What was your starting breath hold before training?

[perow1]

I was intrigued by breathholding a long time ago. My first serious try (after warmups and so) was in the 4min range. I did not dare to go past it since i thought it would cause braine damage (I was pretty young at the time) One day I decided i could spare some braincells and i got on to 4.35 without any problem. I decided it was to dangerous and did not try iyt for years.
When I came in contact with freediving i immediatly hit the same level and have been progressing to current levels. Not worried about brain damage anymore.

 

[bgill]

I can't find the tables either?

My start...Probably around a minute or so - but I was probably only 5 years old or so! I'm 39 now & JUST getting into freediving...ITS AWESOME AND ADDICTING!!!

I've been practicing holding my breath since I was a kid off & on. On a good day (I have asthma) I can do about 3:40 - 3:50 but I can't even do TWO minutes during a dive...Just sitting there (wet) I can get almost 3:00 usually & I still don't practice - I just go diving alot lately & occasionally hold my breath while watching t.v. I really don't know WHAT else to do

I would like to extend my "under" times and "depth"...My friends are amazed that I can do a 3 minute or more "static" breath-hold almost anytime especially since I just "totally" quit smoking a few months ago & I also have asthma :vangry. I held my breath just as long when I was a smoker beleive it or not! I'm sure quitting was the right thing to do and OBVIOUSLY will help improve my freediving and breath-holds.

Someone with mucho experience needs to start a freedive class & a shop in Wisconsin -

People are telling me that with practice I could become VERY good at freediving. The problem is is that there is NOWHERE to take a class - I'm hooked on this stuff & have NO CHOICE but to go SOLO sometimes. I'm also getting more & more scared about SWB the more I learn & the deeper I go. Mind you that my PB is only 45 ft!!! But I am using crappy old short bodyglove fins. Thats about to change though!!!! Ordered Cressi Sub Gara 2000 HD's today. I hope it will improve my freediving depth & bottom times alot.

Yes...I'll make sure I ATLEAST have a good swimmer/diver along...My son...& I'll be tethered to a line next time I go for PB. Does ANYone know what kind of freediving THAT would be called? Is there such a thing-tethered? I'm building my Dive Float/Buoy/Depth/Safety rope thingy out of pvc. Copying one I saw here on DeeperBlue but gonna make it a thousand times better & multi-purpose...It'll be a gear float for spearing or like a home base type of thing for hydration & sunscreen & other stuff too...yet still kind of small or compact like the original seen here on DeeperBlue.

I don't like to admit this but I even smoked "less than a pack a day though" for over 25 years!!!! I can only imagine what I could do If I never smoked at all and did not have asthma to boot... Freediving does seem to help my asthma tremendously though!!!

Maybe I am PRE-CONDITIONED for freediving because my body is used to not having enough oxygen because of the asthma?

Most people I know can't hold thier breath for even ONE minute!!!! So if your starting newbie breath holds are longer than 1.30 I'd say your better than most new guys already! I'm just the exception because I was always a water freak and practiced breath holding occasionally throughout my lifetime.

The mammilian reflex thing is cool too...Just staring to "feel" this while freediving....More RELAXED and MUCH longer breatholds after awhile in the water...Sooooo coool!


Sorry so Long...I type fast!

Psst....What did the freediver say to the scuba diver when asked if he wanted to go scuba diving???? -----NO TANKS!!!!!!Hahaahahaha!

 

[Fondueset]

So far I've only really done statics twice in my life.
When I was 15 my best time - one session and after 3 or 4 holds - was 3'15
The other day I did several statics in a row - first was about 2'15 - then after two minutes with 7 slow breaths for a breath up - 2'38 - same thing - 2 min between - 7 breaths 2'45 - same again 3'08 - but I was interrupted.
Diving shallow 2'08 without trying intentionally for time. Deeper dives are under 2 minutes - but I don't have a spotter so I come up early.

 

[f3dive]

I did 45 seconds repeatedly until Tanya Streeter put me through an O2 table and I did a PB of 1.45 the first day, 2.45 the next.
My best was sometime ago of 5.47, I find my best breath holds are when I have spat the dummy :vangry during the session then decide to go for it one more time.

 

[Waterysmile]

Hi, Can you help me?. I am trying to find these tables which people are on about, where are they?. Thank you. Claire

There are these tables:
http://forums.deeperblue.net/beginner-freediving/64959-how-start-freediving-8.html

 

[vali]

started with 40 sec
now 2 minutes
but no training at all what so ever...just hold my breath
if i have good thaughts i can hold longer than if i have bad thaughts

 

[xsaul]

I got into it at age 8 after watching "SEA HUNT" on TV and could do a minute. I got really excited at age 15 when I did 1:55 in a science lab and it was the best girl hold. Better than most of the boys.
I then did 2:35, and on to 3:15, on my own. I wondered "What is the WR for doing this?" I found out it was 13:42.5 (by Robort L. Foster, done in 1959 with pure O2). I decided to go after Georges Pouliquin's 6:29.8 first, the one with regular air. (Done in 1912).
Got 4:05 in August 1976. (The 3:15 was in May 1975). I had an untimed BO in June 1975.
I got in good shape from being on the high school swim team in September an October--and in December, put out 6:40. I had beaten Georges!!! But with no witnesses and the fact that I fudged with a tiny breath in (ALL THESE ARE DRY)--I fell into a funk and quit.
But I could never forget the experience, the fun of getting new PBs every few days or weeks or months--and just that it was silly fun. I guess taking it seriously spoiled it.
In late 2003, I decided to revisit my old passion, and get that light having fun feeling back. I did, and my wet PB is now 7 minutes and my dry PB is a mystery.
The math says it should be 9 or 10 minutes. Can that be possible??? Can a gal DO that, I mean, without pure O2 or special equipment? Just lots of hyperventilation and deep relaxation? It doesn't seem possible.....
WaterRat--mystified and didn't own a stopwatch back in 2004.
xsaul@kdsi.net

 

[Fondueset]

I've been experimenting a little with my breathholds while diving - not really trying but changing my breatheups. Typically, where I dive, there are a lot of boats so I never really get comfortable on the surface. Lately, however, I have been trying to get in earlier in the day so I can relax.

What I have found is that my times increase by a full third for the same time breatheup if I concentrate on not moving and relaxing deeply. The breaths are long and slow, with a brief hold at the top. Sometimes I will do a couple 'squeeze breaths' where I intentionally exhale completely - contracting my abdomen - but never right before the dive. I never hyperventillate.

Times have gone from around 1'30 to 2'00 with moderate exertion and, if I've done the breatheup right, no strain or contractions - just a relatively mild urge to breathe. That's with only a 2 - 2 1/2 minute breathup after lots of surface swimming with a monofin. It'll be interesting to see what a longer surface interval does but Eric Fattah's advice to remain completely motionless and relax is definitely effective.

 

[xsaul]

I often have longer breathe-up times than hold times too. But it also works in reverse.
Relaxation IS the KEY. I achieve that by not spending too much time watching the &*^&^ clock!!!
WaterRat

 

[island_sands]

I got into it at age 8 after watching "SEA HUNT" on TV and could do a minute. I got really excited at age 15 when I did 1:55 in a science lab and it was the best girl hold. Better than most of the boys.
I then did 2:35, and on to 3:15, on my own. I wondered "What is the WR for doing this?" I found out it was 13:42.5 (by Robort L. Foster, done in 1959 with pure O2). I decided to go after Georges Pouliquin's 6:29.8 first, the one with regular air. (Done in 1912).
Got 4:05 in August 1976. (The 3:15 was in May 1975). I had an untimed BO in June 1975.
I got in good shape from being on the high school swim team in September an October--and in December, put out 6:40. I had beaten Georges!!! But with no witnesses and the fact that I fudged with a tiny breath in (ALL THESE ARE DRY)--I fell into a funk and quit.
But I could never forget the experience, the fun of getting new PBs every few days or weeks or months--and just that it was silly fun. I guess taking it seriously spoiled it.
In late 2003, I decided to revisit my old passion, and get that light having fun feeling back. I did, and my wet PB is now 7 minutes and my dry PB is a mystery.
The math says it should be 9 or 10 minutes. Can that be possible??? Can a gal DO that, I mean, without pure O2 or special equipment? Just lots of hyperventilation and deep relaxation? It doesn't seem possible.....
WaterRat--mystified and didn't own a stopwatch back in 2004.
xsaul@kdsi.net

hey chickie if you PB is 7 minutes wet you should be entering the next contest somewhere go girl!

 

[xsaul]

Believe it or not, I hate contests. I got burned out on them as a young person. My parents and the school system entered me in so many competitions, the word "Comp" makes me sick.
I prefer doing it for the JOY of it. My success is: I LIKED IT!!! However, I'll take your remark as a compliment, 'cause I believe that was the intent.
WaterRat
xsaul@kdsi.net <It's a good thing, that burn-out. If I wanted a Comp, I couldn't afford it>