Michael,
Actualy the apnea started a bit after the 0:00 on the graph , so a very small part of the breathup e.g. final breath was still on there. Also i was wiggeling a bit with the finger sensor so that reading is misleading. It was a solid 100% in the last minutes before the apnea start.
Next time indeed i will capture more from the "before" phase. Have just figured out how to transfer the data to the computer from the device.
My preparation is always roughly the same and based on a combination of tips/techniques i found here on the forum and figured out by focussing on how i feel in different stages of the prep and apnea.
I never do tables (i hate them) and only max attempts.
To start i make sure i lay as comfortable as possible on a matrass for at least 10 minutes , not thinking about breathing , but just let it return to a natural ritme, focussing on relaxing my whole body. Always try to get the feeling that i am sinking down the earth at every exhale (or water during wet statics). This is a very important feeling i try to keep during the whole training at every exhale. Sink , sink , sink..
Then i just stop after an inhale and do a first comfortable static without timekeeping untill it stops feeling 100% nice.
Then i relax again for ( i don't measure the rests) i think 2-3 minutes slowly increasing the depth of my breathing without increasing the rythm too, much ending with 3 deep breaths and a static , which i always do untill 3:30 , whatever happens.
With this i determine how i felt at 3:30 and know where i am at in my preparation. If it feels good i continue , if not i go and do something else that day ;-)
If i decide to continue i relax for 2 minutes or so and then start breathing very deep , but still without increasing the ritme or force needed , so my hartrate stays below ~60bpm. I do this until my fingers tingle just a little bit and i know i am at the hyperventilation border. (as a refference marker) Then i back off from this by a 30-45 seconds of almost no breathing (or veeerrrrrry slow) , take a deep breath and start the static. This one should go to at least 5:00.
After this i go for the max, using the same breathup as for the 5:00 min attempt just preceded by a longer rest period with natural breathing.
For my max at the last breath i do a little packing , which pushes my HR up a bit , but this drops straight back when the static starts.
Into the static i go thru 3 phases , with different approaches.
Till ~4 minutes to 4:30 the relax phase where i am into lala land with an absolute empty mind. This works best for me. Not even focusing on one thing , but a pure blank. (lots of Yoga helps to learn this)
Then i get a bit uncomfortable feeling in my stomach/diaphrame area (i have no contractions as most people) , which wakes me up. I then focus on ignoring that i have a body below my skull, which becomes harder and harder, untill at 5-5:30 i switch to full 100% allert mode e.g phase 3.
Here i use my stopwatch / bpm monitor as a distraction to keep ignoring i have something below my head, which is getting very difficult to believe at that point since the feeling is extremely uncomfortable and i have to keep relaxing all my muscles in that area. I regularly switch between looking at the watch and playing a game with my fingers to stay alert and focused on any changes in how i feel / act.
I then come up when it either becomes unbearable or i am into new teritory too far but still feel good.
Have never had a BO or SAMBA yet (ignoring a very mild and debateble samba at a last years competition due to heavy distractions from a broken and infected eardrum).
Will keep recording every attempt and will see when the lights go out and at which point.
Food wise i eat nothing for 8 hours before a training/comp. And before that no special diet , just as much as possible ;-)
After this kind of training i do take some extra antioxidants to help the body recover a bit faster if i train a lot of times a week e.g. before a comp (every other day till daily depending on my form)
Competition wise i am still learning a lot , since my biggest problem is keeping my heartrate down before i start. Nerves play havock on me all the time but getting better.....
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Greetzzz,
Glennv
www.glenn-venghaus.nl