I got this question from a follower. I feel I should post this for all to see so we are all on the same page about my training philosophy and my views on progressing safely, and having fun.
I’m doing your workouts for 3 times a week.
I’ve a couple of questions:
1. How many repetitions of every workout is enough to move to the next?
2. In addition to these workouts do you do static O2 and CO2 tables? If yes how many times a week?
3. What is the average bottom time I can expect upon completion of your program?
Thank you!
It’s great to know people are doing a better job than me these days I’m working on a house more than at the pool so I’m staying fit anyway.
1. There is no number of repetition, no scale. I suggest that within what is safe for you, you do the one that’s feasible (the hardest) regardless of what you were doing the day before. So if one day you manage to do a super advanced workout, the next you may only feel safe doing an intermediate level training. You have to listen to yourself. Progression is not automatic and regressions will occur every few days. It’s managing this sort of thing that makes freediving so dangerous. Also, parts of a training may not work for you. You may be super good at doing very strenuous up and down fast laps but suck at long underwater work, or the reverse. Really, who cares? All that matters is staying alive and keeping it fun (which almost always means sweating blood from time to time ;).
2. No, I don’t even use a watch anymore. I rarely do any long static breatholds. I’ll play underwater while holding my breath over and over past two and a half minutes, rarely over three. I’ll make bubble circles, walk on the bottom, whatever. I don’t thing I’d still be doing this if I put myself through static breathold tables.
3. There is no bottom time expectation to have. I can garantee that you are on the right path to a real increase, one that is physiological, not merely a mental capacity to push towards dangerous levels of tolerance to pain and CO2. Cardiovascular activity leads to better capabilities, nothing else. (read on)
Some techniques will let you do more with what you already have, your core capabilities. Those techniques will make you increase your bottom time quickly, but not necessarily safely. I suggest you do your homework on them and apply them very carefully, with a lot restraint. I find that freedivers that work towards getting fit, and learning proper swimming, and favor a slow progression… live longer and win more spearfishing competitions 😉