It’s common knowledge that you die after about three minutes of not breathing. Well, it seems as if no free divers were included in these statistics. Some very advanced freedivers, swimming without a snorkel or scuba gear, are able to hold their breath for more than ten minutes underwater! Sounds unbelievable? We’ll explain to you what freediving is and how the breathing technique works. Using freediving breathing techniques does not only benefit you when you want to go underwater but also has many other benefits!
What is freediving?
Freediving is a diving technique that solely rests on the power of the human body, to be precise on the human breath. Freedivers go underwater without the help of scuba gear or a breathing apparatus. Freedivers simply hold their breath for as long as they can before returning to the surface. Thus, a freediver can only travel as long under the surface as their lungs will take them. As humans are not able to hold their breath very long under regular circumstances, free divers specifically train their lungs and breath to be able to hold their breath longer underwater. Their training also incorporates other physical and mental exercises to keep them fit and healthy.
Freediving is both one of the most incredible or scary sports one can do, depending on how well trained your lungs and mind are. Freedivers love the feeling of freedom underwater and pushing the laws of nature to the limit. But of course, if you have never freedived before, it can be scary. Therefore it is necessary to have the right preparation for a free dive experience.
How does the freediving breathing technique work?
The human body feels the need to breathe from a buildup of carbon dioxide in the body, not from an actual lack of oxygen, which means that we are able to hold our breath much longer than we think we can. Freediving breathing exercises train us to slowly be able to hold the breath for a longer time, but they are also designed to help us relax breathing, body, and mind.
Freedivers train themselves to not give in to that urge of breathing that our body sends after about a minute or so and to ignore the rising of carbon dioxide in the body during a dive. The key to lasting longer underwater is to get used to taking slow, deep breaths in advance to a dive.
In preparation of a freedive you will start to make your exhales longer than your inhales. This decreases the heart rate and helps calm the body and mind to reduce oxygen consumption. Less oxygen consumed also means to be able to hold the breath for a longer time.
Pausing after each inhales and exhales helps to decrease the breathing rate even more. Here it’s important that the pause at the end of the exhalation should be longer than the one at the end of the inhalation.
It is also important to breathe as relaxed as possible. Do not force your inhales and exhales but make them passive, so you don’t strain your intercostal or stomach muscles and the heart rate is kept low. The most important part about preparing for a freediver is to be as relaxed as possible without hyperventilating. This is what the preparation is all about. Relaxing your breathing, your mind and your muscles to actively prepare you for a period of non-breathing (and being chill about it).
The last breath you take before holding your breath should be a complete exhalation to fully empty your lungs of air. Pull your stomach muscles to exhale as much air as possible. Then take a last, full and calm inhale in three stages, similar to deep yogic breathing. First, expand the stomach, filling the lower region of your lungs completely. Your rib cage and chest shouldn’t move. Then expand your rib cage and breathe into the central region of your lungs. Lastly, open your mouth wide and fill the upper region of your lungs, the area of your collarbone and throat.
What follows then is your freedive - if you are diving - and if not, simply holding your breath for as long as you can. You will realize that the more often you train the breathing preparation for a freedive and the more you get into the mindset of relaxation and being able to control the urge of breathing, the longer you will be able to hold your breath with practice.
What are the benefits of freediving breathing technique?
The biggest benefit this breathing exercise possesses is that it helps you to relax deeply. It slows down your breath and the intake of oxygen and therefore also relaxes your nervous system and your mind. Even when you are not planning on becoming a freediver, the breathing technique helps you to relax more and quiets the mind.
Lowers stress and anxiety
Breathing like a freediver brings your body back into its natural restful state - the parasympathetic nervous system. With similarities to yogic practices, free diving breathing can help slow down the heart rate and help our bodies to settle into the present moment. The result is less stress and anxiety. A study of 2013 proved that freedivers had significantly lower levels of stress, anxiety and negative affectivity compared to non-freedivers.
Feel better
Freediving breathing does not only lower stress, but it also boosts your mood. During the breathwork, feel-good neurotransmitters like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine are enhanced during freediving breathing and holding your breath afterward.
Next to feeling better and having less stress, breathing like a freediver also increases your energy and focus and clears your mind. Naturally, you will be able to focus better on your goals and have more energy to do the things you like.
Freedivers also use their oxygen more efficiently than non-divers. Optimum usage of oxygen also leads to better respiration, lower heart rate, increased blood flow to the vital organs and better overall health.
Even though you might have never thought about learning to breathe like a freediver, it’s time to give it a thought. The many benefits of this breathing exercise are also beneficial for your physical and mental health in your everyday life.
Written by Clara Malzer
