Static attempt question

[Wannabee]

Please forgive if I posted this on the wrong sub-forum. If already dealt with, just give me the link to the archives.

I did my first formal static attempt in May. We lie face down in the water and one guy reads out the time. I made 4 min. Second attempt in Oct I managed 5 min. Next attempt 3 weeks from now.
Question
In competitions, how do they build up to the final attempt? Like 2 min rest, 2 min breathup, 2 min apnea, then repeat process for 3 min .... ? How many repeats will be optimal?
Thanx

 

[bite ya]

A good question, one that i would like answered? I would ideally like to compete next year and time myself when pool training how long it takes me to build up to my final hold so i have an idea how long it takes me when i compete.

Anyone with any experience in static competition would be really good here.

Thanks

 

[Kars]

The warm up techniques tent to vary widely, from and extensive 2 hours of warming up and stretching, different type of breath holds to NO warm up.

In general I find the following very important:

Be rested on the day and the days before, avoid stress and exhaution, be warm eat and drink just enough and sleep a lot.
Before the attempt I like to warm up the big muscle groups, including the ones involved in the contractions, I stretch those mildly to prepare them.
I enter the water, with my suit on and my Official Top (OT) time and lane written on my hand.
When possible I have a coach who knows me. He will drag me through the water, time everything, instruct the safety, in short take away any worries so I can focus on relaxation. In the past I used to do warm-up breath holds. I did 1 exhale apnea until the second contraction, and 1 full inhale to a few contractions more, just to put my body in 'dive-mode',while at the same time avoiding wasting my buffers and reserves. You write you're at the 5 minute level, and that may be the time to start to change your static to one with fewer warm up breath-holds. But don't change this 2-3 weeks before your competition.
As of the final preparation I find just floating for 10 minutes on my back breathing very slowly through my nose very relaxing. about 5 minutes before OT I'll do 1 pack-stretch. 2 minutes before OT I'll put on my nose clip. 1,5 minutes before OT I breath a deeper, 1 minute before OT I try to time my final deep exhale, by breathing out in stages, at 25s before OT I start breathing in fairly slowly, at 15 -10 seconds before OT I'll start packing, and when sufficiently full I lift over my right arm over my left shoulder to roll over to start the breath-hold.

This is my current preparation.

At Nordic deep 2007 there was a spleen study that brought up that most people need 3 breath holds to have the body release it's -extra- spleen blood. The effort level of those preparation breath holds is unknown to me, but I suspect one would have to ride some contractions in order to invoke the spleen contraction.
But than I question that the build up muscle fatique and buffers would also be used a bit, and where is the border of benefit?

To me static appears to be very similar to stretching. Everyday 1 good static is much better than one or two long sessions in a week.

I hope these words are of some use to you,
All the best and a happy exploration!

Kars

 

[waxlips]

here is a funny song i heard them play at the pool while i was doing static apnea it goes like "i know you want me you know i want you" repeated 2 or 3 times then comes the coolest part...1234 weeeeeeeooh!!! they just keep repeating this stuff and its hypnotic. i don't know how this would help you but since it is a favorite song of mine it helped me get a better time that day 4:06. although i let some bubbles laughing when the weeeeeooh part came each time. that is just a hilarious sound.

 

[Kars]

Well I think it's a great method!

Another tip, try to focus only on feelings, cancel rational thought.
So whatever your distraction may be try to feel it, instead of understanding, measuring, weighing, judging it. Feeling have you be in the magical moment, and with some rhythm you may slip into the mental state of flow.