What is the best Technique?

[Blossom]

Alright, So I have tried a lot of things to distract myself when holding my breath, From singing songs and to finding a "Happy place." I train about 3 times a week with timetables But nothing seems to click. The longest breath hold I have managed to do was 2min. Can anyway suggest some good ways to relax?
Thanksx

 

[HydroApprentice]

What helps for me checking if all muscles are relaxed. It's a good way to reduce the oxygen consumption in the body. Usually, I start at the head, and move downwards (tongue, jaw, neck, shoulders, back etc, down to the toes) . It's about figuring out which muscles are tense, and then consciously relaxing them. It's a good way to check your relaxation, reduce muscular tension, and keep yourself busy in the beginning of a breath hold.
The main thing is to "go with the flow", and not desperately trying to relax. Observe you reactions to the breath hold, accept it, and let it go rather than fight it. Let the contractions come, and work with them.

 

[AlexbeeintheUK]

I am probably not the first and doubt I will be the last to say this but make the time and effort to take a freediving course.
Static tables (whilst they do have merit) don't really do much for me in terms of translating into real improvements in my diving but taking an AIDA course made the world of difference to my static, total time underwater as well as depth. Save your pennies, plan the trip and go and take a 2-day course somewhere, then you will see a world of difference.

 

[AZ_Atypical]

Thinking about nothing is better than thinking about something. Not easy to do obviously. Have you ever been laying in bed and had that out of body feeling like you no longer control it? Go for that feeling. I'm just getting back into freediving After being out for three years, but I've gained a lot of knowledge about life in general since then and I might have a new technique that I can apply mind wise. We'll see how it goes.

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[AZ_Atypical]

I've yet to meet my physical limits with only a 4 minute static. It's all in our head. We don't NEED air yet. The urge to breath is the result of high Co2 levels, NOT low Oxygen levels. Understanding this may help you. I'm still in "phase two" heavy lung contractions. As I understand it, there's a phase three where the lung contractions cease or greatly reduce?

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[MarcinB]

As I understand it, there's a phase three where the lung contractions cease or greatly reduce?

In most people (including me) contractions during STA become stronger and stronger till the end of breath hold. In my case they sometimes become less difficult to withstand during the last phase but I always blacked out when it happend. Therefore, I consider it as a sign of severe hypoxia.

 

[AZ_Atypical]

In most people (including me) contractions during STA become stronger and stronger till the end of breath hold. In my case they sometimes become less difficult to withstand during the last phase but I always blacked out when it happend. Therefore, I consider it as a sign of severe hypoxia.

I see. I've gotten to the point of very strong contractions and after 4 mins I have to tap. I was hoping and had read, that there's a third phase where contractions diminish and that's how it becomes possible to black out. Where I'm at now, I couldn't push myself to black out if I wanted to. Which I would so I knew my max possible static. But yeah.

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[J Campbell]

hmmmm - I've never hear of a "third phase" where contractions diminish. Where did you hear of this - any more info on that?

 

[AZ_Atypical]

I recall reading it from a pretty prominent pro that was conducting tests on how blacking out effected breath hold times. He intentionally blacked out several times in static in order to see if he blacked out sooner each time.

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[AZ_Atypical]

I can't recall who it was or what the results of the test were.

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[Jo_duiker]

Stuck at 2 minutes? Are you training exclusively dry? You should if you don't have a buddy. Don't go into the water for breathhold training/diving without a dedicated buddy who is watching you like a hawk.

A freediving course is always good to start with.
I did and this is what we had to do in static: (we did it in the water, but you should do it dry if you don't have a buddy!)

0) Get relaxed: lay down.

1) Do your breathe up: relaxed breathing to reduce your heart rate. Don't hyperventilate: make sure your exhales are at least twice as long as your inhales. (Three and four times longer is even better, but you have to be able to stand that pace.) Inhale fully: belly and chest expanding. Exhale: do NOT blow out the air forcefully: instead, restrict the opening of your mouth to make the air flow slower by pouting your lips and putting your tongue behind your teeth. (This results in the famous snake SSSSSS sound.)

2) after 2-3 minutes of this breathe up: last exhale: really push out as much air as you can. Then take the biggest breath you can (belly and chest expanding!) and hold it. Until the first contraction. Stop right there and breathe as much as you need.

3) repeat step 1 and 2 a few times, but with each new breathhold add 15 sec to the contraction phase. This will make you aware of how they feel. Really do try to cope with them and let them flow. Don't tense up your muscles (stomach, throat, mouth, belly). Let them come like waves. Try to relax (physically) as much as you can and then some.
If you really find it hard to add 15 seconds, add 10, or 5 instead of 15 with each new breathhold.

So: first breathhold = until first contraction
Second hold: until first contraction + 15 sec
Thirtd hold: until first contraction + 30 sec
Etc. ...

Bare in mind that this might work better in the water as the mammalian dive reflex is activated better/quicker/more(?) in the water...
(Still, when in the water, have a buddy, can't stress that enough!)

About contractions, Go Freediving happens to have written a great article about them:
http://gofreediving.co.uk/what-are-diaphragm-contractions-when-we-freedive

Have fun, keep safe and let us know how you are doing!

 

[guillaume@milo]

i would agree o find its best to think about nothing . if you force yourself to relax in my opinion you wount relax . get yourself in a comfortable state with the water . the second i hit the water i stop thinking and my heart rate drops and its just becuse i have been diving 3 years 3 times a week . one of the things that helped me most was reading how natural it realy is to freedive made me more comfortable in the water .

i have neen diving all my life and mostly alone i wount recomend it its very dangerous and you really need to know wat you are doing even the its still unwise to do it

 

[RLopez05]

Try dynamic free diving and your static will improve by default...also 5 max breath holds should increase your hematocrit/hemoglobin after 5X2min or so you should be able to reach a new max after proper ventilation.