Training lung capacity for SUS hold-downs

[SUPJorge]

The POV video linked at "Caught inside at Todos Santos" (which is great, btw, thx Leave) reminds me of something I've been wondering about. Surfing in Florida has its own set of challenges but long hold downs is not one of them. A trip to Costa Rica last Summer opened my eyes some and I expect that my first ever to Hawaii this coming Summer will open them further.

Do any of you, more experienced surfers have any suggestions about training or exercises I can be doing to increase breath holding during the longer hold downs? I've always been pretty comfortable in the water (scuba, triathlons in the 80's, etc) and do my best to try and stay relaxed but would like to train basic lung capacity. I remember seeing a video of Laird holding a 44lb plate at the bottom of a pool. Is that something to be doing?

PS. 5 cracked ribs and the resulting hemo/pneumo-thorax 20 months ago didn't help lung capacity.

[jumpfrom13k]

Where can you find this powerful waves that you speak of during summer time in Hawaii?

[SUPJorge]

Sheesh ... I go out of my way to create a proper context (ie, Florida, CR) and never use the word "powerful."   

[hbsteve]

Here is an old yoga excerise for breath control.  Take a walk.  Hold your breath for a few steps.  Start easy.  Keep increasing.  And then finish with easing back down.
It doesn't take long.  Since you are in FL., try it while walking in the sand.

[breakbad]

http://www.surfing-waves.com/surf-fitness/survive-hold-downs.htm



edit: I wouldn't recommend doing anaerobic exercises in the water without something watching, for obvious reasons. It's probably just as effective to do land exercises.

[starman]

Those Laird exercises are not something I would be doing. Check out http://shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org/

[PonoBill]

I do breath holding exercises a lot. Yes, I do them driving in the car, but I never go anywhere near blackout levels. I have blacked myself out sitting on the couch, so I have somewhat of an idea of where that it.

First, learn to do diaphragmatic breaths. Google it. Mysticism aside, it means pushing out your stomach in the first part of your breath, using your diaphragm muscle to fill the bottom of your lungs. If you breathe normally and hold your breath you will last about half as long as if you did diaphragmatic breathing. Then just practice. I use the stopwatch in my iPhone as a timer. I routinely can do two minutes sitting still. If you're caught inside and have the time to do two diaphragmatic breaths you'll be good for at least 40 seconds or more, as long as you don't panic and start swimming against the turbulence. I just chill out, wait until I see bubbles rising, and swim gently to the surface.

Big waves are usually long period. If you get nailed again before you reach the surface it's imperative that you stop swimming and wait again. Trust me--I've done the opposite, it doesn't work. 

[Chilly]

This video is an extreme case with some humor, but it reminds me of what Bill is talking about “chill out”.  In other words don’t panic and waste energy when you are under. Of course if I had a 60 foot wave coming at me, I would be literally scared to death before it hit me.

[outcast]

All of the above....
Sent you a pm

[SUPJorge]

Thanks guys!

[supsurf-tw]

Surviving hold downs in  big surf is more about your mental state. You need to learn not to panic and "enjoy the ride" so to speak. The breath holding exercises give you the confidence but if you panic it just won't matter.

[Bean]

Or as Yogi Berra would say, surviving a serious hold down is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

[SaMoSUP]

Is lung capacity something that can be increased like muscle mass by doing exercises? Or do breath holding exercises just train oxygen deprivation tolerance? I remember in PE class when I was younger they measured everyone's lung capacity and I had the least. But I still managed to beat everyone in the run test. I know my breath holding ability has gotten longer from swimming in the pool. Does that mean my lung capacity has increased?

[surfcowboy]

I do breath holds on my walks and then time at home, not for the actual time, so that I can tell my brain as I'm tumbling that I can hold my breath for longer than 2 of whatever wave I'm on. This relaxation in the washing machine is indeed mental but I collect my "proof" on land so I believe it when the time comes.

No water training without a buddy who can lift and carry you!

[SUPJorge]

"Is lung capacity something that can be increased like muscle mass by doing exercises? Or do breath holding exercises just train oxygen deprivation tolerance?"

I suspect both, but I'll let those professionally trained weigh in.