Holding breath for 15 minutes

[freediver]

Hey John, thanks for posting those, they are of interest. Although we respectfully disagree on a couple things, I certainly look forward to future discussions on the board with you!
By the way, Terry Maas is a pretty phenomenal individual. If you haven't yet, check out his newer book "Freedive!". Another good read is "The Manual of Freediving" by Pellizari and as mentioned by several others, Deeper Blue (online) has a wealth of freediving resources.

 

[ba_hiker]

"Static Apnea" with pure oxygene, star from the bottom of a pool, and then in the end slowly going for the surface.

13'42", Robert Foster from USA, 590315 in San Rafael, California
Who stayed under 10 ft of water in a swimming pool. He hyperventilated with oxygen for 30 min before his descent and took his last breath at the bottom.

Amazing!

Sorry to resurect this old thread, but I found this after the researching the breath holding record regarding David Blane, the magician.

You see I was present for the record setting by Robert Foster, in San Rafael. It was a long time ago and occured at the Bermuda Palms motel, San Rafael CA (where I grew up). It was in the late 50s or early 60s it think, I was a little tike at the time.

He hyperventelated O2 and lay on a lounge chair at the bottom of the pool. From well before the recoord attempt until well after he was attended. I withesses the start and the end, but was too bored to watch the whole time.

It was announced in advance and was well covered by press (at lest 15 reporters present, plus doctors, etc) at the time. I though it was something like a bit more than 10 minutes. Well past what Blaine is attempting. It was documented in the local paper (the Independent Journal), the San Francisco papers (at least the Call-bulletin and the Examiner) and also made the national press.

It was not 'certified' by AIDA because it was about 30 years before they were created in France. When they started the ignored all previous records, no matter how well documented.

 

[Amphibious]

It was not 'certified' by AIDA because it was about 30 years before they were created in France. When they started the ignored all previous records, no matter how well documented.

his breathhold was done using gas other then ambient Air. thus, his record is null and void.

has nothing to do with ignoring.

 

[ba_hiker]

deleted

 

[phil-1977]

These are interesting papers:

Ascent exhalations of Antarctic fur seals: a behavioural adaptation for breath-hold diving?

Hooker SK, Miller PJ, Johnson MP, Cox OP, Boyd IL.

Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK. s.hooker@st-andrews.ac.uk

Novel observations collected from video, acoustic and conductivity sensors showed that Antarctic fur seals consistently exhale during the last 50-85% of ascent from all dives (10-160 m, n > 8000 dives from 50 seals). The depth of initial bubble emission was best predicted by maximum dive depth, suggesting an underlying physical mechanism. Bubble sound intensity recorded from one seal followed predictions of a simple model based on venting expanding lung air with decreasing pressure. Comparison of air release between dives, together with lack of variation in intensity of thrusting movement during initial descent regardless of ultimate dive depth, suggested that inhaled diving lung volume was constant for all dives. The thrusting intensity in the final phase of ascent was greater for dives in which ascent exhalation began at a greater depth, suggesting an energetic cost to this behaviour, probably as a result of loss of buoyancy from reduced lung volume. These results suggest that fur seals descend with full lung air stores, and thus face the physiological consequences of pressure at depth. We suggest that these regular and predictable ascent exhalations could function to reduce the potential for a precipitous drop in blood oxygen that would result in shallow-water blackout.

PMID: 15734689 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

------------------------

[Breath-hold diving--an increasing adventure sport with medical risks]

[Article in Swedish]

Lindholm P, Gennser M.

Sektionen for omgivningsfysiologi, institutionen for fysiologi och farmakologi, Karolinska institutet, Stockholm.

Breath-hold diving as a recreational and competitive sports activity is on the increase. In this review physiological limitations and medical risks associated with breath-hold diving are discussed. Specific topics include hypoxia, ascent blackout, hyperventilation, squeeze or barotrauma of descent including effects on the pulmonary system, glossopharyngeal breathing, and decompression illness. It is also concluded that the health requirements for competitive breath-hold diving should follow essentially the same standards as used for SCUBA-diving.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 15045843 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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So apparently there is a term called "ascent blackout" in the medical literature. I stand corrected.

SeaRat

The example of the Antarctic fur seals quoted above is interesting. As I understand it from my very limited reading, blackout is caused by hypoxia. I can't figure out why exhaling on ascent would help prevent this. Any ideas?

 

[JimQPublic]

The simplistic explanation of Shallow Water Blackout / Ascent Blackout is that as the air in the lungs expands as you approach the surface the partial presure of 02 becomes very low. O2 is drawn out of the blood and into the lungs, resulting in a drop in the blood oxygen concentration.

So I surmise that by blowing out the air from its lungs, the seal prevents the transfer.

Disclaimer: I have no idea if my explanation of SWB is valid or simply a regurgitation of scientifically baseless musings I read on the internet.

 

[5ata]

I think you explained it very well!!!

 

[JimQPublic]

Cliff,

Thanks but now the question is whether that's really why the seals are exhaling. Maybe it's just so they can inhale immediately on surfacing. But assuming it reduces the chance of ascent/SWB, then would the same apply to humans? And even if so, does that outweigh the advantage of greater bouyancy with full lungs?

I dunno. I'm going to start my freediving career by the book, not checking out to see if I can emulate seals.

Jim

 

[5ata]

Jim - I recommend getting The Manual of Freediving by Umberto Pelizzari - this is the most comprehensive manual on the subject. There is some great information on physiology in the book...

 

[anakin]

its 8:58

and over 10 unofficialy