Training lung capacity for SUS hold-downs

[Bean]

I collect my "proof" on land so I believe it when the time comes.

Yes, just having the confidence that you can hang on is huge.

[supsurf-tw]

You can't increase lung capacity but you can increase the tolerance to limited oxygen intake. 

[jumpfrom13k]

"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.

Lung capacity can be increased just like muscle mass doing exercises. You develop muscles to expend your lungs even more than normal capacity, which is not really applicable for surfing. 

You train yourself to be tolerable to high-carbon dioxide, not oxygen deprivation. Which is totally different thing. If you go low on oxygen you just simply pass out. If your body reaches high level of carbon dioxide, your body creates the urge to breathe. So when you train for longer freedive session, you train your mind so your brain gets used to high level of carbon dioxide thus making you be able to hold your breathe longer.

Everyone who had little bit of freediving experience will tell you that every human being is capable of holding their breath for 3 min static.  Mostly it is mental game, you need to relax and not think about breathing or wanting to breathe. If you get an urge to breathe just relax little more and know that you have enough oxygen to be able to function for another 2 min easily. Current world record for no prior O2, static is around 30 min.



Don't worry about it too much since summer time at Hawaii is pretty mellow. Just make sure that once you fall in the water, kick your legs sideways so you don't end up kicking the reef, and always fall starfish at shallow reefs.

[SUPJorge]

Thanks 13K.

[PonoBill]

I try not to kick at all, I'm a coral magnet. That's a great video. Can't help but think the guy has done some major league brain damage though. His voice has that flatness.

I do my practice with a single diaphragmatic breath, because I suspect that may be all I'm gonna get (if at all). Hyperventilation is fine for records or freediving--though it increases the potential for blackout. My problem isn't really how long I can hold my breath, it's that I still have this hideous habit of holding my breath when riding big waves, which is borderline suicidal.

[UKRiverSurfers]

Folks - this book will give you all the lung capacity you'll ever need, no matter what!

It will give you far more than that too

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barefoot-Doctors-Handbook-Urban-Warrior/dp/074991811X

Everything in it is based on ancient Taoist techniques.... from 4 stage breathing right through to full on Taoist mastery

[UKRiverSurfers]

I try not to kick at all, I'm a coral magnet. That's a great video. Can't help but think the guy has done some major league brain damage though. His voice has that flatness.

I do my practice with a single diaphragmatic breath, because I suspect that may be all I'm gonna get (if at all). Hyperventilation is fine for records or freediving--though it increases the potential for blackout. My problem isn't really how long I can hold my breath, it's that I still have this hideous habit of holding my breath when riding big waves, which is borderline suicidal.

Funnily enough i was just saying in my swim lessons and i say it every day, if you kick, you sink...

[stoneaxe]

Do large bong hits count?....

[Bean]

Do large bong hits count?....

Sure, as long as it's from a waterpipe...

[jumpfrom13k]

Do large bong hits count?....

Sure, as long as it's from a waterpipe...

Bong needs to be at minimum 4 ft tall to be effective training device.

[Chilly]

Do large bong hits count?....

Sure, as long as it's from a waterpipe...

Bong needs to be at minimum 4 ft tall to be effective training device.

[newton333]

apnea walking, or running. just walk/run fast hold your breath repeat.  same as big hold downs trains u to hold it even when out of breath. literally saved my life more then once.  and relax even when looking death in the face! its really hard but its so true!

[PonoBill]

Dave Kalama does walking squats--sideways, backwards, frontwards--in deep sand, while he holds his breath. I did it with him one time and I lasted about 20 yards. Dave went a couple of hundred yards. That's a good metaphor for the basic difference between Dave and I.

[SD Surfer]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm new here and it reminded me of an interesting video I saw somewhere.

They were talking to a number of the big wave guys, and they all said similar things about having "a mental place" where they go to chill during long (multiple wave) hold-downs.

Shane Dorian for example, talked about mentally organizing and packing all his gear as though he were getting ready for a surf trip. Putting boards in the truck, leashes, wetsuits, fins, PFD's in a duffel bag, packing clothes in his suitcase, etc.

Other guys had different (but similar) routines, just a place to go and occupy the mind with something other than wanting to breathe.

It was pretty interesting listening to them describe it.

I do breath holding exercises at my desk at work, using the stopwatch on my phone. 1:30 is pretty easy, then it gets tough. I also get up and run down the stairs and back up to simulate the stress of being thrashed around by a wave. This increases the difficulty A LOT. 

[Bean]

Here is a link to Laird's Power of Breathing podcast:

http://www.lairdhamilton.com/the-power-of-breathing-to-succeed-with-laird-hamilton-and-lewis-homes/