Teen Dies in Pool

[Jeff Toorish]

This is tragic.

Teen passes out in pool, later dies - Life - MSNBC.com

Jeff

 

[Jim Ernst]

Wow....... that really sucks , Poor kid, and I feel bad for the Family!!

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Oh man... That sucks...

 

[BKP]

I don't quite understand the mechanics of that.

Can you voluntarily hold your breath until you pass out?

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I don't quite understand the mechanics of that.

Can you voluntarily hold your breath until you pass out?

Yes, you can. There are some skills that were once taught to swimmers regarding hypoxic training. These skills have very recently been outlawed as being too dangerous for the above reason.

The intent behind the skills was to teach competitive swimmers how to swim their race without taking a breath. Lifting your head out of water creates drag and can add tenths of a second onto your time. The article is really weak on details and I won't offer conjecture on what he did.

TwoBit

 

[dive_lover88]

sad...rip...tt has got to suck.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Yes, you can. There are some skills that were once taught to swimmers regarding hypoxic training. These skills have very recently been outlawed as being too dangerous for the above reason.

The intent behind the skills was to teach competitive swimmers how to swim their race without taking a breath. Lifting your head out of water creates drag and can add tenths of a second onto your time. The article is really weak on details and I won't offer conjecture on what he did.

TwoBit

Many people have died deliberately holding their breath in pools. I didn't know that breath holding has recently become illegal. Is that a state or federal law?

 

[covediver]

Many people have died deliberately holding their breath in pools. I didn't know that breath holding has recently become illegal. Is that a state or federal law?

I think what the writer refers to is the technique for swimming practice has been banned by various athletic associations. if memory serves, Australlia had a couple of fatalities a couple years back in high school swimming by teens who swam underwater laps pushing the envelope a bit too far. Seems I recall that the techinique was banned as a result. Could be wrong.

L

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Many people have died deliberately holding their breath in pools. I didn't know that breath holding has recently become illegal. Is that a state or federal law?

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Covediver has it right. Hypoxic training, teaching swimmers to breath hold, has been banned by the Red Cross, YMCA, and a couple other organizations. Granted, even though banned, coaches must still recognize that it is very dangerous and accept the ban or not. As with any competition, the desire to win can be too great.

TwoBit

 

[Hawkwood]

Here is a recent article from the Calgary Herald:

'Lung busting' fad claimed swimmer

The lifeguards at the Talisman Centre have been told to watch for "breath holding" and put a stop to it.

A number of folks in the free-diving community here practice breath holding at the Centre. It's never been made clear whether this fatality was related to training for free-diving.