2 ms·
The normal consensus in the free diving community is that meditation is more effective that hyperventilating, there is more to gain by reducing your heart rate
by pacaro 9y ago
The normal consensus in the free diving community is that meditation is more effective that hyperventilating, there is more to gain by reducing your heart rate than by increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood, hyperventilating tends to raise the heart rate
In my experience most people can hold their breath for about a minute if they push out of their comfort zone and, with a modicum of practice, three minutes is attainable.
For me, being able to hold my breath for three minutes while doing nothing, translates to being able to swim underwater for nearly a minute, or reach a depth of about 45’ without weights.
- ohazi 9y agoWe covered shallow water blackout when I learned to dive, and were essentially told "a few slow, deep breaths are okay, but don't hyperventilate." The idea was to use this and the dive reflex to get your heart rate down without actually flushing out CO2, which your body needs in order to tell you to breathe before you pass out.
- eric_h 9y agoI went free diving with a former Navy Seal - he said two slow breaths trying to fully empty your lungs each time, then take a deep breath and hold. Actively hyperventilating, especially if you're going deeper than 2 ATM (~10m/30ft) and your risk of a shallow water blackout goes way up.