Today we had a static practice to prepare to upcoming competition, which is in two weeks. My static training has been 99% dry. This was second session in the water. I did one preparation with pranayama, 1 frc and two warmup statics with 3min+ and 3:30. Contractions were light and easy. I only felt the harder ones and did not feel any discomfort. This strategy has worked with me on dry statics really well. Doing two warmups delayed the contractions and also the drop of SpO2. In water I don't know if they have so much of a effect.
After doing the the warmups I did my max. I did 4 deep slow breaths and 3 faster "yawns". Packed ~10 times and go. Contractions came earlier than on the previous one starting lightly under 2mins. They got harder around 3mins and I put my hands to railing at 3:30 mark. From there I just hold on counting slowly to 10. I did game my 4:30 mark. I got up at 4:45 with my first samba unable to do the protocol. What a funny feeling! You feel slightly awkward just after, but can't wait to tell your friends about it :) But I am really happy that I managed to hold easily to the samba in water. Doing it dry has been so far too difficult. Even better, I actually got up by myself. I have pushed to my limit for the first time (and slightly over it).
Next time I can do more minimal warmup, less breath-up and remember to open my eyes to focus on the hypoxia signs around 4mins. Also I remember to do forced hook breath just after my face is out of the water. Regarding the competition this was very good exercise for it.
perjantai 27. huhtikuuta 2012
sunnuntai 22. huhtikuuta 2012
Closing in on the target
The target competition is getting closer by the minute. It's been most amazing training run so far. Freediving is the most spectacular sport. So much to learn and so much to learn about yourself. I did another competition practice today. This time DNF Preparation went great and I felt really good starting up from the OT. I surfaced at 101m with new pb. Dive time was 2:25 which is the longest so far for me. Surfacing was pretty tight, but still felt in control. At the end of the dive I lost some air because of strong contractions and using mask. Something to be changed next year. Also for this dive time, with better technique, I should be able to do many more meters. After the dive I got real rush of endorfine and adrenaline. I felt like jumping up and down.
Spring is also coming and I've been looking few times when the ice melts from the lakes and I could start the spearing season. Weather is awesome and I hope I can hit the waters soon enough.
Spring is also coming and I've been looking few times when the ice melts from the lakes and I could start the spearing season. Weather is awesome and I hope I can hit the waters soon enough.
sunnuntai 15. huhtikuuta 2012
Training camp
This weekends national team ring training camp is over. It was a fun one. I've been able to really concentrate on the training for the last two weeks because I have been on vacation. Few things have happened: I've increased amount of yoga and as a result many things about mental training have been solidified and clarified. I've introduced also solid gym training regiment tailored towards freediving which emphasizes on the lactic tolerance, buffering and mental training against lactics. I also intented to do some swim training, but this I didn't managed to do, so it came back to haunt me in the camp.
As I don't have any background in any watersports. In fact I have never really enjoyed swimming, so as a result my ability to perform swimming technique is mostly constrained on staying afloat and paddling franticly. I can probably dive further than swim. At the training camp we had basic swimming drills, which work great towards DYN / DNF technique, but I definetely need to find time during summer to train these. I don't resent swim training, because I know that with some training I can get the basics down pretty fast.
Another thing was the max dynamic dive. Goal for saturday at the camp was to do maximum dynamic effort which would work towards to the spot on the national team. I did not have that high hopes though. My goal was to train competition start and preparation. All the preparation went great. There was almost a hour before the dive, when I already had my suit on and relaxed on the side of the pool. I did visualization exercises on the previous day and during hte morning. I felt good and ready to do a long dive before the start. I did realize that unfamiliar pool (shallower than my regular pool) and few weeks with very little pooltime (due to easter) would show in technique and relaxation, still is should be able to do nice, long dive with decent dive time. The dive itself started well, but felt horrible after 100m. I surfaced on 125m with dive time 1m25sec, which is pretty low. I felt very high co2 and for some reason my tolerance was all time low. I just gave up. Start and surface protocol went okay, with slight grab on the surfacing. As a result I figured out that the competition dive will most likely feel much harder than normal training long dive. It should not really matter and that should be trained before in not-so-optimal conditions. I think the training should prepare you on much more difficult performance that it actually will be.
As this was my first competition style start, it was very good overall experience about the preparation, about the dive itself and what I need to do to prepare for the next one.
As I don't have any background in any watersports. In fact I have never really enjoyed swimming, so as a result my ability to perform swimming technique is mostly constrained on staying afloat and paddling franticly. I can probably dive further than swim. At the training camp we had basic swimming drills, which work great towards DYN / DNF technique, but I definetely need to find time during summer to train these. I don't resent swim training, because I know that with some training I can get the basics down pretty fast.
Another thing was the max dynamic dive. Goal for saturday at the camp was to do maximum dynamic effort which would work towards to the spot on the national team. I did not have that high hopes though. My goal was to train competition start and preparation. All the preparation went great. There was almost a hour before the dive, when I already had my suit on and relaxed on the side of the pool. I did visualization exercises on the previous day and during hte morning. I felt good and ready to do a long dive before the start. I did realize that unfamiliar pool (shallower than my regular pool) and few weeks with very little pooltime (due to easter) would show in technique and relaxation, still is should be able to do nice, long dive with decent dive time. The dive itself started well, but felt horrible after 100m. I surfaced on 125m with dive time 1m25sec, which is pretty low. I felt very high co2 and for some reason my tolerance was all time low. I just gave up. Start and surface protocol went okay, with slight grab on the surfacing. As a result I figured out that the competition dive will most likely feel much harder than normal training long dive. It should not really matter and that should be trained before in not-so-optimal conditions. I think the training should prepare you on much more difficult performance that it actually will be.
As this was my first competition style start, it was very good overall experience about the preparation, about the dive itself and what I need to do to prepare for the next one.
lauantai 7. huhtikuuta 2012
What is enlightenment?
I have been wondering recently, that if I should try to find myself a coach, a guru or a teacher. I feel that I am doing very well without and constant self pondering, reflection and hunger for more information keeps me occupied and happy. Is the reason why I think I need one, because others have had one too? I realized something important while reading a article from wefreedive.org. It boils down on my motives and goals why I freedive and train. I train not to become the best freediver in the world. Comparing my results to other divers is irrelevant. I train to become the best I can be. Here are the wise words of Immanuel Kant (quoted from wefreedive.org).
An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?
Immanuel Kant - 1784
Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [dare to know] "Have courage to use your own understanding!"--that is the motto of enlightenment.
Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why so great a proportion of men, long after nature has released them from alien guidance (natura-liter maiorennes), nonetheless gladly remain in lifelong immaturity, and why it is so easy for others to establish themselves as their guardians. It is so easy to be immature. If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think, if only I can pay: others will readily undertake the irksome work for me. The guardians who have so benevolently taken over the supervision of men have carefully seen to it that the far greatest part of them (including the entire fair sex) regard taking the step to maturity as very dangerous, not to mention difficult. Having first made their domestic livestock dumb, and having carefully made sure that these docile creatures will not take a single step without the go-cart to which they are harnessed, these guardians then show them the danger that threatens them, should they attempt to walk alone. Now this danger is not actually so great, for after falling a few times they would in the end certainly learn to walk; but an example of this kind makes men timid and usually frightens them out of all further attempts.
Thus, it is difficult for any individual man to work himself out of the immaturity that has all but become his nature. He has even become fond of this state and for the time being is actually incapable of using his own understanding, for no one has ever allowed him to attempt it. Rules and formulas, those mechanical aids to the rational use, or rather misuse, of his natural gifts, are the shackles of a permanent immaturity. Whoever threw them off would still make only an uncertain leap over the smallest ditch, since he is unaccustomed to this kind of free movement. Consequently, only a few have succeeded, by cultivating their own minds, in freeing themselves from immaturity and pursuing a secure course.
keskiviikko 4. huhtikuuta 2012
Day 45 - Imperfect day
I've been feeling pretty good lately. I think it's partly because I am on vacation and can train without worrying about work and other stuff. Partly I feel good because I am in pretty good shape for freediving. It will be interesting to get to the open waters and just have fun. Spring is here and summer is getting closer by the minute.
Last sunday I decided to do long dynamic. Last time was at the end of January where I surprised myself by hitting 130m mark. Unlike my last dnf attempt there was no pressure this time to perform. I did feel the normal restlessness after making the decision to do long dive on the previous night. My preparation for the dive is getting more and more routinely. I start to think about it on the previous day, stretch and visualize in the morning, eat properly and rest handles itself. This time the dive itself was pretty tight, not because of co2 and duration, but because of lactics. This time I really felt my muscles almost give up, but I still managed to hold it. There was still gas on the tank at the end. I surfaced after touching the wall on the 150m. Dive time was 1m50sec. Turns were okay, but not perfect. I still have to work on that.
Another thing I realized was that I have to work on my surface protocol. Normally I will try to find foothold and stand up. At the very near of max this is not a good idea and also the pool in the comps can be deeper. I should find the line buoy, turn my back against it and do sp. All this without too much strain.
Today I hit walking apneas again. I tried to measure my SpO2 with my oximeter during the walking apnea. The measurement doesn't work so well during the apnea and after the hold it takes some time to read the measurement correctly. On the second try I managed to end up with 86% SpO2 after 2:10 of brisk walk. On the last one I decided to do one "stressed" walking apnea. I raised my hr to 90bpm, put on some fast paced metal music and started to walk faster than usual. I figured that for the competition the environment will not be 100%. I will be more excited than usual, pool will be different and I might just feel "off". In this case I should be able to push to the max (of that day). I ended up the walk with tight 2:30, which is my pb for walking apnea. I ended when I started to feel really dizzy, but no other symptoms of hypoxia. This again gave me a real confidence booster: co2 and mental side is not so much of a issue anymore if I can push to the max without having the perfect conditions and perfect day.
Weight: -3,4kg
Last sunday I decided to do long dynamic. Last time was at the end of January where I surprised myself by hitting 130m mark. Unlike my last dnf attempt there was no pressure this time to perform. I did feel the normal restlessness after making the decision to do long dive on the previous night. My preparation for the dive is getting more and more routinely. I start to think about it on the previous day, stretch and visualize in the morning, eat properly and rest handles itself. This time the dive itself was pretty tight, not because of co2 and duration, but because of lactics. This time I really felt my muscles almost give up, but I still managed to hold it. There was still gas on the tank at the end. I surfaced after touching the wall on the 150m. Dive time was 1m50sec. Turns were okay, but not perfect. I still have to work on that.
Another thing I realized was that I have to work on my surface protocol. Normally I will try to find foothold and stand up. At the very near of max this is not a good idea and also the pool in the comps can be deeper. I should find the line buoy, turn my back against it and do sp. All this without too much strain.
Today I hit walking apneas again. I tried to measure my SpO2 with my oximeter during the walking apnea. The measurement doesn't work so well during the apnea and after the hold it takes some time to read the measurement correctly. On the second try I managed to end up with 86% SpO2 after 2:10 of brisk walk. On the last one I decided to do one "stressed" walking apnea. I raised my hr to 90bpm, put on some fast paced metal music and started to walk faster than usual. I figured that for the competition the environment will not be 100%. I will be more excited than usual, pool will be different and I might just feel "off". In this case I should be able to push to the max (of that day). I ended up the walk with tight 2:30, which is my pb for walking apnea. I ended when I started to feel really dizzy, but no other symptoms of hypoxia. This again gave me a real confidence booster: co2 and mental side is not so much of a issue anymore if I can push to the max without having the perfect conditions and perfect day.
Weight: -3,4kg
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