Underwater Breathing [Archive] - NavySEALs.com Forums

naoscaire

09-22-2003, 10:16 AM

O.k it looks like a lot of you missed my original thread a few months back, if you are not paying members you cannot access it in the Hooch anymore so here is a reprint
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FOR ALL WANNABE'S -> BREATH HOLD

Wednesday June 11, 2003 2:07 PM

Ok A lot of you have be asking about breathhold lately and most have gotton some good but mainly dumb responses ... so Sit down shut up read and learn.

First off is some background, The information you are about to get is tried and true, I for one WAS a combat diver, I AM an avid freediver when time allows, I have a static apnea time up to 5 minutes +/-, and have completed variable ballast breathold dives upto 50 meters. I have also had the pleasure to train alittle along side a one time record holder so yes I have practiced what I am about to preach
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First off you need to learn how to breath properly and build some proper lung volume:
Diaphragmatic breathing is the healthiest form of breathing and is very effective in helping you overcome anxiety or panic symptoms .
It is also the most natural - observe how a very young baby breathes. They will use their diaphragm and full torso for each breath.
After years of poor posture, anxious thinking, tension and pressure result n may of us breathing in a shallow and inadequate manner.
By utilising your diaphragm you activate your natural means of emptying and re-filling your lungs effectively. You also reduce some of the un-useful effects of anxiety and tension.
Re-learn to use your diaphragm
Imagine that your chest is a somewhat conical cavity with the lungs lightly attached to the inside. And with the floor of the cone being made up of a large muscle called the diaphragm. It's the movements of the wall and the floor of this cone that result in the movement of air into and out of your body.
Being more like sponges than muscles your lungs cannot get rid of the stale air on their own. For this they must rely on the contraction of the `cone' which surrounds them - in particular the floor of that cone - the diaphragm. This is why using your abdominal or stomach muscles in breathing, which indirectly activate your diaphragm, ensures a better supply of refreshing oxygen.
If you use mainly the top of the cone it's called upper-chest breathing. If you mainly engage the lower walls and floor of the cone it is called diaphragmatic breathing.
To check how you are breathing
Rest one hand on your upper chest and the other over your navel area.
Notice which hand rises first when you inhale.
If the upper hand rises first you are using upper chest breathing. If the lower hand rises first you are breathing with your diaphragm. If both move at the same time you are using a mix of both.
Upper-Chest Breathing
This is not wrong but it does mean that your breathing will be a lot more rapid than if you were using your diaphragm. This is because the amount you can inhale and exhale is considerably less - because the upper ribcage does not have the ability to expand and contract as well as the combination of lower ribcage and diaphragm 'floor' - diaphragmatic breathing.
Upper-chest rapid breathers do also have a tendency to be prone to hyperventilation - a potentially distressing condition that can result in a bizarre range of symptoms. (More about hyperventilation in a future article).
Using your Diaphragm
Diaphragmatic breathing, particularly if combined with mid- and upper-chest breathing, is much slower and more calming that upper-chest breathing alone.
An added bonus to diaphragm breathing is that it gives a wonderful massage to your internal organs such as the heart, liver, and digestive organs (including colon) keeping them toned and ensuring they get a healthy blood supply.
Most better-breathing techniques rely on your ability to breathe using your diaphragm. So if you have habitually used the mid- or upper-chest it is worthwhile to first develop your ability to use your diaphragm. That way, if you need to use a special technique you will have the diaphragm-breathing skill ready.
Practise using your diaphragm
Spend a few minutes a couple of times a day practising using your diaphragm:
1. Lie flat on the floor. Raise your knees. (You can put a cushion under them if you wish.)
2. Put one palm on your upper chest and the other over your navel. (Your objective is to have the lower hand rise first when you breathe in.)
3. Breathe out fully - and then a little bit more. With practise you will find you can do this by drawing in your abdomen. Pause for 2-4 seconds.
4. Allow the air to naturally flow in again.
Slowly and calmly repeat this cycle a few times.

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Now that you have managed this much it is time to kick back RELAX and try some static breath hold… OUT OF WATER.. build on this slowly try it try or 4 times a day and try to top your last time by 5- 10 seconds each time … you will be amazed how far you will improve and how fast
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Now it is time to pu everything into practice …. Lately there have been some completely MORONIC posts about holding your breath while running …. THIS IS DUMB. It promotes bad running habits for one thing and will not help you in the long run. Humans are MAMMALS, When in water a mammalian dive response instinctively kicks in and we hold our breath… THIS IS NATURAL. Out of water it is stupidity………
Realizing that many of you have no idea how to form a program I have dug one up for you and will now paste it here :::::
It has come from personal trial and error, practical experience and, yes, even a small dose of common sense. Since I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, my training techniques allow me to participate at a level that is comfortable for the less than ideal diving conditions I experience in my home waters. Cold water(40 - 52 degrees Farenheit), marginal visibility, and usually choppy conditions along with having to wear a full 7mm suit and 32 lbs of lead around my waist.
This ain't warm water diving for me folks.
Much of my training takes place in a pool, either in a smaller one of 10 meters in length (during the warmer part of the year) or at one of the 25 meter public pools (late fall through late spring).
Background on this training schedule:
I had become sedintary during the last 18 months due to the nature of my work (sitting in front of a computer as a website developer), and I was becoming the antithesis of what I was espousing with the sport of freediving. Thus I had to make a change. The following is the training regimen I have been following for the since the early part of July and have noticed an immediate improvement in my fitness level, both physically and mentally.
The Formula:
In the second week of July, I concluded that I needed to build an overall fitness level for being comfortable in the water. Intervals are the key to this, and since I have had past experience in training for long bike rides and had run track in high school, which had intervals has a core component, I knew I was going to struggle for awhile. After having stretched out my upper and lower body, This is the following workout I developed and currently and using:

For the first week (done 6 days, rest 1 day):
1) 2x50 meters swim (no equipment except swim goggles) - Initially, just doing this short length, my heart rate shot to 180 beats per minute.
2) Rest until heart rate drops to 125 beats per minute.
3) Repeat Interval.
As a note: I cannot at this point in time do a crawl stroke for the full length of the workout. I maintain it for as long as I can and then immedately change to a side stroke. So don't feel as though you can't do this - remember - this is for developing a habit of swimming everyday and getting your muscles acclimated to this style of exercise.
Week 2 (done 6 days, rest 1 day):
1) Repeat as week one, only increase the length of the intervals to 100 meters (instead of 50 meters)
Week 3 (Done everyday)
At this point I began to see a change in my fitness level. I was feeling better in the water and my recovery was taking less time.
1) 3x100 meter swim. Crawl stroke as long as possible, then switch to side stroke for the remainder of the set.
2) Bring heart rate down to 130 beats per minute
3) Repeat each set
By not allowing your heart rate to drop too much, you actually keep in a semi-aerobic level when you continue with the other sets.
As a side note - the side stroke isn't a resting stoke while moving in the water. It is a switch a different stroke to continue my aerobic workout without having to stop due to muscle fatigue from performing the crawl stroke. I have found that when I begin to get out of breath, I can vary my breathing pattern while doing the side stroke to bring my heart rate more in line with my maximum target heart rate and still continue with my workout.
Weeks 4&5 (Done everyday)
This is where I finally reintroduced my dive gear back into the equation for developing my fitness specifically for freediving. Utilizing the gear during some of the workouts has increased my leg strength as well. The workout is broken into 2 seperate realms during the week. 4 days of equipment swimming and 3 days of swimming with no gear.
1) Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
a) Equipment swim with Mask Fins and snorkel. Swim 400 meters without stopping. As you progress in this, increase the distance to 500, then 600, than finally up to as much as you want. Concentrate on good form with smooth even kicking to maximize the workout on the quads and hamstring muscle groups. You will feel fatigued in your legs initially if you are out of shape in any way. The formation of lactic acid in your legs will tell you how out of shape your legs are. You should have brought your heart rate up to near it's maximum for your age and weight. After the equipment swim, rest by relaxing in the water and concentrate on bringing your heart rate down to near 100 - 120 bpm through deep steady breathing. Don't hypervenelate - you'll know by a feeling of light headedness.

**For this next skill, I strongly recommend training with a dive partner, due to the nature of breath hold training in a pool environment. This will help with possible SWB (Shallow Water Blackout)**
1) The next phase requires an additional piece of dive gear - a weight belt. Mine consists of between 2 and 3 - 5lbs weights (determined by whether I am wearing my 3 mm wetsuit in the pool or not) This skill develops the ability to swim underwater for a set distance, rest while in static apnea and then swim back - all while underwater and without surfacing for a breath. This initially may seem difficult, but as you continue, your underwater times will increase. The pool I am training in at this time is only 10 meters in length and its depth at the deep end is approx. 2 meters deep (7 feet). But I actually get to replicate quite closely my diving environment (I usually dive to between 30 and 40 feet).
Rest at the shallow end with your face in water, breathing through your snorkel. Take deep, slow breaths (taking advantage of the mamalian reflex). Bring your heart rate down to between 100 and 115bpm. In the last 5 seconds, inhale as deeply as possible, then drop down calmly and swim slowly and methodically to the deep end, equalizing your ears along the way (this takes me 20 seconds). I then rest on bottom of the deep end for 10-15 seconds. Turn around and swim as relaxed as possible back to the shallow end. When you surface, exhale forcefully and then inhale as deeply as you can. You'll feel like that was too hard to repeat, more than likely gasping for your first few breaths. Don't give up - It becomes easier.
Rest for 2 minutes at the surface and repeat.
After 2 - 4 attempts - you'll see that you can hold your breath at the deep end for 20 - 30 seconds. Continue this cycle. When you reach 30 seconds comfortably, increase your rest time to 2 minutes 15 seconds. Continue with increased breath hold times of around 45 - 50 seconds. Then extend rest time to 2 minutes 30 seconds and increase your time again until you cannot hold your breath any longer than what you maxxed out at.
I am currently able to do this skill with my breath hold of 80 seconds at the deep end. If you take into account the 20 seconds each way swimming underwater in addition to maximum time for static apnea - this totals 2 minutes total breath hold. Not a record by any means, but considering the course of how I got to this point so quickly, not bad at all. And once again, this replicates an actual dive cycle when diving in open water.
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
Aerobic swimming. I now swim 1 set at 300 meters, and 2 sets at 100 meters. My swim time is actually increasing as you can see. I have never been able to swim this distance without fins, so I have acheived a personal best as well. Once again, this is to continue developing cardio vascular condition, which is necessary for efficicent blood transport through out the body.
As of 9/4/2000 - I am now able to swim 800 meters in my dive gear and 400 meters without.
This is my current workout solution for my hectic schedule. It usually takes between 20 minutes (regular swimming) & 60 minutes (equipment swim and apnea skills) to complete. It is by no means a scientific method of increasing your breath hold times...
I'm leaving that for another article in the near future.
It can, however, help many of you who have asked me about training and how to get started. I hope to hear from those who want to impliment this simple routine to get in shape for freediving.
And remember - this is only a guideline. Change it to suit your needs and to provide variety in your workout. Boredom is the biggest threat to maintaining a regular workout schedule.

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Before you embark on this road please be sure to read up on the following safety pointers, and be AWARE of the dangers:
BREATH-HOLD is considered to have 2 distinct phases, the so-called, 'Easy Phase'(EP) and the Struggle Phase' (SP) . The Easy Phase is defined as being up to the first diaphragm contraction (DC) and the Struggle Phase as being from the first DC up to the Break of Apnea (BA).
In our first stage of development it is very important to observe these stages: when they occur, how long they last, how many contractions one can withstand, how severe they are, and how one reacts to each phase.
There are two important subjects that are NOT included in this article:
1)Ventilation ( before either a static or dynamic breath-hold) - From experience, ventilation must be taught personally and individually to be most effective, as it involves observation and correction of technique.
2)The Mental and Psychological Aspects of Static Apnea - There simply isn't the space in this article to go into the many types of established methods that could be used to assist with this.
The Dangers!
The greatest danger is 'Shallow Water Blackout' (SWB). This is an 'hypoxic incident' that leads to a sudden loss of consciousness without any warning. When a diver's mouth and nose are submerged (as when lying face down horizontally on the surface) and he suffers a sudden loss of consciousness in this position the result is usually a drowning if he is unsupervised. Although this is very easily avoidable, it is happening with increasing frequency and there have already been several reported incidents this year. When the O2 reserves fall below a ppO2 of about 0.1 ata there is a very high risk of an hypoxic incident.
Primary Hypoxia, or the so-called 'samba', is usually associated with convulsions, trembling and an unfocussed gaze. This is commonly referred to as 'loss of motor control'.
Secondary Hypoxia, or SWB, is a sudden loss of consciousness.
'Hypoxic incidents' of varying intensity can be classified in stages from 1-3.
These stages do NOT always occur sequentially. A blackout, Stage 3, can occur without the symptoms of Stages 1 and 2 having occurred or having been observed. For example, a diver on low O2 reserves may not necessarily suffer the symptoms of a samba prior to a blackout, but may lose consciousness without any warning.
One of the dangers most touted ( particularly by ill-informed journalists )is brain damage due to prolonged breath-hold. They seem to confuse holding your breath for 4 minutes with the brain being anoxic for the same period. They are not at all the same thing! The body has remarkable adaptive mechanisms. In simple terms, the brain, which is the biggest consumer of O2, doesn't like to suffer and imposes sanctions on the rest of the body long before it suffers damage. It shuts off consciousness so the consumption of O2 by the rest of the body is reduced. When we went to Oxford University as guinea pigs in experiments involving prolonged breath-hold of 5 minutes or so, it was interesting to watch the Central Cerebral Artery dilate in response to elevated levels of CO2 and reduced levels of O2, this in order to prolong oxygenation of the brain. (Refer to the EEG graph). Also, immediately after the onset of breath-hold there is a short period of tachycardia followed by a prolonged period of bradycardia until just before the BA, and upon the BA, tachycardia again : all adaptive breath-hold reflexes.
Altogether there seems to be NO case for apnea causing brain damage.

Essential Safety Rules Applicable to Static and Dynamic Apnea
1)Medical Exam Required
Each person participating in any apnea activity in a public pool (public or private session) MUST have taken and must produce a recent medical exam that would favour cardiac function, and any respiratory problems. It should look particularly at certain categories of arrhythmia. The doctor must also be instructed by a medical exam form ( one appropriate to the jurisdiction ) as to what particular areas the health risks and health conditions are considered contraindications for freediving. A note of all medications taken must to be made, and any instructor present must know of any long-term problem conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, high/ low blood pressure tendencies, etc. This will necessitate of a suitable medical form by an agency recognized in the jurisdiction, for example, in Britain the BFA. Also, anyone under the age of 18 should be required to present written permission from a parent or guardian.
2)Never Dive Alone
In any 'wet' practice, that is to say any time the mouth and nose are submerged, each person must have a partner who monitors and has bodily contact with him throughout the practice. This might mean holding his hand or ankles, if the partner is sitting on the edge of the pool. It is a reliable way to perceive the slight 'trembling' that often precedes a 'samba'. This is different from the procedure in competitions and is for the purpose of a safer practice.
In dynamic, the safety diver swims alongside his partner, or joins him for the last phase of the apnea, rather than remaining at a distance, which could come to be interpreted as 'on the edge of the pool and dry'. This, particularly with 'empty lung' training (which will take place whether it has been advised or not), would minimise any delay in response time by the safety diver.
(i) Safety Partner: Signs to look out for in static apnea:
1. Release of air
2. Locking-up (clenching with the hand)
3. Letting go
4. Trembling (felt in the hand)
5. Sudden cessation of contractions in the 'Struggle Phase'.
6. Cyanosis detected on the surface between dives.
7. Failure to return signals
(ii) Signs to look out for in dynamic apnea
1. Erratic movement
2. Loss of direction
3. Sudden cessation of movement
4. Release of air

Any of the above signs should result in the following actions:
• TURN THE DIVER OVER AND/OR BRING HIM TO THE SURFACE IMMEDIATELY, WHILE SUPPORTING HIM
• REMOVE MASK, GOGGLES OR NOSE-CLIPS AND BLOW ON HIS EYES. (The eyes have baro-receptors in them)
• TALK QUIETLY AND ENCOURAGINGLY TO HIM. -- DO NOT SLAP OR SHOUT AT HIM
• IF CONSCIOUSNESS HAS NOT RETURNED WITHIN 30 SECS., START AR AND GET OUT OF THE POOL.
• IF CONSCIOUSNESS HAS NOT RETURNED WITHIN ONE MINUTE, CALL FOR HELP, AND WITH PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED HELP GET READY TO PERFORM CPR AND ADMINISTER OXYGEN.
• ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT WHAT FOLLOWS BLACKOUT IS DROWNING.
If there is doubt, REACT! Better risk the diver's annoyance than that of his family.
Do not ask the lifeguard to keep an eye on you. If he missed the exact moment when you went down he won't have a clue as to how long you have been holding your breath. Furthermore, his attention will always be divided if he is doing his job, and YOU are an added distraction.
3) Make a plan and agree on signals
A pre-arranged programme MUST be clear to the monitoring partner, complete with a program for the exchange of signals.
In the last phase of the end of a 'declared' extended breath-hold the exchange of signals will become more frequent. (Refer to AIDA competition rules).
Obviously, in doing tables (for instance Table A from the Apnea Academy) the only signal exchanged may be the signal to surface as the diver is only working to 50% of his maximum.
4) Never do static on the bottom
This entails putting weights on the diver, and in my opinion, it is unsafe. Furthermore, this technique complicates the exchange of signals.
One of the most lethally dangerous things to do is static at depth, either in open or confined water.
5) Static on 'empty lungs' is NOT recommended
This is an extremely advanced practice which is NOT suitable for everyone, and when incorrectly performed there is a risk of pulmonary oedema. It should ONLY be done under the direct supervision of a competent and qualified instructor.
SWB happens very quickly and with no warning in empty lung practice. Also, it is sometimes hard for a partner to detect that there has been a blackout.
6) Do a MAXIMUM breath-hold infrequently
A warning MUST be issued against divers doing frequent breath-holds. Two maximum breath-hold attempts either in static, dynamic, or a combination of both in the same day SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED.
This is an invitation to a near-certain SWB on the second attempt.
Frequent maximums on successive practices are mentally exhausting and unnecessary.

7) Do NOT continue a practice after a samba or blackout.
Disregarding this advice will lead to a second, more severe blackout.
If you observe cyanosis in your partner (purple lips) this is an indication that he has neared his limit and should not be pushed further. The level of effort should be maintained at this level, decreased or the practice session terminated.
8) No STATIC after DYNAMIC
1. Dynamic is breath-hold with stress and a hard practice will leave you in no condition do an effective static table.
2. However, a non-pushed static session before a dynamic session is acceptable.
9) Do NOT do 2 sets of tables on the same day.
This is likely to be too stressful as the blood, heart and nitric oxide levels require a recovery period.
10) Allow sufficient time for physiological development
When beginning a static regimen be aware that it takes the body time to adapt. There is a relationship between heartbeat and breathing, among other things. If this is pushed too hard at the beginning, particularly in 'dry' practice, there is a risk of incurring temporary arrhythmia.
11) Beware of Fatigue and Cold
Long before the onset of shivering, cold has the effect of reducing breath-hold time and the ability to concentrate. Fatigue is deceptive and one of its first victims is will power. Pushing a practice when fatigued can be counter-productive.
12) Beware of Dehydration
The types of ventilation most commonly practised by freedivers are very demanding on the body fluids. Exhaling expels large quantities of moisture. In a dry practice it is recommended to breathe through the nose. This moistens the air, filters it and brings it to body temperature thus protecting the delicate tissues of the larynx, bronchi, and alveoli etc. It also stimulates the production of NO (a vase-dilator).
13) Avoid use of a snorkel
There is only one dynamic exercise that requires the use of a snorkel and all the others can be done without. A snorkel should absolutely NOT be used in static.
14) Suiting Up
The use of a suit in static is essential for warmth, as warmth extends breath-hold capability and the floatation given to the legs affords better relaxation. In dynamic a suit is optional. One feels the movement of water along the body better in a bathing suit, however, a suit can be used for resistance training with the correct amount of weight to reduce buoyancy.
15) Eating
All breath-hold exercises and diving are best done on an empty stomach, at least four hours after eating. The digestive system requires a very large quantity of blood to digest and this reduces the quantity of blood that can be provided to the vital organs.