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Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Rock Shooter

Active Member
Sep 1, 2016
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Hi all,
When you're doing a static apnea, what do you feel exactly, at different times (e.g a minute in a slight urge to breathe)? And how does this compare to a dynamic/fins apnea in the water?

Any input would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks in advance and dive safe

Rock Shooter
:D
 
It's tough to explain what you feel exactly because it's based differently per person.

That being said.. Static holds, I feel at peace up until 1.5 min when breathing sounds pleasant and more comfortable. At 2-2.5 min I have to mentally keep myself relaxed and slight tummy tensions occur plus pressure wherever I'm holding back my air. At 3min and beyond a fight inside my head urges me to breathe but I do my best to know I can hold out until my mac around 3.5-4 min

I'm relatively new in the water and had my first dives to around 10m the other day and I never
pushed it. Having to equalize threw me off ''my game'' perse.

That also being said.. I didn't feel much while diving in the water because I would surface when I started getting the urge to breathe. I have had the tummy tensions in shallow water before but did not want to risk it under depth with little supervision.

I seem to feel all sorts of things when doing apnea. Tummy and chest tensions, urges to breathe, negative thoughts, tummy contractions, involuntary gasp sensations, head pressure, muscle clenching, and even euphoria!!!

It really depends on the diver and the best way to get accustomed to your own sensations is to practice and recognize them so they make you a better diver.


-Mike


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It's tough to explain what you feel exactly because it's based differently per person.

That being said.. Static holds, I feel at peace up until 1.5 min when breathing sounds pleasant and more comfortable. At 2-2.5 min I have to mentally keep myself relaxed and slight tummy tensions occur plus pressure wherever I'm holding back my air. At 3min and beyond a fight inside my head urges me to breathe but I do my best to know I can hold out until my mac around 3.5-4 min

I'm relatively new in the water and had my first dives to around 10m the other day and I never
pushed it. Having to equalize threw me off ''my game'' perse.

That also being said.. I didn't feel much while diving in the water because I would surface when I started getting the urge to breathe. I have had the tummy tensions in shallow water before but did not want to risk it under depth with little supervision.

I seem to feel all sorts of things when doing apnea. Tummy and chest tensions, urges to breathe, negative thoughts, tummy contractions, involuntary gasp sensations, head pressure, muscle clenching, and even euphoria!!!

It really depends on the diver and the best way to get accustomed to your own sensations is to practice and recognize them so they make you a better diver.


-Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you greatly for your reply Mike! It is much appreciated :D(y)
I feel a few of those sensations but not all of them.

Sometimes when I do statics, after the mild urge to breathe, I get an urge to move, an extremely powerful urge:sleep:. My moves become a little frantic until it reaches a climax where I feel that I have to breathe or else even though I tell myself I can keep going generally I cant.

Does this/Has this happened to anyone else? Am I using a wrong technique?

Thank you,

Rock Shooter:)
 
I usually get mild contractions after about 3-4 minutes and those mostly go away until closer to the end of the breath hold where I feel an urge to breathe, some discomfort and get contractions again. Often I get a sensation of being hot/flushed closer to the end (5-6+ minutes)
 
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I usually get mild contractions after about 3-4 minutes and those mostly go away until closer to the end of the breath hold where I feel an urge to breathe, some discomfort and get contractions again. Often I get a sensation of being hot/flushed closer to the end (5-6+ minutes)
On average, how long does it take for your contractions to take place underwater? And how long can you usually hold your breath underwater while moving and to what depth?

Thanks for the reply :)
 
On average, how long does it take for your contractions to take place underwater? And how long can you usually hold your breath underwater while moving and to what depth?

Thanks for the reply :)

It really depends. First dives of the season I sometimes get contractions from pressure (10-20m) early, but usually they come after 1-2 minutes depending on my activity level (earlier with more activity). Most dives are 1-2 minutes with me surfacing before any discomfort.

I have an agreement with the wife to not push bottom times :oops: so I rarely exceed 3 minutes now (low activity). I also rarely go deeper than 20 m, both due to shorter bottom times and also due to me finding most fish at 5-15 m so there is rarely a need to go deeper. I have done 35m dives in the past, but in Norway it is cold and dark down there and bottom times are short for me at that depth..
 
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It really depends. First dives of the season I sometimes get contractions from pressure (10-20m) early, but usually they come after 1-2 minutes depending on my activity level (earlier with more activity). Most dives are 1-2 minutes with me surfacing before any discomfort.

I have an agreement with the wife to not push bottom times :oops: so I rarely exceed 3 minutes now (low activity). I also rarely go deeper than 20 m, both due to shorter bottom times and also due to me finding most fish at 5-15 m so there is rarely a need to go deeper. I have done 35m dives in the past, but in Norway it is cold and dark down there and bottom times are short for me at that depth..

Awesome! Thanks for your reply!:D
You don't ever feel a slight burning sensation/a very powerful urge to move?
 
Awesome! Thanks for your reply!:D
You don't ever feel a slight burning sensation/a very powerful urge to move?

I get an urge to surface if that is what you mean? On a perfect dive my body slows down, hearts shifts into a low rate and I feel no discomfort at all until it is time to surface. Sometimes I don't really feel an urge to breathe at all, but when looking at my computer I see that I have reached or exceeded my normal dive duration.. If I pushed it then I'd have increasing discomfort until surfacing/passing out (never had a BO though). On most dives I feel a slight discomfort/mild contractions and surface before any burning sensation or similar feelings.

I used to be more reckless and I've had a couple of "oh shit, I'm far down" experiences, but I've passed 40 and don't push it ;)
 
I get an urge to surface if that is what you mean? On a perfect dive my body slows down, hearts shifts into a low rate and I feel no discomfort at all until it is time to surface. Sometimes I don't really feel an urge to breathe at all, but when looking at my computer I see that I have reached or exceeded my normal dive duration.. If I pushed it then I'd have increasing discomfort until surfacing/passing out (never had a BO though). On most dives I feel a slight discomfort/mild contractions and surface before any burning sensation or similar feelings.
That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I used to be more reckless and I've had a couple of "oh shit, I'm far down" experiences, but I've passed 40 and don't push it ;)
Haha:ROFLMAO:
With me it is quite the opposite, "am I really only that far down?!"
 
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Rock shooter,

I usually do my dry statics sitting on the floor and experience strong urges to move towards end of holds. I don't think it's good to make a habit of it so I try to stay still when it happens or lay on my back for the rest of the hold


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I am very new to freediving and I only have gotten to 3 minutes in my static. Around 2:15 I get some pretty serious contractions then I push past and they disappear but like you I suddenly get an urge to move so much that I usually start correcting my position and coast into the side of the pool to sate my desire. If I don't move I start to breathe at about 2:30 but if I start moving I can add about 30 seconds. I don't know what is happening cause from what my knowledge tells me is if I move I lose oxygen which means lower down time.

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Exercise (moving) decreases the urge to breath. Exercise does burn 02, shortening your theoretical max breath hold. That's part of why divers are more likely to BO if they are exercising heavily toward the middle to latter part of the dive.
 
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Rock shooter,

I usually do my dry statics sitting on the floor and experience strong urges to move towards end of holds. I don't think it's good to make a habit of it so I try to stay still when it happens or lay on my back for the rest of the hold


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Does it eventually pass? Or just get worse and worse? If it passes what kind of things do you feel next? E.g does it become easier? Thanks

I am very new to freediving and I only have gotten to 3 minutes in my static. Around 2:15 I get some pretty serious contractions then I push past and they disappear but like you I suddenly get an urge to move so much that I usually start correcting my position and coast into the side of the pool to sate my desire. If I don't move I start to breathe at about 2:30 but if I start moving I can add about 30 seconds. I don't know what is happening cause from what my knowledge tells me is if I move I lose oxygen which means lower down time.

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6560 using Tapatalk
New to freediving as well :D, 3:00 minutes that is pretty damn decent!
It is very odd that if you move you feel better, maybe something that has a psychological effect? Maybe that's the brain telling you to move away from the danger/get out of the water? Just a theory

Exercise (moving) decreases the urge to breath. Exercise does burn 02, shortening your theoretical max breath hold. That's part of why divers are more likely to BO if they are exercising heavily toward the middle to latter part of the dive.
Thank you for that explanation! Just what I was looking for! So when I dive, I shouldn't move at all? That's my kind of diving/snorkelling;)
On a serious note, do you know why moving decreases the urge to breath? That would be awesome(y)





A huge thank you to all that replied, it means a lot to beginners like me (especially me):whistle:

Rock Shooter
:)
If anybody else would like to share their thoughts on the Thread Topic or why we feel the urge to move,
please feel free!:D
 
Rockshooter,

Moving, although technically increasing the urge to breathe, helps to psychologically cope with the discomfort of not breathing.

As mentioned above, many Black Outs occur from divers expending energy during the middle towards the later parts of their dives. Example, a diver getting a strong urge to breathe at depth and kicks as hard as they can to the surface.. they burn more O2 than necessary to reach the surface compared to a more controlled ascent that would have not caused a BO.

Honestly I haven't "passed" the stage of wanting to wiggle around.. so no, it has not got easier for me at that point.


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Holding the ribcage in one position for an extended period is a recognised contributing factor to the urge to breathe. You will sometimes see some top static competitors exhale a little towards the end of a hold for this reason (note this increases the risk of hypoxia dramatically, so probably not something for beginners).

I know what you mean by the (more general) urge to move. I feel it sometimes too - I think it comes from a desire to distract your body from the discomfort of breath holding.
 
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