New Static PB 5min 53sec

This weeks training was almost non-existent, no gym work, no apnea walking, no dry training. Prep for Wednesday's pool session was in line with previous weeks as was my regular cup of green tea with two squeezed lemons in it 3hrs before training. I was trying to have a rest this week from my training schedule to let my body heal and i was also hopeful of a new breath up technique (well new to me) that i wanted to try out in the pool.

I'm very much in a self experimental mode of my training at the moment and trying to find how my body reacts to different types of breath up's, diets etc.

Tonight at the pool i didn't start of with the normal FRV (empty lung) holds and left the snorkel at home which i usually use in between holds with my face emerged to promote the dive reflex. Instead i tried the following....

Relax for 2mins
Full exhale-Full inhale (no packing)-Hold to 10 contractions (2min 12sec)
Relax for 2mins
Full exhale-Full inhale (no packing)-Hold to 10 contractions (2min 34sec)
Relax for 2mins
Full exhale FRV (empty lung)-Hold to 10 contractions (1min 10sec)
Relax for 2mins
Full exhale FRV (empty lung)-Hold to 10 contractions (1min 27sec)
Relax for 2mins
Hyperventilate for 2mins-Full exhale-Full inhale (packing) Hold to 10 contractions (4min 15sec)
Relax for 2mins
Hyperventilate for 2mins-Full exhale-Full inhale (plus packing) Max hold attempt (5min 53sec)

The total time of the last static hold was my best yet and i was very happy with the outcome but the experience i had at the end of the hold was very new to me.

At 5min 20sec i remember looking at my watch, I'd already hit 60 contractions which i went through very fast (so fast, i couldn't count most of them) i had a small exhale of air which i normally do which is my indicator for the end of a hold but for some reason i became very peaceful and contractions stopped? I remember looking at the bottom of the pool and thinking to myself "this is easy" "i could stay down here for ages" i looked at my watch again and it was 5mins 50 sec. Some 30secs had past during this feeling of euphoria but my sub conscious told me to surface which i did. I surfaced clean, took three recovery breaths and removed my goggles.

I must of been very hypercapnic at the start of the hold and my O2 levels dropped very low with no or very little CO2 to warn me i was running low on O2. Black out was extremely close but avoided.

I went straight into dynamic training after to try out some new swim trousers (triathlon type) which i found to be great, my wet suit which i normally use retained too much water causing way too much drag and i found that i was less buoyant with the trousers on which meant i could pack a little more than normal. I also tried some different kick styles which seemed to have worked well.

When i got home i went straight to bed but found myself tossing and turning most of the night and slept for about 3hrs during the night? I also woke up with very painful ribs / lungs which i think was due to the workout they had, had during training.

I will be resting for the remainder of this week...