Inverted equalization tips?

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Nick_Radov

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Can anyone suggest tips for doing a proper Frenzel equalization while inverted (head down)? I've been scuba diving for years and never had any trouble equalizing in a horizontal body position. But I'm trying to learn to freedive now and my Eustachian tubes seem to close up when I'm trying to descend straight down a line.
 
I don't have any issues doing it inverted but I often find moving my jaw as if you are yawning has always worked for me, I can also just breathe in and out of my nose without needing to hold my nose and clear as well.
 
It's a little different for freedivers, IMHO this is not so much because of the inverted angle, but because you tend to descend so much more quickly. Here's an article from a freediving website that talks about how the technique works, how to do it, and most importantly how to practice it: The Definitive Guide to the Frenzel Technique - With Emma Farrell - Go Freediving

In my experience, practicing the techniques can be done pretty well on the surface. You should be listening for the little click sound in both ears separately (for me, my left ear is always much harder to clear than my right, so I pay special attention to it).

Before you dive down, you can pre-pressurize your ears at the surface, and then immediately dive down before they equalize back to 1 atm.

As the gap between ambient pressure and your middle ear grows, it becomes more difficult for the eustachian tube valves to open. So, once your head is underwater, clear immediately, and put effort into clearing every body-length or so, for the first several body-lengths. As the depth increases, you can decrease your clearing frequency.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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