The Last Great Human-Powered Challenge - Breaching

[DivingDane]

hmmm really thinkn the fin is lacking thrust i'd say with a stiffer more tradional mono you'd add another 15cm or so if not more.

fin looks great but dont think it has the regidity to make up for the reduced surface area.

just a thought.

hopefully one of the guys has a camera next time i am at the lake and will send some images.

DD

 

[HJ]

Thanks DD. A stiffer fin would help, for sure. Some more depth wouldn't hurt either

Take some pix if you can to add to our database.

H

 

[TimoP]

I've heard that strong finswimmers can do that with monofin, and I can believe that when looking how strong their can use a monofin and how fast they move with it.

Once I showed a Lunocet video to Alexey Molchanov, and told about the project. He said, that he can do a full jump with a monofin. He has done really much monofin training, so no wonder, if he can.

 

[HJ]

This is great, TimoP. But we need pictures and videos. Ask people to make them. You, too! ;-)

H

 

[TimoP]

If you need pictures, I have a special one:

Because it isn't my own picture, I can't say if it is a real one...
But anyway, it illustrates well our dream!

There is in the web a bigger picture with better quality:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/...ce2/graphics/Misc/Funny/funny_cow_dolphin.jpg

In many languages there is a phrase about a flying cow or pig...meaning about, depending on language:
-If there wouldn't be the word IF, cows/pigs could fly.
-IF cows/pigs could fly, EVERYTHING would be possible.
-We will see that (impossible thing mentioned) happen on the day when cows/pigs will fly.

Another cow in a pool getting ready for a performance, maybe gonna pack some air:
http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg457/missy51970/cowinthepool.jpg
Maybe it has seen a hippopotamus, and has the same thoughts as we freedivers have, when we are watching dolphins.

 

[HJ]

some fancy breaching

Good one, TimoP!

And here's one from a secret Aquatic Vault training camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains close to me. I went there not expecting much, but as you can see, this Croatian breacher has pretty good form going over the bar. I think she'll be ready for the International Breaching Association's Inaugural World Championships next year, don't you?

H

 

[TimoP]

Yes, she really has an awesome Over Water (OW) technique!

I've just tried to go over a lane rope in a pool...

 

[HJ]

some fancy breaching

I've just tried to go over a lane rope in a pool...

That's the way to start. Then the broomstick. Then the laser beam!

H

 

[efattah]

Swimming 50m with no dive-in start (just from the edge of the pool), my best time is 19.89 seconds. However when breaching (straight up vertical with no pike or somersault), the best I have done is halfway down my shins.

 

[HJ]

Vertical Breach event

Swimming 50m with no dive-in start (just from the edge of the pool), my best time is 19.89 seconds. However when breaching (straight up vertical with no pike or somersault), the best I have done is halfway down my shins.

Good info, Eric. Now need photo or video!

I think "Vertical Breach" could be one of the official events in the upcoming world breaching championships. If we have the event in a deep pool, everyone has the same disadvantage (the bottom depth). But how to measure and compare results to award prizes? People are different sizes and so are their fins. I guess if clearing the surface completely, then the distance of clearance between surface and lowest item (trailing fin edge) is the official result, no? But if not clearly completely, then what? The lowest body part cleared? Might be hard to judge this one. Maybe make it subjective with 1-10 scores like pool diving competition. I nominate Eric to be on the Rules Committee.

Hmmm... this breaching business is not so simple. But if cows can breach, there must be solutions to these weighty (or weightless ;-) problems.

H
(who will be trying some pool-lane-line clearing soon on his next outing to the pool)

 

[FreeRestriction]

well i was out diving today in the ocean and remembered this thread so i thought id give it a try. i took off my weight belt and went for it... i was using my sporasub instinct bi-fins and i did a monofin kick and got out to about the top of my thighs or lower butt.

 

[HJ]

Cool, FreeRestriction. Off of which beach? I'm originally from L.A.

H

 

[HJ]

Adventures in Breaching

Hello Breachers,

Went to the pool today and tried several different fins (all bis). Lifeguard says I'm now getting up to my thighs. Probably a combination of practice and the fins. The best bifins today were a pair of standard Force Fins (the diving ones, not the swimming ones, which I also have).

Still have that very tight space to work with, basically only 1-2 kicks before the surface. Plus the double-arm-sweep just at the end. I think the rules have to allow for this. Arms, legs... no difference in my book. I think I'll try putting swim paddles on my hands next time. Sort of like fins for the arms.

Tried to do a lane line jump, but couldn't get the hang of it. Plus the lifeguards were yelling at me to "stay off the lane lines!" Maybe I'll rig up an adjustable bar setup that I can put between and perpendicular to the lane lines.

H

 

[FreeRestriction]

Cool, FreeRestriction. Off of which beach? I'm originally from L.A.

H

la jolla. we leave out of the cove and usually swim to the yellow reserve marker bouy. (supposidly 60ft deep) im gonna confirm wether or not its 60ft next time i go since i should have my D4 dive computer by next weekend.

but i was trying to breach in 15-20ft of water. i didnt wanna go too crazy with it tho because when i strain my calves like in kicking really hard i tend to get a nice cramp.

im still not sure why i get cramps in just my calves but it may be due to my rapid increase in body size over the last few years coupled with lack of exercise. i have no problem swimming a mile or more but that sudden jolt of power cramps them sometimes.

 

[HJ]

Ah, La Jolla. Great place. Did many La Jolla Roughwater Swims there. No diving though; I was a pure surface person back then.

Could be many reasons for cramping: your fins and foot pocket design, not enough warm up, "strenuous excercise", not eating enough bananas Here's a link for "A Banana a Day Keeps the Cramps Away" (for surfers):
A banana a day keeps the cramps away - Sports

And this one:
Debate: Which fruit combats cramps more efficiently: Bananas or apples? - Helium

So eat a banana before your next breach attempt! :waterwork

H

 

[FreeRestriction]

awesome thanks for the tips HJ, i heard it somewhere else that bananas help with cramps and i ate a few in the past couple weeks. and its kinda funny because i thought as i kicked the last stroke and felt that fimiliar feeling in my calves, for sure that id cramp up. but i didnt... so now that you mention this again it must have helped some what.

ill deffinatly be eating a banana before every dive. cus its no fun to be a half mile out and have to kick in with one leg.

 

[HJ]

adding paddles to breaching

Let us know if the bananas help!

Tried some more pool breaching today. Moved up to a larger size of Force Fins (bi-fins) and added my swimming hand paddles to my hands. Starting to feel more comfortable and gaining a tiny bit of height. Was ready to have someone video it when I realized that I hadn't put the battery in the camera! Duh. Next time.

Anyone have more attempts or videos/pix to share?

H

 

[B-J]

Picking up on a really old topic here I don`t know if this has been covered somewhere else, but I finally found a real breach. If he had his arm pulled up it would be at least half a meter.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z09RmuaPyVU&feature=related]Amazing Jump !!! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Simos]

Came across that as well last week when looking at monofinning videos on youtube. There was also one more in the pool, let me see if I can find it, wasn't 'proper' vertical breaching but still a good attempt.

 

[Simos]

Found it but watching back, it's more of a jump than a breach - here it is:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOBaaiKBsz8]Mono Fin Jump! - YouTube[/ame]