Urge to exhale....

[one_shot_veth]

Very new to freediving, but after learning about the CO2 and O2 tables, it seems like when I hold my breath, it's not so much that I want to breate, but I want to exhale...

I'm guessing that it is because I don't have a high tolerance for CO2 building up, and I'm trying to get rid of the CO2???? Does that sound right?

Also, am I correct that you're not supposed to do both tables on the same day?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Brian

 

[Jrok138]

I myself am a beginner, and I have the exact same feeling
-J

 

[new_z]

Same, after i exhale a little, i feel fresh all over again...

 

[dannybuoy]

Yes, you're right;

What most people call the urge to breathe is actually the urge to exhale. The brain measures the CO2/O2 balance of the blood and as we're holding our breath, CO2 levels rise more quickly than O2 levels drop (since there's still oxygen in the lungs), so to counter this imbalance the body wants to get rid of CO2, i.e. exhale. The main reason why you're better of NOT exhaling, even though it might bring momentary relief, is that as you exhale, you not only exhale CO2 but also the O2 that's still in your lungs, O2 that you need to stay under.

Think about it in terms of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation: that wouldn't work if all we exhale was CO2, would it? The air we breathe in is about 20% oxygen, the air we breathe out (under normal conditions) is 18-19% oxygen.

So keep it in. Relaxation is probably the most important factor in this sport, but having a high CO2-tolerance certainly helps.

(BTW does anyone know the % of oxygen in an exhale after a long breath-hold, say 5 minutes or more?)

 

[naiad]

I guess that's what contractions are, trying to push out the CO2.

I find it easier not to exhale even a little until I have finished a breath-hold.

 

[fcallagy]

the only other thing to add is maybe not to do such a full inhale on your last breath if this is making the urge stonger try inhaling only 90% of what you usually do might relax you more

 

[sickbugs]

i agree with fcallagy, dont do a complete inhale, it may leave you feeling a bit too full of air

 

[Evita]

Same. I was also fighting this problem, especially in dynamics, and it is better now because I don't try to inhale maxmaxmax on my last breath anymore, as fcallagy advises.

I still take an "extra supply", though, a full mouthful that I can swallow gradually, also if I accidentally let out air through my nose (coming from the lungs, not the mouth). It doesn't look charming, but it works for me...

Edited: I think you can even see it in my avatar :-8

 

[yugyug]

yeah I find that if I have a very full lung full of air before a breathhold (dry) then its uncomfortable. It feels like its putting pressure on my heart and in turn my heart beats harder/faster. This doesn't happen when I'm diving though because the water pressure reduces it.

 

[naiad]

I am the opposite. If I don't have very full lungs, I get a strong urge to inhale, and this puts me off. This happens less in the pool than dry.