away from it. My desire to go deeper and longer is not about ego at all, it's about understanding my self, and being amazed at what the power of determination can do. I think it's part of a basic "go forth" gene that drives us to exploration of all kinds. It's the same thing (among other things, like a paradigm shift in human awareness) that will take us to the stars someday, I believe.
It takes courage to talk the way you do Anderson.
Gratefully,
Erik Young

 

[thin_air]

the thing that keeps us going is the wish to be a better either a better person, freediver, spearfisher, watermammal, whatever you are and want to become.

what keeps us going is the dream of getting better. once you have been exposed to something that you want to do, be or become, you want to find the true joy of the sport to acheive this.

as a human we are programmed to seek success (thats what ive been taught atleast), the want to get better is what motivates us to train and strive for whatever goals we have set for ourselves, wethear we know it or not.

the goals we set then dictate what we are going to do in order to reach those goals, the sacrifices we are willing to make, the training we are will to do. this can also work in reverse, looking at the sacrifices we are going to make and then choosing a goal that is acceptable under those circumstances.

having seen what the people who have been very successful in other sports(mountainbiking) do has let me set my goals at an exceptable level for me.

the goals also might not be directly related to the end result but simply setting a goal such as I will train X number of days per month or I want to be able to stalk a certain fish,

anyway i guess that was off topic a bit, oh well
my coach for biking had a meeting last week that talked about goal setting so thats why i guess i wrote about it

 

[andrsn]

support

thanks guys.

erik, it's just that. the people you've run into, as in most all true apneists, are a humble bunch. but, they've experienced the factor of humility first hand, and they've realized that their only competition lay within themselves.

our younger generations are growing up faster and faster but still housed by the adolescent body. where i'm from, ego runs rampent, and kids get hurt. mainly because they've picked their idols who dive the deepest and shoot the most fish. you have to admit, that w/ the publicity and cool gear that's out there now, there's a population of pursuers eager to hop to levels that have taken us years to reach.

i think one of the greatest things i've heard here lately, is how scott turgeon(world renowned spearfisherman, soon-to-be-father), shed light on the fact that his performance does not directly come w/ depth nor time ability, but his overall skill in technique. thanks scott.t!

i guess it all comes back to how alot of the guys on this forum account for a vast majority of the world's elitist. they've worked hard to get where they're at, and i know for a fact that they wouldn't trade their experience getting there for anything in the world.

warmly,
anderson

 

[JimGlynn]

good topic

I just started feediving a few months ago. I found scuba to be cumbersome and inhibiting to my desire to glide and become a sea mammal. I have noticed that there are two types of experiences underwater- there are those that involve interaction with the marine world, and there are those that involve depth and time. It is the second type of experience that we always want to share with people who are out of the water. These experiences only have significance because they invole measurement and competition with others. They have their place, yet personally for me nothing compares with swimming with sea creatures. These memories are priceless.
Jim