freediving
FREEDIVER MASK
How to choose and use it correctly
"Which mask is best for freediving?" I often hear this question from my students and befriended freedivers. In order to give an honest answer, one should ask the question "what kind of mask to choose?", because it will not necessarily be the same for everyone.
The mask is the most important piece of freediver's gear. A well-chosen one is one that we take out of the box, put it on and forget that we have anything on our face. In this article, I will pay attention to how to choose, adjust and properly use a mask so that it does not disturb us and serves us for years.
STATIC APNOEA – RESULTS
Subjects achieved different results. The results of spirometric tests (ST), however, fail to convey enough information about the characteristics of the subjects. Other important parameters are also gender, age, height, body weight, and competitive experience. It is good that the subjects achieved the best possible ST results. The right combination of all the mentioned parameters produces the best results. However, it is yet not known, what the ideal formula for that right combination is.
STATIC APNOEA
Research on athletes
The main purpose of the research involving eight Slovenian men divers on the breath, was to compare the effects of static apnoea after inhalation and after exhalation carried out in water and on land. The divers that were measured have been in the regular training process for many years, and they are considered to be excellent breath-hold divers at national and world levels. (...)
We measured the following variables: the time duration of each apnoea, the beginning of a spontaneous contraction of the respiratory muscles, the heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and blood saturation with oxygen...
STATIC APNOEA
Performance factors
Ever since the first deep diving competitions were organized, there has been debate about when the ultimate limits of human apnoeic performance will be reached, and which factors will determine these limits. Divers have thus far surpassed all former predictions by physiologists in depth and time. The common factor for all competitive apnoea disciplines is apnoeic duration, which can be prolonged by any means...
FREESLOVENIA
Slovenes fell in love with freediving like Poles did in winter swimming. If they opted for that second activity, they would not be bare-chested in the beautiful Julian Alps in winter, they would only do it wisely and join other sports they practice. This is the nation for which sport is a lifestyle. Freediving is also for a growing group of people. Not only in Slovenia, but we will focus on going under water in a country known as Europe in a nutshell.
DISCOVERING TENERIFE IN ONE BREATH
I remember when in my childhood the Canary Islands sounded very exotic and even exclusive to me. At the time, it seemed to me that I would probably never be able to go there. And finally I managed to visit one of them for the first time, and then again and again a few times. After five visits to Tenerife, I still feel like going there again. Why? Because in my opinion it is simply magical...
FREEDIVING WITH SHARKS
One day I asked: What is your dream?" After a moment of reflection, I heard: "I would like to dive with sharks." I answered, "With sharks? Well ... "and I immediately thought that this dream could come true.
I had never before looked for such a destination. I heard about several locations where sharks can be found and it is possible to dive with them without a cage.
A RETURN FROM DIVING, NOT ALWAYS HAPPY
In the last issue I wrote about what to pack in your suitcase for the journey and how legally “smuggle” it onto the plane. Here I'll mention situations that do not happen often, but for which you should be prepared.
Even if the journey to a dive site went smoothly one way, without additional charges or stress, we cannot be sure that the return will be equally successful.
I really do not know the reason or do not even guess why, but in touristic diving sites the staff at the airport is not always friendly to foreign passengers, let alone divers.
A FREEDIVER'S SUITCASE
Freedivers are often said to be divers "without gear". Quite right, as they do not need any equipment to be able to dive. This does not mean, however, that we do not use any equipment ... In comparison with scuba diving, the basic equipment of a freediver includes very few elements, namely: a mask and a tube, fins, a wet suit and weight belt with ballast.
I'M A FREEDIVER
Does it sound proud or reckless?
Freedivers can be called madman and compared to the mountain climbers climbing to the top, risking the loss of health or life, just to get to the top for literally one short moment, and then making not less difficult way down. In freediving it seems to be similar. A freediver goes down in one way or another, struggling meter after meter down, puts on more and more m3 of water producing higher pressure, thus increasing the pressure on every point of the body. At a certain depth the freedivers start to fall freely.
THE DISCIPLINES OF FREEDIVING COMPETITION CARRIED OUT IN OPEN WATERS
CWT – CONSTANT WEIGHT WITH FINS – meaning deep diving (vertical diving) in the fins.
CNF – CONSTANT WEIGHT WITHOUT FINS – meaning deep diving (vertical diving) without the fins.
FIM – FREE IMMERSION – meaning deep diving (vertical diving) along the rope.
FREEDIVING IN POLAND
On my way to the World Championships, proudly dressed in the blouse of the Freediving Poland team, a red one, with our national emblem of the Eagle on the chest and the inscription POLAND on the back, I got on the plane. Sometimes I manage to take my monofin on board with me and this time this was the case. It always evokes curiosity of the cabin crew and passengers.
FREEDIVING, DISCIPLINES PLAYED ON THE POOL
DYN – DYNAMIC WITH FINS – moving underwater wearing fins.
DNF – DYNAMIC WITHOUTH FINS – moving underwater horizontally without fins.
STA – STATIC – i.e. timed static apnea.