le grand bleu
January 3, 2007 6:52 PM Subscribe
How do you learn to hold your breath underwater for longer?
Response by poster: I shouldn't lie at the bottom of an unattended swimming pool at night after sprinting a marathon with a heavy stone on top of me after eating a full meal?
At the moment my understanding is that relaxing and breathing slowly and deeply beforehand is key. I have no plans to put myself at risk or run before I can walk.
posted by 6am at 7:17 PM on January 3, 2007
At the moment my understanding is that relaxing and breathing slowly and deeply beforehand is key. I have no plans to put myself at risk or run before I can walk.
posted by 6am at 7:17 PM on January 3, 2007
practice above water while walking or doing something mildly strenuous.
posted by pmbuko at 7:36 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by pmbuko at 7:36 PM on January 3, 2007
Practice on land. Build your oxygen capacity with exercise. Learn TM to control and lower your heart rate and respiration and then use this technique when you dive. Time yourself underwater only with an attendant who knows CPR. The sport you are asking about is called freediving. Research the safety aspects first, as it can be a very dangerous sport, even when just practicing in a swimming pool.
posted by caddis at 7:48 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by caddis at 7:48 PM on January 3, 2007
One trick is to not exhale all at once. Begin to exhale slowly slightly before you absolutely have to, and drag it out so you add a few seconds to your total time. Once you've exhaled completely you are going to need to inhale immediately, so be at the surface by the time you have fully vented.
You can also build your lung capacity by practicing musical wind instruments and aerobic exercise.
And practice the apnea walk.
posted by Operation Afterglow at 9:39 PM on January 3, 2007
You can also build your lung capacity by practicing musical wind instruments and aerobic exercise.
And practice the apnea walk.
posted by Operation Afterglow at 9:39 PM on January 3, 2007
What's your goal in holding your breath longer underwater? Are you a sport freediver? Abalone can still be taken legally in season by freediving along the Mendocino coast. Is that something you're interested in? Taking abalone using SCUBA is not allowed. Some of us used to do a lot of sport freediving in relatively shallow (less than 20ft.) water for abs and scallops.
Maybe you've seen the pictures of big yellowtail and yellowfin tuna taken freediving. It takes practice and learning to control your breathing and you need an efficient fin kick. Here's some conditioning advice from the Blue Water Hunter
Competitive apnea diving is an entirely different prospect. Steven C. Den Beste's link above references some good info.
posted by X4ster at 10:03 PM on January 3, 2007
Maybe you've seen the pictures of big yellowtail and yellowfin tuna taken freediving. It takes practice and learning to control your breathing and you need an efficient fin kick. Here's some conditioning advice from the Blue Water Hunter
Competitive apnea diving is an entirely different prospect. Steven C. Den Beste's link above references some good info.
posted by X4ster at 10:03 PM on January 3, 2007
To increase your lung capacity, swimming lengths is by far one of the best forms of exercise. On top of the cardio aspect of it, you will learn breath control, both of which will aid you in your quest for larger lung capacity significantly.
When actually trying to hold your breath, instead of taking a huge breath in, where it hurts to hold it in, take a breath that is large, but not painful, and breathe out slowly once you feel like you need another breath. With practice you will be able to hold your breath much longer.
As the smoking habits have not been covered, smoking greatly reduces your effective lung capacity, if you don't smoke now, you are in good shape. If you do smoke, you are probably reducing your potential lung capacity by about half of what it could be
posted by mrw at 10:15 PM on January 3, 2007
When actually trying to hold your breath, instead of taking a huge breath in, where it hurts to hold it in, take a breath that is large, but not painful, and breathe out slowly once you feel like you need another breath. With practice you will be able to hold your breath much longer.
As the smoking habits have not been covered, smoking greatly reduces your effective lung capacity, if you don't smoke now, you are in good shape. If you do smoke, you are probably reducing your potential lung capacity by about half of what it could be
posted by mrw at 10:15 PM on January 3, 2007
This seems silly, but swimming more frequently will do it. Swimmers train by just lengthening the strokes between breaths, and working up to a pool-length.
If you're freediving, see above, but if you're trying to increase your breath capacity for that kind of activity, I would recommend cutting back on any SCUBA activities. I found the difference between competitive swimming (holding your breath is good) to SCUBA (holding your breath is bad) difficult to transition between.
posted by lilithim at 10:18 PM on January 3, 2007
If you're freediving, see above, but if you're trying to increase your breath capacity for that kind of activity, I would recommend cutting back on any SCUBA activities. I found the difference between competitive swimming (holding your breath is good) to SCUBA (holding your breath is bad) difficult to transition between.
posted by lilithim at 10:18 PM on January 3, 2007
When I was in Cambodia I noticed that my friends and I could hold our breath under water a lot longer than any of the locals, it would be a sortof contest when we went to the river. The places were the locals went in that river are too shallow for swimming, so none of them knew how to swim. So even though they were probably in much better shape than us, just the fact that we were moderate swimmers gave us a huge advantage.
posted by Iax at 11:56 PM on January 3, 2007
posted by Iax at 11:56 PM on January 3, 2007
You looking to swim laps or just dead float?
In middle school and high school, I used to go to the pool most every during the summer and semi-competitive breath-holding was always a popular competition.
If you're trying for distance, just swim a whole lot and set goals. I got up to about 60 yards as a 17 year old.
If you're going for maximum time, I used to dead float and try to meditate, get to the point where you're not thinking about anything, you forget how much effort it is not to breathe. Also, try to be as relaxed as possible. If you really look like you're dead, you'll get great face-down floating in the water results. Though this will be unnerving as hell to any lifeguards.
posted by bluejayk at 3:36 AM on January 4, 2007
In middle school and high school, I used to go to the pool most every during the summer and semi-competitive breath-holding was always a popular competition.
If you're trying for distance, just swim a whole lot and set goals. I got up to about 60 yards as a 17 year old.
If you're going for maximum time, I used to dead float and try to meditate, get to the point where you're not thinking about anything, you forget how much effort it is not to breathe. Also, try to be as relaxed as possible. If you really look like you're dead, you'll get great face-down floating in the water results. Though this will be unnerving as hell to any lifeguards.
posted by bluejayk at 3:36 AM on January 4, 2007
When I swam competitively as a youth, we used to do this drill in practice called a "silver 50." In a 25-yard indoor pool we were told to swim all the way to the other end UNDERWATER, then turn around right away and swim back (normally, breathing), without pausing to catch our breath.
Naturally, the Silver 50 was very challenging, since it's hard to hold one's breath during exertion like that.
I found that if I was given a couple of minutes prior to starting, to sit still and breathe deeply, the drill became MUCH easier. I would sit on the pool's edge, doing nothing but breathe slowly and deeply. At the peak of my conditioning, after doing this for about 120 seconds, I could almost have swum BOTH legs of the drill underwater.
Also, what has been said above about not holding your breath on a big inhale is very valid - your lungs should be relaxed, not full to bursting. Inhale big, then let about half out. Exhale the rest gradually as you reach your limits.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 5:16 AM on January 4, 2007
Naturally, the Silver 50 was very challenging, since it's hard to hold one's breath during exertion like that.
I found that if I was given a couple of minutes prior to starting, to sit still and breathe deeply, the drill became MUCH easier. I would sit on the pool's edge, doing nothing but breathe slowly and deeply. At the peak of my conditioning, after doing this for about 120 seconds, I could almost have swum BOTH legs of the drill underwater.
Also, what has been said above about not holding your breath on a big inhale is very valid - your lungs should be relaxed, not full to bursting. Inhale big, then let about half out. Exhale the rest gradually as you reach your limits.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 5:16 AM on January 4, 2007
The key to it all is how much energy, and oxygen, your body needs to continue on existing. A decade ago I was running 3-5 miles a day and found I could hold my breath for 3 and a half minutes without any breath-specific training. My VO2 max was really high, and since I wasn't running while holding my breath that volume of oxygen lasted quite long. The running probably also increased the volume of air my lungs could hold, and decreased my body mass so overall I needed less oxygen anyway. A certain amount of it is genetic though. I knew a lot of folks who exercised more than me back then and couldn't approach my time. Even without all the running I can still muster a minute and a half.
Gaiam's POWERbreathe struck me as a good way to train the lungs for volume and oxy uptake but without exercising under such conditions your body's oxy demands won't decrease as much as mine did. With or without exercise, it'd probably be very useful by lowering the needed exercise intensity. *grumbles*
posted by jwells at 7:17 AM on January 4, 2007
Gaiam's POWERbreathe struck me as a good way to train the lungs for volume and oxy uptake but without exercising under such conditions your body's oxy demands won't decrease as much as mine did. With or without exercise, it'd probably be very useful by lowering the needed exercise intensity. *grumbles*
posted by jwells at 7:17 AM on January 4, 2007
Kind of random, but being a singer or getting singing lessons can improve your breath control. I happened to have the double whammy of being a devoted singer and a competitive swimmer, and I used to be able to hold my breath for two lengths (50 yds) underwater swimming breaststroke. The singing aspect helps because it exercises your diaphragm and gives you an understanding of how big a breath you can take and still be able to work with it.
posted by nursegracer at 9:27 AM on January 4, 2007
posted by nursegracer at 9:27 AM on January 4, 2007
I worked my way up to holding my breath for 4 minutes with no exertion/75 yards while swimming by swimming competitively for 15 years. Perhaps join a rec league? The racing component really gives you an incentive to work hard on holding your breath when you're practicing, and I suspect that you'd see significant improvement after only a few weeks.
I haven't swam much at all in about eight years; I took up distance running a year ago, and found that I really hate holding my breath while running. The whole "if I breathe now I'll drown because I'm underwater" thing forces you to improve in a way that I haven't found with other activities.
And I still hold my breath if I'm in a car (not driving) that's going over a bridge or through a tunnel. Or passing a cemetery.
posted by J-Train at 11:26 AM on January 4, 2007
I haven't swam much at all in about eight years; I took up distance running a year ago, and found that I really hate holding my breath while running. The whole "if I breathe now I'll drown because I'm underwater" thing forces you to improve in a way that I haven't found with other activities.
And I still hold my breath if I'm in a car (not driving) that's going over a bridge or through a tunnel. Or passing a cemetery.
posted by J-Train at 11:26 AM on January 4, 2007
Depending on conditions I can hold my breath for 3+ minutes or so just by doing some deep yoga style breathing before submerging myself in the pool.
No real training other than a lifetime of having access to a swimming pool.
As far as everyone saying it's dangerous... I suppose if you're doing it in a lake at night ... alone... sure. I used to dive down ot the bottom of my pool and lay there for as long as possible before swimming back up. I managed to make it to adult hood just fine :)
posted by JFitzpatrick at 3:56 PM on January 4, 2007
No real training other than a lifetime of having access to a swimming pool.
As far as everyone saying it's dangerous... I suppose if you're doing it in a lake at night ... alone... sure. I used to dive down ot the bottom of my pool and lay there for as long as possible before swimming back up. I managed to make it to adult hood just fine :)
posted by JFitzpatrick at 3:56 PM on January 4, 2007
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Don't hyperventilate before you take that big breath. People have died that way.
posted by caddis at 7:03 PM on January 3, 2007