Breathing technique

[seeker242]

This is pretty confusing to me because it is widely accepted that in order to transition into tech one needs a "good" SAC rate. But I honestly feel like "breathing normally" is not going to get you there.

Special breathing techniques are not what get you there to begin with, so yea you you could say "breathing normally" is not going to get you there. However, some special breathing technique, other than normal, won't get you there either. What does get you there is being comfortable and relaxed, with good trim and buoyancy, and using the minimum amount of exertion only when necessary.

 

[Protondecay123]

Special breathing techniques are not what get you there to begin with, so yea you you could say "breathing normally" is not going to get you there. However, some special breathing technique, other than normal, won't get you there either. What does get you there is being comfortable and relaxed, with good trim and buoyancy, and using the minimum amount of exertion only when necessary.

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "breath normally". To breathe from a regulator you need to breathe from your mouth. Normally most humans breathe through their noses unless they are doing considerable exertion. Hence the somewhat derogatory term of "mouth breather". Also breathing normally on exhalation (exhaling through the nose) would seem to me to cause very bad mask fogging? If you explore certain yoga techniques and mediation you will see that actually what is being taught in a somewhat metaphorical way is more efficient and effective breathing, actually decreasing the workload of breathing. This can decrease your SAC and RMV. Also learning to control your breathing in stressful situations which can keep you out of panic (fight or flight mode).

 

[seeker242]

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "breath normally".

It means don't try and manipulate your breathing in order to try and save gas. Just breathe. In a stressful situation of course gaining control over the breath is good and necessary to prevent panic, etc, but that's not the context of the discussion.

 

[Angelo Farina]

It means don't try and manipulate your breathing in order to try and save gas. Just breathe. In a stressful situation of course gaining control over the breath is good and necessary to prevent panic, etc, but that's not the context of the discussion.

I instead think that breathing control, as in Yoga, is a powerful way to control both your body and your mind. As already said, the goal is NOT to minimize SAC, but to breath more efficiently, avoiding CO2 accumulation and reducing the effort required. SAC reduction is a byproduct, it should never be the goal.
But if the diver does not practice proper exercises for learning how to always keep control of his breathing, there are little chances that he suddenly will breath properly under stress. What instead I often saw is that inexperienced divers, under stress or heavy muscular load, or panic, tend to make their breathing even shorter, accumulating CO2, and loosing entirely control of their breathing.
SAC explodes, but CO2 accumulates as the short breathing is inefficient, and the apparent lack of air can cause a rapid, uncontrolled ascend, which instead should be always avoided.
For me, breathing control is a tool, for keeping control and remaining relaxed. And the goal, as I already repeated, is never to reduce SAC, but to ensure proper elimination of CO2 and avoiding the risk of going to dyspnea.
Yoga is good way to learn breathing control. Another one is following an advanced freediving course (Apnea Academy or the like). In both cases, the training exploits explicitly the relationship between breathing and brain control.

 

[seeker242]

I instead think that breathing control, as in Yoga, is a powerful way to control both your body and your mind.

I agree! I have been doing zen meditation for 25+ years and I'm sure that this has helped my sac rate and ability to deal with stress, etc.. However, as a new diver if you are trying save gas with some special breathing techniques, instead of the other things that have been mentioned, you're doing it wrong!

 

[Angelo Farina]

I agree! I have been doing zen meditation for 25+ years and I'm sure that this has helped my sac rate and ability to deal with stress, etc.. However, as a new diver if you are trying save gas with some special breathing techniques, instead of the other things that have been mentioned, you're doing it wrong!

Exactly. Reducing SAC should never be the goal of learning breathing control.
You should learn TOTAL BODY CONTROL, and also BRAIN CONTROL. Exercises for controlling breathing are one of the tools employed for getting this total control.
When you have total control, you will move elegantly and efficiently, with minimum effort. Your mind will be relaxed and calm, and when a problem occurs you will not panic. Diving will be a relaxing experience, with little physical effort, giving you a state of mind close to transcendental meditation (again, Yoga or the like).
Diving this way is safer, and more enjoying. And yes, your SAC will diminish. But, as said, that is not the goal. Who cares of SAC? If you finish air before your buddies, next time rent a larger cylinder. So you will be more relaxed and probably breath with more control, knowing that you have plenty of air and that this is not your concern anymore.

 

[BlueTrin]

NO. The body stays horizontal, and legs are opened by keeping them perfectly straight. The left leg goes to left, the right leg goes to right, perfectly extended, without flexing knees or ankles.

I need to find a video of my wife using it. I did not find any video on youtube showing it...
The opening movement is like a dancer, but a dancer opens her legs much more (180 degrees instead of 90):

View attachment 559969

I saw the picture before to read your post and tried to picture myself doing a 180 ...

So you move the fins horizontally out on the plane then incline and clasp without bending the knee ?

Is that more efficient for longer distances than a flutter ?

 

[Kmart921]

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by "breath normally". To breathe from a regulator you need to breathe from your mouth. Normally most humans breathe through their noses unless they are doing considerable exertion. Hence the somewhat derogatory term of "mouth breather". Also breathing normally on exhalation (exhaling through the nose) would seem to me to cause very bad mask fogging? If you explore certain yoga techniques and mediation you will see that actually what is being taught in a somewhat metaphorical way is more efficient and effective breathing, actually decreasing the workload of breathing. This can decrease your SAC and RMV. Also learning to control your breathing in stressful situations which can keep you out of panic (fight or flight mode).

For me "breathe normally" just means to focus less on breathing out of your regulator (which is of course a somewhat unnatural feeling) and focus more on enjoying the dive and reducing CO2 production. My best dives have been the ones where I am so enraptured by whatever it is I'm seeing that I almost forget that I'm underwater.

I always got uncomfortable when I was trying to match that "in for 4 seconds, out for 8 seconds" advice. I had less control of my buoyancy too because of the larger swings in lung volume. My normal respiratory cycle when I'm diving is probably closer to 4-5 seconds total--and I never get headaches anymore.

 

[Charred]

It really is not about breathing control, but heart rate control. There are breathing techniques mentioned here (like the long exhale) that help reduce your heart rate which in turn reduces the amount of breathing necessary.

Being relaxed, being in shape and controlled breathing all contribute to lower heart rate and less air consumption.

 

[TMHeimer]

It means don't try and manipulate your breathing in order to try and save gas. Just breathe. In a stressful situation of course gaining control over the breath is good and necessary to prevent panic, etc, but that's not the context of the discussion.

Agree. I call my self a "both breather". Think I mostly breathe through the nose, but sometimes mouth. Don't think I breathe any differently either way. Thus for me on scuba, "normally" means mouth because that's all that's available. I helped an OW student with mask clearing once and she said she was a mouth breather. I said great--part of the problem solved already.