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VERY basic questions

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

LiquidRush

Fluid Funk Stylist
Jul 27, 2004
33
5
98
I'm really glad I found this forum. Sorry for the basic q's, but I've yet to find a decent Freedive FAQ on the net. I'm an experienced scuba diver, but none of my dive buddies know anything about freediving (I know I should not scuba & freedive on the same day)
I'm very new, I've only dared to reach 10m in the ocean (i'm sure i could go further once I have time, a line, and a buddy to watch me), so lately I've just been practicing stationary breath-holding in a pool.

1. Apnea is another word for freediving, correct?
2. What is static?
3. What is a samba and where does this word come from?
4. Must I maintain a slow, steady ascent rate?
5. Is it okay to surface with air in my lungs or should I exhale as I ascend?
6. Let's say, I took ONE breath from a scuba regulator at depth, is that dangerous?
7. Can I get the bends freediving?
8. I've heard hyperventilating can be good and bad. Should I do it?
9. If not, what should my breathing pattern be like before a dive?
10. How long should I rest between each dive?

I tried the search function, but could not find all the answers I was looking for. I have no teachers here, but I have experienced the awesome feeling that is freediving. I also realise how dangerous it can be if one is misinformed, so anything else you feel u should add is most welcome.

thank u,
rush.
 
Welcome amigo.
1. Apnea is another word for freediving, correct?
Yes.
2. What is static?
Holding your breath without moving. Usually refers to competition, face down in the water with no actual diving involved.

3. What is a samba and where does this word come from?
This is where a freediver almost blacks out. There is usually some involuntary shaking of the body. Samba is Brasilian music/dance.
4. Must I maintain a slow, steady ascent rate?
Not as far as decompression or anything like that. Slower at the last 8 metres or so is sometimes said to be helpful to resist blackout.
5. Is it okay to surface with air in my lungs or should I exhale as I ascend?
Air in your lungs is good at the surface, but a slight release just before the surface can help resist blackout if fresh air is immediately inhaled at the surface.
6. Let's say, I took ONE breath from a scuba regulator at depth, is that dangerous?
It could be: if you don't exhale on the way up, you'll embolise......if you're really deep, you could bend on the way up.
7. Can I get the bends freediving?
You could if you could do enough deep diving in a short period of time. It's happened.
8. I've heard hyperventilating can be good and bad. Should I do it?
The term 'hyperventilating' can apply to any form of breathing that increases the O2 and reduces CO2, so it's not bad in itself. Fast breathing for extended periods is bad and promotes blackout. A few quick breaths before a dive to clear CO2 out of the lungs is ok.
9. If not, what should my breathing pattern be like before a dive?
take a minute right after the preceding dive to breath the way your body wants you too, then start a slow pattern that resembles this: breathe in to your belly (not too deeply)for 2 to 4 seconds, hold for a few seconds, exhale for 6 to 8 seconds. Do that for 2 mimutes or so, then hold your breath for 10 seconds. Exhale deeply, breathe in deeply and hold for 10 seconds. Exhale, then do 5 fast belly breaths in and out to clear the CO2. Inhale, dive....enjoy.
10. How long should I rest between each dive?
It depends on a few factors, but 2 or 3 minutes is enough, usually. Some guys will say double your bottom time, ie: 2 minute dive, 4 minute breathe up, etc.
These are my opinions and they work for me and some other divers I know. The breathing pattern above is a good starting point- you will change it with experience. Just stay away from the ridiculous '16 breath/minute' crap that's out there....it'll kill you.
Cheers,
Erik Y.
 
1. Apnea is another word for freediving, correct?
apnea= not breathing

2. What is static?
holding your breath without moving

3. What is a samba and where does this word come from?
samba= a type of dance, used to describe a hypoxic seizure, or involuntary convulsions which can happen on the edge of a blackout

4. Must I maintain a slow, steady ascent rate?
No, unless you are freediving with an underwater scooter

5. Is it okay to surface with air in my lungs or should I exhale as I ascend?
Never exhale except in the last 1 to 4 feet before the surface

6. Let's say, I took ONE breath from a scuba regulator at depth, is that dangerous?
Yes, you could embolize and die.

7. Can I get the bends freediving?
Yes, but it requires repeated long deep dives over 30m, or extremely long (4min+) dives to >20m.

8. I've heard hyperventilating can be good and bad. Should I do it?
Not a good idea in the ocean, might work occasionally in static, if you have someone watching you in the pool. It increases the risk of a blackout dramatically.

9. If not, what should my breathing pattern be like before a dive?
Sub-neutral breathing

10. How long should I rest between each dive?
As long as you need to recharge, it depends on how hard you pushed the dive. If you pushed the dive hard, you might need to rest for as long as 10 minutes or more, otherwise on an average dive you might rest for 2-5 minutes on the surface. If the dives are very short and easy, resting for 1 minute might work.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
Originally posted by LiquidRush
1. Apnea is another word for freediving, correct?
2. What is static?
3. What is a samba and where does this word come from?
4. Must I maintain a slow, steady ascent rate?
5. Is it okay to surface with air in my lungs or should I exhale as I ascend?
6. Let's say, I took ONE breath from a scuba regulator at depth, is that dangerous?
7. Can I get the bends freediving?
8. I've heard hyperventilating can be good and bad. Should I do it?
9. If not, what should my breathing pattern be like before a dive?
10. How long should I rest between each dive?


thank u,
rush.

1. Apnea is latin for "without air" so therefore holding your breath
2 A static is a dicipline of the general sport where you hold your breath for as long as possible without blacking out and without moving anywhere.
3. A "Samba" is a sort of semi unconciousness that comes from lack of oxygen not quite the full blackout (not an expert Ive not even seen one)
4. A steady ascent rate is good because you will conserve your remaining oxygen by being steady but slow is not good in my opinion
5. Its ok to hold your breath on ascent as long as you have the same air you left the surface with.
6. Taking a breath from a scuba reg is OK as long as you rebember to exhale on ascent because you filled your lungs at depth.
7, Yes you can get DCS from freediving but its very unlikely
8.Hyperventilating isnt so good but a steady slow breath up is much better, its been well coverd in the last week or so.
9.Try very slow deep deep breaths for up to 1 1/2 minutes before a dive.
10. Untill you feel ready for another I guess :)

Im sure others will give a much better list than mine but its a start ;)
 
Re: Re: VERY basic questions

Originally posted by Alison
Im sure others will give a much better list than mine but its a start ;)
Its a start rofl when I started typing there was nothing now theres posts everywhere :duh
 
Question 1) - Apnea is 'without breath'.

Question 2) - Static is......Uhhh.... nevermind. I guess I'm a little late. :D
 
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Reactions: Alison
Originally posted by Erik
4. Must I maintain a slow, steady ascent rate?
Not as far as decompression or anything like that. Slower at the last 8 metres or so is sometimes said to be helpful to resist blackout.
I thought I'd heard the opposite, that fast ascents added a safeguard against SWB. Which is it, and why? :)
 
There are arguments for a fast ascent in the last 15m, and also arguments for a slow ascent in the last 15m. The jury is still out on which really works better.

The idea for the fast ascent is two-fold:
1. Once you enter SWB territory, every heart beat causes blood to pass over the lungs and lose oxygen, thus you could theorize that you need to minimize the number of heartbeats in the SWB zone (0-20m)

2. Your brain can withstand up to 10 seconds without any oxygen at all (i.e. if you choke someone completely, they may remain conscious for 7-14 seconds depending on their brain's ability to store energy). Once you take a breath at the surface, it still takes a second or two for that air to reach your breath. In the end, if you can pass through the SWB zone and take a breath, all in less than 10 seconds, then in theory you would cheat the blackout.

The ideas for a slower ascent:
1. Still in the spirit of reducing the number of heart-beats in the SWB zone, the idea is that if you go slowly, your heart beats more slowly, reducing the number of heart beats (but increasing the amount of time spent in SWB zone)
2. One argument is that as you enter the SWB zone, you become so low on oxygen that any strong movement (sprint) will further hypoxicate you
3. Another argument is that when you enter the very shallow zone, your buoyancy does most of the work, so you don't really need to expend much energy to reach the surface. So, your total energy expenditure for the dive is reduced by reducing your energy expenditure in the last 10-15m.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada
 
Hi liquid, welcome to the forum.

You mentioned doing statics in the pool. Do you have a buddy who is directly watching you? The life guard doesn't count. Wet statics can be quite dangerous and kill more than a few divers.

Enjoy learning to freedive.

Connor
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alison
Good eye, Connor.
Safety is the first rule here as Connor has reminded us. Take care and don't be a statistic,
Cheers,
Erik Y.
 
thanks so much for the quick answers guys, now I can get started without these questions in my head as i'm going down or up.

and thanks Connor, didn't know wet statics are that big of a killer.

:duh
 
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