New PB "but disaster"

Well, i got myself all relaxed and stress free before training this week. Stopped eating about 3hrs before and went off to the pool. I done my normal prep work of four empty lung holds first all around 1min and then had my breath up for 5mins using just a snorkel and no mask.

First warm up hold i hit 4mins!!!

Second warm up hold i hit 4mins 16sec!!

Third and final hold i hit 5mins 32secs, i took 90 contractions this time but rushed through most of them, i came up o.k and clean, pulled myself out of the pool and started speaking to my buddy and then it happened!!

My head swirled around like i was drunk and my hearing went very strange indeed, i was so close to blackout it was untrue. Although i was happy with the time i was really upset that, that was my limit. I came home early as my neck weight for Dynamic training was again too light and couldn't stop thinking how disastrous my static was!

I went back to training again tonight but with no prep as i would normally and struggled round to 4mins with 50 contractions but felt better about the hold than last nights one. I'm going to start a diary tomorrow and list what I'm eating and what training I'm doing so i know what's successful and what's not!! (something Ben noble told me to do ages ago, should of listened!!)

The Flying Fish

For those who don't know Herbert Nitsch i will introduce you. Herbert or "the flying fish" is the deepest freediver on earth. He is known as the flying fish due to being a pilot. Herbert who began life as a normal diver began freediving when he arrived at his holiday destination to find his diving equipment lost! Not wanting to miss out on the sea he bought a mask, snorkel and fins and began freediving. After about a week he was finding himself at 40mtrs waving at divers who were exploring the depths.

It seemed he had a natural talent and took the sport up. I meet Herbert last year at the NEC dive show whilst doing some work for Depperblue.net after he gave a presentation to all about his recent WR 214mtr no limits freedive! Herbert holds world records in lots of the disciplines including a 9min 04sec breath hold which has only just been broken (10min 04sec) Herbert is currently training for a 250mtr no limits dive and still aims for a 305mtr (1000ft) dive in 2009!

Herbert was working with the guy's from "no tanx" a group of great freedivers situated in London, many of which make up the UK freediving team and highly respected. After the show we all meet up in the hotel for drinks and Herbert sat at our table (i felt like a 12yr old next to his idle) and probably acted like it too!

It was good to spend some time with him and hear some great relief that if he doesn't train constantly he drops down to a 3min breath hold within 2wks, thank god he is human after all.

Turkey 2008

Turkey was a well earned break for myself and the family, I took the opportunity to do some training whilst out there (would of been rude not to with a private swimming pool at the house) I mainly trained in Co2 tables to see if they would benefit me when i got home which they obviously did as i hit a new P.B days after landing back in the U.K.

My times were not great but it's hard to starve yourself when on holiday and saying no to coffee and ice creams was impossible!!

The sea was a bit of a disappointment though as it showed a distinct lack of life and was heavily over fished.

I done a small amount of depth training but limited myself to the 25mtr mark but taking my time to descend and holding for as long as i could safely. It's good to be home again and glad i used the tables as they have certainly paid off!!

Back to Training

Well training after 2wks on holiday was not going to be easy as my times were not great (all around the 4min 30sec mark) so i went to the pool hoping for around 4min 40sec this week.

After my first two warm up attempts i went for my third and final static and came up at 5mins 16secs!!! Another new P.B set. I have no idea what i did different but it wasn't down to farcing or no smoking. I ate about an hour before which i never do and had my last fag about 30mins before going to the pool. I guess the time was right and the Co2 tables worked. I didn't push my Dynamic training after this performance and kept it to the 75mtr mark just working on technique rather than distance. I'm hopefully that i now stay about the 5min mark on all my training sessions so i can progress my way round to the 6min mark in the next couple of month.

Watch this space!!