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.

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.

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

Day 39 - Intensive period

Tomorrow starts my two weeks of vacation. I've made some plans to do more intensive training period. Now my routine has formed the following:

• Monday - 45min Yoga
• Tuesday - Stretch with packing + O2 Static
• Wednesday - 45min Yoga 
• Thursday - Stretch with packing + CO2 OR O2 Static
• Friday - Pool with depth + DNF
• Saturday - off
• Sunday - 2 hours pool with Dyn + DNF (sometimes max attempt)

I do feel the positive effects of training. Mainly I feel that my energy levels are up and dropping some weight and eating healthy has brought really positive mental uplift. The next two weeks of vacation I intend to do training twice a day. The morning starts with Yoga session, static or with pool training. On evening I intend to do gym, stretch or pool. After this there will be weekend's training camp, which consists of dynamic max attempt.

Another thing I should start doing is pool static. This can be done mostly on sundays, where I can get safety to watch me.

The target competition for Northern Apnea Games are getting closer. I feel excited but reassured due to all the training. I had a argument with my coach about if I should feel competitive and if I should have strong will to win the competition. This was when I declared my aim is to do my best solid performance.  I think all the top freedivers I have talked with don't think their performance as a competitive against other divers, if all, this is deemed counter productive. I still feel my approach is the best for me. I don't feel that my goal is to win anything or to be placed on any ranking position.

Weight -3kg.

Turns - day 25

Hard training pays off. I've been doing twice a week my yoga routine. There has been change in my state of mind. I could call this feeling transcendence. I do feel more relaxed, aware and less stressed. I've been working on my pranayama exercises and also meditation.

Today was sunday pool practice. Last week I got my new mono to test it out. It's hand made in Russia and I was convinced that it's better than Waterway Glide by someone who definitely knows his stuff. Oh and It is a beauty. Stifness is medium, so it's much more than my previous one. I tried to figure out the best way to turn. There seems to be two popular ways: Goran Colak style, where diver turns sideways and pushes from the poolside with no kick. Other one where diver turns sideways before turn and sweeps mono from below with a kick from poolside. With the new monofin, I do feel ready for the next long dyn dive. I should be able to surpass 2min dive time mark with ease. There is mini competition in three weeks so this will be my intermediate target.

Also I've been doing some walking statics to increase my dive times. Relaxation and mental preparations is important to emphasize. I read some older deeperblue posts by Eric Fattah where he describes techniques to block and prevent contractions. It would be nice to learn these because I do put lot's of effort to withstand the contractions (they start ~2mins in dry static).

Also more importantly, I did 84m pb for dnf today. For the first time I didn't have to think about technique, feet and hand positioning. I just concentrated on relaxation and it was easy dive. I was happy afterwards, because I've tried longer dnf twice on previous sunday practices and they've been failures (first time just gave up after 60m and next time mask filled of at 50m turn). 

Weight -1,6kg

Day 16 - Mindfulness

Okay, I started to worry too soon. Yoga has helped in multiple areas of health. I've sticked with yoga, pranayama and increased stretching. I have to say, I feel pretty good. I've been reading also some texts on meditation and mindfullness. I've also introduced them to my statics and walking apneas. I've prepared with with pranayama, listened some ambient sounds to relax and concentrated on passive observation of thoughts and environment during the apnea. During apnea there is different negative thoughts. You just try to observe them, accept them and let them pass as they come. This seems to do wonders for co2 tolerance and contractions.

Today I did 2:10 "dry" dynamic and 4:10 static just after it after few mins of rest.

I skipped pool for today and also I have to skip it for Sunday. I got stiches on my neck so can't go to pool due to risk of infection. Because of this, I will be going to dive under ice on Sunday instead. Sounds logical, eh?

Weight -1,5kg.

Day 12 - Failures

It's day 12 of my diet and yoga regiment. I've followed my routine and feel pretty good, with the exception that I've gained weight. Strange. I will continue with the same regiment for a week and make additional changes, if required. Last week I managed to implement my new yoga routine and it feels great. I did it twice last week with additional static training sessions. I also did regular pool practice twice.

I think I've figured out my dnf kick finally. It has taken quite a while. Now I have problem with hand placement when straightening the hands after pull and just before the kick. I tried to do longer dnf, but failed after the second turn when my mask moved out from my face. If it was competition I think I would had continued.

I've also ordered oximeter, which should make my static exercises more fun. I do hope to get it this week.