Static times are crazy!

[ramstam]

I have to say that I am feeling a little out competed. I remember when I thought if I could ever make it past 6 min. I would be one of the best in the world. It seems like that is about average now, and I am lucky and strained to approach 6min. Are we all just turning into turtles or what?

 

[efattah]

I think what is happening is that the information/internet revolution is spreading tips & tricks quickly. Static is complicated and the method required to go over 6 minutes used to be known by only a few people. Now these tricks and methods are known by most people, allowing a great many people to hit 6+.

 

[Bill]

Not to dissagree with Eric, just to add my 2 cents.
Thirty years ago I heard that a few divers (Bottom Scratchers in San Diego I think) did 5 minute dives. Since they were super divers, I believed 4 would be my limit. It was.
One week about five years ago I heard a short talk by Scott Campbell about doing 6 and it took two sessions to get to 5 doing almost everything wrong. After spending a half day with Bret it only took only five months to do my first 6 and the training was compromised by three chemo weeks and thirty one day trips to Honolulu for combo chemo/radiation.
I learned that beliefs can become limits and wishes can come true. Sometimes you have to be careful with both.
Aloha
Bill

 

[desertbake]

Not to dissagree with Eric, just to add my 2 cents.
Thirty years ago I heard that a few divers (Bottom Scratchers in San Diego I think) did 5 minute dives. Since they were super divers, I believed 4 would be my limit. It was.
One week about five years ago I heard a short talk by Scott Campbell about doing 6 and it took two sessions to get to 5 doing almost everything wrong. After spending a half day with Bret it only took only five months to do my first 6 and the training was compromised by three chemo weeks and thirty one day trips to Honolulu for combo chemo/radiation.
I learned that beliefs can become limits and wishes can come true. Sometimes you have to be careful with both.
Aloha
Bill

Gotta agree 100%. Back when I'd only ever dived solo and had zero knowledge of what others were doing I thought my 3min dives were something really special. After diving with some average guys much more experienced than myself and seeing them do 5min+ with no problem, my statics shot up from 3min to 5min in 2 weeks...I simply didn't comprehend my own potential.

 

[jome]

I think it also has to do with the amount of people training it.

I mean 30 years ago, there were just a couple of guys that were crazy enough to even try something like that. So they had the world records. They weren't necessarily the most genetically suited guys for it, but they got as far as they got.

But as with any sport, the more popular it gets, the bigger the chances are that someone comes along that has just all the right properties and can do amazing things with a little training. For example lung size is mostly an inherited feature...Don't know for a fact, but I read somewhere that Jacques Mayol had like 4 litre lungs. No wonder his static wasn't 10 minutes...

 

[XabreTooth]

- so you will need special techniques to make it past 6 minutes? please tell me what they are! ; )

 

[mad mat]

what are the techiques you guys mentioned. I would be extremely interested if someone would PM me or at least post on this thread. thanks mat