I'm able to block a significant portion of my nostrils with my upper lip by making an overly exaggerated duck face. Between this and some slight positive pressure, I can hang out upside down, on my back, etc without getting any water into my sinuses. Years of swimming competitively as a child, pushing off the wall for a backstroke lap, etc developed this. Yes, I look ridiculous while doing it.
face-up underwater without a mask
- Thread starter malipython
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OP
malipython
Registered
The breathing technique I'm talking about is a very common skill even among those who have never had anything to do with swimming or freediving in their lives.
If someone chooses swimming as a hobby, and wants to do it in a decent way (and why wouldn't they?), then this skill is essential due to flip turns or backstroke uw inverted dolphin kicks...
Older friends of mine above their 40s also confirmed that back in the day, this was something that had to be learnt during a freediving or scuba diving course.
Also, why is it that even the most basic things related to swimming can be found 43253465544342 different places and videos on the web, detailed arm movement description, etc, while you can barely even find something about the ability I'm talking about?
Same thing about the ability to be able to stay put in a horizontal position in deep water. No one teaches that separately, because it is automatically learnt.
I have the feeling that it's the same reason why you can't find anything on the web about how to start walking as a baby...
My point is that it's completely unnatural in my opinion if a human being learns how to swim, yet gets water into their respiratory system (the nose is part of it as well) while doing so in any position. It's just simply contradictory. Now whether one has water safety or doesn't. Everyone I know who possesses the ability I'm talking about have a bigger / wider nose than me. I also contacted nose specialist doctors and even they said that if I have a healthy nose not full or polyps, I should be able to do this, as this is I'll quote: "a natural reflex that is central neural system based".
My problem is that neurologists don't intend to help me or find answers to my problem.
I think if I can't evolve in the only sports I love, at least I have the right to know why.
If someone chooses swimming as a hobby, and wants to do it in a decent way (and why wouldn't they?), then this skill is essential due to flip turns or backstroke uw inverted dolphin kicks...
Older friends of mine above their 40s also confirmed that back in the day, this was something that had to be learnt during a freediving or scuba diving course.
Also, why is it that even the most basic things related to swimming can be found 43253465544342 different places and videos on the web, detailed arm movement description, etc, while you can barely even find something about the ability I'm talking about?
Same thing about the ability to be able to stay put in a horizontal position in deep water. No one teaches that separately, because it is automatically learnt.
I have the feeling that it's the same reason why you can't find anything on the web about how to start walking as a baby...
My point is that it's completely unnatural in my opinion if a human being learns how to swim, yet gets water into their respiratory system (the nose is part of it as well) while doing so in any position. It's just simply contradictory. Now whether one has water safety or doesn't. Everyone I know who possesses the ability I'm talking about have a bigger / wider nose than me. I also contacted nose specialist doctors and even they said that if I have a healthy nose not full or polyps, I should be able to do this, as this is I'll quote: "a natural reflex that is central neural system based".
My problem is that neurologists don't intend to help me or find answers to my problem.
I think if I can't evolve in the only sports I love, at least I have the right to know why.
Hank49
Contributor
Any air you let leak into your nose, when the nostrils are facing upwards, will float out as bubbles. That's what air does under water.
What I fail to grasp here is why anyone would want to hold that position for any length of time under water. Back stroke swimmers, kicking off the wall can blow out because they will be on the surface breathing in a few seconds.
In 40 years of body surfing, scuba diving and free dive spearfishing, I have never applied that technique.
What I fail to grasp here is why anyone would want to hold that position for any length of time under water. Back stroke swimmers, kicking off the wall can blow out because they will be on the surface breathing in a few seconds.
In 40 years of body surfing, scuba diving and free dive spearfishing, I have never applied that technique.
OP
malipython
Registered
Theorically, yes, air floats up as bubbles underwater, still a lot of people can make it trapped in their nasal passages in any position underwater. I may have a reason not to believe this if one or two people said it out of 10000, but the truth is that I have seen it with my own eyes many times someone doing it. No bubbles left their noses, which means no water got in there as it'd extrude the air out of there. I am 29 yrs old now, until the age of 28 I didn't even know this could be done and never even thought about it, but after realizing how common it is even among people who can't even swim properly, then yeah... It bothers me not being able to do something so many others can do. It does not bother me in any other things, but it does in water related stuff coz you always wanna be better at something you like doing.
OP
malipython
Registered
Yes of course, I already read that particular article long ago. Closing the soft palate only works face-down or face-fwd underwater for most people. For the lucky ones though, closing it may generate enough pressure in the nasal cavity to keep water out in a face-up position as well, but that's a rare occurrence.
Constant and even air pressure in your sinus cavities means nothing against water, if it's not enough pressure. This is where the ubersoft, constant and even exhalation comes in the picture. It seems my ability to regulate air properly fails big time. Geee. BTW, no matter how much I practiced, I realized no improvements at all, regarding my exhalation skills. So retarded.
What should I do, really? Yoga? I also went to Buteyko breathing course which is exactly about minimizing the air intake and the speed of the exhalation.
Constant and even air pressure in your sinus cavities means nothing against water, if it's not enough pressure. This is where the ubersoft, constant and even exhalation comes in the picture. It seems my ability to regulate air properly fails big time. Geee. BTW, no matter how much I practiced, I realized no improvements at all, regarding my exhalation skills. So retarded.
What should I do, really? Yoga? I also went to Buteyko breathing course which is exactly about minimizing the air intake and the speed of the exhalation.
Hank49
Contributor
Well, some people can roll their tongues, some can wiggle one ear,
some can do 180 splits with their legs.....and some can hold air in their nostrils. I wouldn't dwell on it. You can still find adventure and joy in the water. Enjoy.
OP
malipython
Registered
Without the feeling of evolving a human being is unable to be satisfied, we are programmed this way.
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