Cannot Remain Submerged for 50' Breath Hold Swim

[Oldbear]

I talked with my instructor Rob and he said I could use a weight belt...

 

[danvolker]

• Freediving weight belt is low drag....
• Practice breathing up , slowing your heart rate, and holding your breath while walking. Get used to the CO2 Feeling.
• Keep your heart rate slow....if you have a heart rate monitor for jogging or cycling, use it for bio-feedback in the days prior to the event.
• breast stroke and frog kick should be able to hold you at the depth you want, and keep a slow but efficient speed...it is NOT a race...
• Be slick in the water like an olympic swimmer or a dolphin....do not wear high drag clothes....if you are a hairy animal, you might shave it all off Swimmers do!! Cyclists do.
• be flat horizontal in the water--do NOT push a bow wave with body at an angle.

 

[Oldbear]

Completed the 50' submerged swim on the first try with no issues. I used a weight belt with two 2lb weights on it (total 4lbs) and I did the three rapid exhales to clear myself of CO2. I have decided to incorporate this swim in my routine exercise swim program. The more practice I have the easier this simple exercise should get. Rob, my instructor, mentioned that he brings into his shop a couple times a year a free diving instructor (not a whole lot of deamnd for one in Colorado ) so if the opportunity arrises I will take their course.

BTW - I am a very hairy person poudly of Italian descent but I will not do a full body shave, just hold my breath longer.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

~Oldbear~