Training for Rig Diving

[griswold]

I freedive spearfish primarily around oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and would appreciate any help from experienced freedivers regarding the training that I’m currently doing in the pool, and diving techniques that could be adapted for hunting around the rigs.

I read the following thread from cover to cover a couple days ago and added FRC to my pool workout yesterday. Previously I was doing a few warm-up negatives of less than 1 minute at the bottom of the 4 meter pool.

http://forums.deeperblue.com/general-freediving/78598-exhale-diving-average-diver.html

Here’s my current pool workout:

Warm-up slow swim freestyle breathing ladder 3,5,7,9,7,5,3 with goggles and no fins. 50m each

Put on low volume mask and fins (same ones used for spear fishing).

4 - FRC static/dynamic (2-3 minute recoveries)
Current PB 2:30 minute static followed by 25 meter slow swim. Total time 3:00

4 – Full breath - 25m swim, hold, 25m swim (2-3 minute recoveries)
Current PB 3:10 total time

Max dynamic swim
Current PB 100 meters

50m swims with 1 min recovery – 6 times

25m sprints with 5 breath recovery - 8 times


While I love the FRC feeling (I have only done it 1 day, but it felt amazing), I don’t think it is a good idea for much of my spear fishing in and around the rigs due to the water depths. Almost all our fish are shot up in the water column above depths of 100 feet (30m) in water that is often 200 to 2000 feet deep. I can see how it would be very easy to sink past safe depths using FRC while hunting and risk lung squeeze issues. Also, when shooting fish at depth, we must be prepared to fight them out of the rig and keep them from taking all the line from the reel before we reach the surface (very demanding activities). In addition, quite often we have a surface murk layer and strong currents which make closely watching your buddy very difficult. Because of these issues it is VERY important that we dive well within our limits while spear fishing.

Other times, we hunt in blue water away from the rigs using floats. I can see how FRC might work well for this, as the float line could be utilized to stop my descent allowing me to hang at a comfortable depth. This could work well as long as the float line is shorter than my comfortable FRC depth. I don’t plan to use it anytime soon though, as I need to become much better acquainted with how my body reacts to this technique.

The goal of my training is to become a better diver and apply it were possible to spear fishing. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[cdavis]

I envy you the rigs, some of the best diving in the world.

FRC is something that grows on you, slowly. For a single day, your doing fabulous, but I'd expect considerable improvement if you keep at it for several months or more. Nice thing is depth development over the long term. I have finally gotten to the place where I can equalize in 90 ft, a long term frc goal. As you get more into it, play with minimal breathup strategies and levels of inhale to find what works best for you. A heart monitor is a great tool for gauging your body's reactions.
For me, frc works best in very laid back diving, fresh water springs or reef sightseeing. Spearing or much more active types of diving, it seems to work less well. I'm playing with more aggressive breathing before the dive, greater inhale, etc, for spearing.

Connor

 

[griswold]

Connor,

Thanks for the input. I'm always working on being more laid back during hunting dives, minimizing unnecessary movements, making necessary movements slower, and finding ways to not work at depth - like holding onto the float line or grabbing a rig leg to keep from sinking deeper than I want hunt. It makes the dives longer and easier, and the fish respond better.

I don't have any problem clearing with a full breath to a little past 100', but I want to take FRC to depth very slowly due to the potential for lung squeeze. I know that you've worked at it for a long time, and had your setbacks. Did you find that clearing limited your depth or did you limit it for safety reasons as you worked up to 90'?

I picked up a heart rate monitor yesterday, and plan to give it a try in the morning. My normal resting rate appears to be around 53. What kind of response do you get during FRC dives?

My breath up has been pretty aggressive (much deeper) compared to what I've read about the FRC techniques. I plan to try a more passive approach for a while to see where it gets me. Sounds like we might meet in the middle somewhere.

Thanks again,

Chad

 

[cdavis]

Depth limit has always been equalization for me.

Slow progression on depth is the right way to go. Squeeze on frc can sneak up on you.

My resting heart rate is 50 first thing in the morning, but more like 55 during the day. In the pool, when I get very relaxed and get that slightly spacy feeling that means a long dive coming, heart rate is 56-58. it doesn't fall much in the pool, 2:30 static and its about 50-55. once I start swimming it goes up slightly and then holds till I start breathing, when it shoot up over 100. In open water, it gets much lower, low 40s and holds in the 40s even when surfacing from 90.

Connor

 

[griswold]

Less than stellar workout this morning - the ribeye and 4 Peroni's last night might have had something to do with it :naughty.

Heart rate monitor showed a drop to 43 bpm during the hold phase of a full breath swim, hold, swim. It rose to 65 during the final swim and jumped up to 78 after surfacing. This was a 3:00 minute total time dive, where I did the first 25m swim very slowly.

Longest FRC static/swim was 2:20 - never really felt "it" today.

Going to get a diver's slate so that I can log everything to track progress and/or lack of it.

Conner, what does your pool workout include?

 

[cdavis]

Afraid I am a very lazy trainer. I swim laps, about a mile, 75 % of max heart rate, 1-3 times a week, very occasionally do a few sprints. Cap it with 10-15 minutes of 25 and 50 yrd dynamics with fins, working on dolphin kick technique, a surprisingly hard thing to master. Sometimes I add 15-20 minutes of apnea, working on the static portion of frc dives in the deep end. Usually no buddy for these, so I don't go past first real urge to breathe. There is real benefit in this for me, surprisingly. Once sometimes twice a week I do all apnea, usually full exhale, reverse pac negatives to work on depth and static/dynamic dives, working up towards 4 minutes (best so far 3:51, with 50 yrds of swim)

I'm sure that I could have made faster progress if I pushed it, but terminally lazy, can't help it.

Heart rate at the end of the dive only rising into the 70s suggest pretty strongly that you have lots left. Swim longer.

Connor

 

[griswold]

Did a PB 3:27 FRC static/swim today. (short 25m swim)

This long FRC came right after a relatively long but not pushed hard (3:00) full breath swim/hold/swim.

You were right Connor, my heart rate jumps into the 90's if I push a little longer.

 

[Don Paul]

My resting heart rate is 52 but jumps up to mid 70 when I drink beer and eat steak the night before a dive. I decided 10 years ago to just give up the steak.

I do not have any issues loading up with fish and Ensure on the boat, resting
rate stays below 60 but gets up to 85 with pulling the anchor and climbing around the boat.
Cheers, Don

 

[cdavis]

Hi Chad,

Your swim/hold/swim results are interesting. I found swim 25 yrds, hold 1:30, swim 25 yrds to be a killer when it went more than 2 minutes. I started frc around 2 minutes and got much longer from there, it just took a while. If you follow the same pattern and are doing 3 min swim/hold/swim now, I cant' wait to see what a few months of frc will do.

Go for it!

Connor

 

[griswold]

I'm planning to do a bunch of both types in the pool workouts. Don't know if they will work against each other - I guess I'll find out.

I felt the impact of a short recovery today. After finishing a series of several 3 minute swim25/hold/swim25's and FRC's, I then tried a "max" dynamic with only about 2 minutes rest. It was very smooth for the first 70m (probably too smooth) but I suddenly felt depleated as I went into the turn and came up at about 80m. I think it was a good example of what could happen on a long/deep working spearfishing dive without a proper surface interval. Dive reflex kicks in nicely, everything feels good, then you just hit a wall with very little warning. I can see how it could go bad quickly.

This is a big concern for me regarding using FRC while spearfishing. I think that by having a smaller amount of air onboard, the margin for safety is much less when you get into a situation where you have to work. FRC is going to be a training aid only for me for a LONG time.