diving is a sport with a lot of historywhich, over the years, has evolved and developed various modalities. One of them is apnea, where the diver is thrown into the depths of the sea on lungs without any type of system to provide oxygen.
Different styles of apnea
Among those who are passionate about this sport, there are those who prefer one modality to another. Therefore we can differentiate between static apnea, dynamic, free, constant weight, variable weight strong>or no limits.
We must keep in mind that our body undergoes changes once we submerge ourselves in water, even if we do not realize it. Some of these reactions have to do with slowing of heart rate or variations in body pressure.
Compensation is, without a doubt, the most important adaptation that our body makes, since it prevents the crushing of the lungs thanks to greater circulation of blood flow.
What should I keep in mind before practicing freediving?
Before diving into the seabed, you should keep in mind that this is not a sport that anyone can practice. The physical condition, along with good mental aptitude and the capacity for self-improvement are some of the fundamental bases in this type of technique. It will be essential to feel relaxed since you are going to be several meters deep!
As we have mentioned, one of the keys is to have good physical preparation, since, even if you have very strong lungs, the pressure could cause damage to your body such as: syncope due to prolonged apnea, syncope due to deep apnea, hyperventilation and contraindications.
5 tips to make your apnea technique perfect
- Never dive alone. As we have already told you, this diving practice is somewhat risky and it is always better to have the help of a partner, preferably a diver. You can Dive in turns, so you will be under the sea and will be supervised during the activity.
- Be careful with the ballast. It will be better if you don't use too much, because in case you have to return to the surface, being too loaded can be a problem.
- Monitor hyperventilations. It seems not, but it can give us a scare if we don't do it with caution. You don't want to get dizzy, feel chest pains, have your legs shake, or sweat, right?
- Wear the appropriate equipment. To practice this sport it is not necessary to have a lot of equipment, it is true. But make sure you have a good wetsuit, fins, goggles and, whenever it is most useful for you, nose clips. You can use a flashlight and a buoy to mark the point where you have submerged.
- Practice. Freediving requires a lot of training and patience, let's not forget that it is a sports technique and you have to act as such.
Would you like to be a freediver? The first thing you have to do is a diving course, in order to control the basic notions that this sport entails and, once we have this worked out, you can start training your lungs.
On the contrary, if you practice freediving regularly, we encourage you to continue doing so, since you can reach a professional level and compete to obtain records. Train body and mind and enjoy!
