In 2018, the world record for holding breathing underwater in the discipline of static apnea was set by Croat Budimir Shobat ( Budimir shobat) 24 minutes 11 seconds. The previous record was exceeded by 8 seconds, and this is a truly heroic achievement.

Budimir Shabbat dedicated his achievement to people with autism spectrum disorders.

On February 28, 2016, the world record was 24 minutes 03 seconds. Spanish freediver Aleix Segura managed to achieve such an incredible result. In 2014, Goran Cholak held his breath for 23 minutes 01 seconds. It should be mentioned that the achievement of a twenty-minute or more breath hold is possible only with the help of hyperventilation of the lungs with pure oxygen before the start, but this is allowed by the rules when measuring static apnea.

Video from Guinness World Records that set the 2016 world record for long-term apnea using 100% oxygen pre-hyperventilation. The record holder is the Spaniard Alex Segura.

What is the secret of holding your breath for a long time? Superpowers, training, meditation? To achieve this degree of mastery, there are special tools and physiological laws, knowing which you can consistently go to records with hard work. So how is it done?

Respiratory physiology to achieve records

Holding your breath implies oxygen starvation. This is the first thing to remember when starting your freediving training. Assess risk and prioritize by understanding the basics of respiratory physiology.

What happens to the body when diving? Muscle loading during a dive quickly burns oxygen, leading to hypoxia (O2 deficiency). The calculation of the rate of oxygen loss is very complex and individual - taking into account the depth, speed, duration of the dive, water temperature, pulse and lung volume of the diver.

The video shows an illustrative example of what happens to a diver's lungs when diving:

Every organ in the diver's body reacts to the slightest change in pressure, blood vessels spasm, blood flow is redistributed and blood pressure carries oxygen to the most important bodies- heart and brain. Interesting that heartbeat begins to slow down immediately after submerging only one face in the water!

But all the fun begins when the central nervous system gives an impulse to inhale. This sensation is familiar to everyone - the concentration of carbon dioxide reaches a critical level and we reflexively inhale. The trained diver is able to control this reflex to a certain extent. When it comes about a small pool to demonstrate breath holding, and not about immersion, for example, for spearfishing, then we are not talking about the pressure of gases in the body, but with active movement under water at a depth of 8-10 meters there is a real risk of loss of consciousness upon ascent.

Why is it possible to lose consciousness when surfacing? In simple terms: the pressure during diving compresses the lungs and it seems to the diver that there is still enough oxygen, while ascending the pressure decreases and the lungs need more and more air volume with each meter. The lungs compensate for the lack of oxygen from tissues and organs, thereby sharply increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide. CO2 is toxic and especially dangerous because consciousness turns off without special warning - a rapid active rise to the surface aggravates the situation every second. To prevent hypoxia from overtaking you suddenly, you need to learn to dive safely.

Before starting exercises to hold the breath and increase the volume of the lungs, the novice diver must learn to understand the signals of his body and correctly assess the sensations. Read about how to start your first workouts in the article.

Symptoms of oxygen starvation and carbon dioxide poisoning:

1. The harbinger of an increased concentration of CO2 is a slight euphoria, tingling of the fingertips, goosebumps, then the temperature rises slightly (as after a cup of hot tea), the head begins to ache and feel slightly nauseous.
2. Pulsation of cerebral vessels, tunnel vision, light-headedness.
   Convulsions, loss of consciousness.
3. The so-called anesthesia, during which the irreparable comes.

These symptoms go on very quickly. For a novice diver actively moving underwater, everything can be over in a couple of minutes. Even a trained pearl diver won't last longer than 8 minutes.

How to learn to hold your breath for a long time?

To reduce the sensitivity of receptors to carbon dioxide and set records for static sleep, regular training is needed. An experienced diver consumes more than 50% oxygen - this is the O2 consumption threshold before the obligatory reflex inhalation of an ordinary person.

There are two different approaches to increase the duration of apnea:

• Different training systems aimed at development correct breathing self-control and relaxation, increasing lung volume, training the diaphragm. Some of the techniques are based on pranayama, melite sadhana, kundalini yoga, and other meditative practices. There is a separate material.
• Controlled hyperventilation, inhalation of pure oxygen.

Despite side effects, hyperventilation is the most popular and effective way prolong apnea. This is the practice of fast breathing, during which the carbon dioxide pressure is released before diving. The practice of fast, deep breathing can double the apnea time, but the more intense and longer the hyperventilation is carried out, the more acute the hypoxia will be during ascent. Some instructors consider this practice of prolonging apnea to be dangerous and not effective enough to justify the risks.

How long should you hyperventilate before freediving?

A normal range is between 30 and 60 seconds. Over a minute, hyperventilation reduces the diver's oxygen starvation control and the likelihood of seizures increases several times. This has been tested academically and in practice hundreds of times, so you shouldn't exceed the mandatory ventilation time. Control of most tasks can and should be entrusted.

There is a generally accepted test for the optimal duration of hyperventilation, developed by the medical board specialist from the World Confederation of Underwater Activities (CMAS) R. Charlie. The trainer or doctor will discuss in detail the symptoms in which the diver will signal the first stage of oxygen starvation, several approaches of hyperventilation are carried out (at different times, with different frequency and depth of inhalation), the first symptom is recorded with a stopwatch. The time noted is divided by 3 to represent the acceptable pre-ventilation time.

The main rule for achieving records is not to rush into the pool with your head. Do not set impossible goals without risk calculation. Life and health are more important than any achievement!

Holding your breath underwater for a while (static apnea) is a freediving discipline. This sport cannot be classified as an easy one and it is not often possible to meet people who wish to be successful in this area. And fans of this sport have set records for holding breath under water and deserve attention.

Record holders for holding breath underwater

Martin Stepanek

Martin Stepanek admired Japanese freedivers, which prompted him to train. In 2001, he set a record for holding his breath underwater - he did not breathe for 8 minutes 6 seconds.

Stefan Mifsud

The result in static apnea of ​​the French athlete is 11 minutes 35 seconds. This is not a big indicator, but he achieved it on his own and entered the list of the best record holders for holding his breath under water.

Robert Foster

In 1959, thanks to undeniable health and excellent training, an American electronic engineer was able to stay under water without oxygen for 13 minutes 42 seconds. Then he became a real example for professional athletes.

Arvydas Gaichiunas

The Lithuanian did not go in for sports professionally, he was interested in illusions, practical jokes and tricks. Having carefully prepared, in 2007 he was able to set a record for holding his breath under water - 15 minutes 58 seconds. Even experienced freedivers were shocked by this result. After all, a long stay without oxygen has a tremendous burden on the body. Together with Arvydas, a woman, his sister, who did not breathe for 13 minutes, was immersed in the water.

David Blaine

David Blaine is a famous and outrageous American showman. He spent 4 months training in freediving. In 2008, he set a record for holding his breath underwater - 17 minutes 4 seconds... His achievements and focuses are described in many materials, which are often confirmed by documentary filming.

Nicolo Putignano

The Italian record holder was very popular among journalists, he talked about training, which he spent 2 years on. Nicolo noted that it was difficult for him to get into the Guinness Book of Records for holding his breath under water, but he achieved his goal by being without air. 19 minutes 2 seconds.

An athlete from Switzerland spent 2 years training. He regularly won competitions. And in 2010 he was able to set a record for holding breath under water in 19 minutes 21 seconds.

Ricardo Bahier

Brazilian athlete was without oxygen 22 minutes 21 seconds, thanks to which he got into the Guinness Book of Records for holding his breath under water. The enemy from Germany bypassed him by only 1 second.

2012 was a special year for the German freediver - he broke the world record for holding his breath under water, holding his breath for 22 minutes 22 seconds... This event became a real sensation in Germany. Thomas told the public about his activities and nutrition. Only lazy people were silent about him and his close people.

Goran Kolak

Croatian native Goran Kolak has achieved success in many disciplines, including freediving. In 9 years of practicing static apnea, he became a nine-time gold medalist. His world record for holding his breath underwater is 22 minutes 30 seconds... The man went to the 4th decade and is aimed at winning over his own record, and in the near future.

World Record - Aleix Segura

On February 28, 2016, the Spaniard set the world record for holding his breath underwater - 24 minutes 03 seconds. This record was also included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Holding your breath underwater: benefits and harms

The ability of a person to set records for holding breath underwater is simply amazing. This sport helps to improve metabolism and increase oxygen in the body by almost 2 times. It is useful to practice holding the breath for people with a weakened nervous system, prone to depression and aggressive actions. Correct breath holding helps to restore the functions of the respiratory system, to improve the work of the sebaceous glands and the gastrointestinal tract.

The deeper a person dives, the less oxygen he needs.

This sport is no less beneficial for the emotional state of a person, because all the participants who achieved the world record for holding their breath under water were surrounded by public attention, were proud of their personal achievement and were happy, because they came to their goal.

Holding your breath can be harmful to those who cannot break their bad habits. You can set the record for holding your breath underwater by completely changing your lifestyle and diet. It is necessary to give up this sport for people with cardiovascular diseases and breathing problems, pregnant women, the elderly and those who have recently undergone major surgery.

Conclusion

To stay underwater for a long time, it is important to train for a long time. Thorough study of breath holding technique is the first step towards harmony and physical health... Learning to do without oxygen, you can open up new possibilities of the body and break the existing record for holding your breath under water. The main thing is not to be lazy and firmly go towards the set goal.

There is a whole discipline in freediving - holding your breath under water for a while. It is called static sleep apnea. The complexity of this sport has influenced the number of athletes who want to try their hand is not so common. But in addition to rare athletes of this sport, representatives of other professions can hold their breath under water. All of them are among the top ten static apnea record holders. Read on!

Goran is a freediving legend as he has won medals in many disciplines, including breath holding. His world record for a two-year delay has not been broken by a single freediver. Colak was under water for 22 minutes and 30 seconds! Goran has been freediving for only 9 years, during which time he has received nine gold medals and set six world records. Goran recently turned thirty, so he can still break his own records, which the athlete is going to do in the near future.

In 2012, the freediver managed to stay out of air for 22 minutes and 22 seconds. As you can see, he is not far behind his colleague from Croatia. This event caused a flurry of emotions among the German public. The athlete tirelessly shared the methods of training, nutrition, and only the lazy did not discuss his family. Nevertheless, Thomas managed to exceed the previous record by just a second.

The record of the Brazilian athlete was broken just by his opponent from Germany, Thomas Sietas. Only one second, and few remember the Brazilian's record of 22 minutes and 21 seconds. It's a shame! According to Ricardo, he was already on edge during the competition. But, one cannot but recognize his services to sports, because he broke the former record by as much as three minutes!

Peter set his record in 2010 when he had no equal. He was able to stay under the water column for 19 minutes 21 seconds. The athlete devoted two years of his life to training, and although he won competitions more than once, this was his first entry into the Book of Records.

Nicolo, ahead of his previous colleague in setting a new record, also worked on his form for over two years. The athlete was able to do without oxygen for 19 minutes 2 seconds. The Italian has long enjoyed the love of the media, his interviews were printed by many publications. In one of the conversations, Nicolo made a confession that his record was given to him at the cost of incredible work. We believe!

A shocking personality known to many. David is a world-renowned magician and showman. In 2014, David, having devoted four months to training on the individual system, broke the world record for holding his breath, he was able to do without oxygen for 17 minutes 4 seconds. It should be noted that this is not Blaine's only shocking feat. David was buried alive, flew, evaporated and more. The internet is overflowing with documentary footage of his tricks.

Arvydas is also not an athlete, like his predecessor, and he is also adept at illusions and tricks. Having carefully prepared, in 2007 Arvydas became the record holder. He was chained to a metal frame, which was then lowered into the water. The magician was in this position for 15 minutes 58 seconds, which at that time was an absolute record... Even professional athletes did not remain indifferent to such an achievement, because being without movement under water is a strong stress for the body, and it is almost impossible to overcome it without oxygen. By the way, together with Arvydas, his sister Diana passed a similar test, although her time was less - 13 minutes.

The list of unusual divers doesn't end there! The next record holder, Robert Foster, is not an athlete, and his tricks are not very good either. He is an ordinary electronic technician who broke the world record in 1959. Robert was under water for 13 minutes 42 seconds. Naturally, it was not without preparation, but given that Robert is far from professional sports one can only marvel at his amazing ability. Today's athletes were once infected by the example of Robert Foster.

Another athlete, remembered for his result in apnea. His stay without oxygen lasted 11 minutes 35 seconds. The record cannot be considered true, and it did not last long, but Stefan nevertheless earned 9th place in our TOP.

In 2001, inspired by freedivers from Japan, Martin set a record by staying out of air for 8 minutes 6 seconds. Yes, this achievement is not as shocking as the previous ones, but at that time there was no equal to Martin.

Is there an absolute limit to human capabilities? Time will show! And we still do not cease to be amazed at the abilities of individual representatives of humanity.

Freediving is a scuba diving sport discipline with breath holding. However, those who like to dive without scuba gear use their skills not only for sport purposes, but also for commercial purposes, for example, for pearling. How many people can not breathe?

In this article, we will talk about the amazing possibilities human body and also look at the world records and the most astounding records from the Guinness Book of Records.

One, two, three, deep breath and the hero of the adventure film dives under the water, seeking to find a sunken treasure or a cherished salvation from death. Surely you at least once tried to hold your breath along with the on-screen character, trying to measure your capabilities? We always try to give answers to the most interesting questions on our website. How many people can actually survive without air? What is true and what is fiction? Let's figure it out!

Officially registered records of the top 10 record holders

It seems that these guys do not need oxygen at all - they feel quite comfortable at depth. Each of them at one time stirred up the public, showing their ability not to breathe under water.

10th place Stefan Misfood

The list of record holders is opened by the French swimmer Stephane Misfood. In 2009, he managed to hold out under water without air for 11 minutes, 35 seconds minutes! Of course, the record was not held so long, but, nevertheless, he was the first to break the record of Czech Mark Stepanek in 8 minutes, 6 seconds (2001) in a long time.

9th place - Robert Foster

Back in 1959, Robert Foster set the bar that no one could dress up for many decades - he lasted 13 minutes and 40 seconds without air.

Robert Foster was not a professional diver. His profession is an electronic technician.

So, a simple person, trying to surprise himself and his family, set a new world record.

8th place - Arvydas Gaichiunas

This member is also not a swimmer. Arvydas Gaichiunas is a magician from Latvia. In 2007, he decided to amaze his audience with a new number: assistants chained the illusionist and his assistant, after which they immersed the daredevils in a transparent glass flask. Arvydas lasted 15 minutes and 57 seconds under water. His charming assistant (who is also the stunt's sister) surfaced a little earlier - at 13 minutes. What it was: the demonstration was not hefty physical fitness or just a clever optical illusion? Even professional athletes looked at this couple with admiration and a share of white envy.

7th place - David Blaine White

It is likely that David Blaine was inspired by the feat of his Latvian colleagues and decided to establish himself the title of the most extreme magician. He promised his viewers that in 4 months he would master the art of freediving and raise the bar so high that only a desperate nutcase could reach it. And he fulfilled his promise by setting new record holding your breath for 17 minutes.

David Blaine's tricks are extremely life-threatening and require serious physical training. Not a single illusionist has yet been able to repeat them.

6th place - Niccolo Putignano

Italian Niccolo Putignano spent 2 years on regular training to break the illusionist's record. He emerged from the water when his stopwatch showed 19 minutes and 3 seconds. In 2010, he enthusiastically told reporters that in order to achieve such a result, he attended all freediving competitions, without exception, each time showing the result better and better.

5th place - Peter Kolat

A couple of months later, the result of the Italian was beaten by a diver from Switzerland, overtaking him by only 17 seconds. Despite such a small gap, he set a new world record.

4th place - Riccardo Bahi

Brazilian Riccardo Bahi - two-time champion... First, he set a record for holding his breath on land, and then proved to everyone that he was ready to repeat the experiment under water. He was able to survive without oxygen for 22 minutes and 21 seconds. What is remarkable - despite the impressive figure, there is very little information about his record. And all because he was quickly overtaken by the next participant.

3rd place - Tom Sitas

Water is Thomas's second natural element. WITH early childhood he spent time at sea honing his freediving skills, and his work was rewarded - a record of 22 minutes 22 seconds secured him a place in the Guinness Book of Records and made him a national celebrity. Thomas from the blue screens of German television taught viewers to eat and exercise properly. This case is a direct confirmation of the fact that one second can radically change a person's life.

2nd place - Goran Kolak

At the time of setting the record, Croatian diver Goran Kolak was a tenfold gold winner in freediving. However, the athlete did not stop there and continued to train. As a result: he learned to hold his breath for 22 minutes and 30 seconds.

1st place - Alex Segura

The record for holding a breath underwater belongs to Alex Segura. In 2016, he raised the bar to the mark of 24 minutes and 3 seconds.This is the maximum breath holding in history and at the moment no one has been able to overcome this indicator. Is there new champion or will the world record be fixed for Alex? Time will show.

Static apnea - what is it?

Apnea is the scientific name for holding your breath, so static apnea is the second name for freediving (a type of scuba diving without scuba gear).

The duration of apnea in an ordinary untrained person is no more than one minute.

As sports practice shows, thanks to regular training, this figure can be increased to incredible heights. Is this not an indicator that human capabilities limitless?

What happens to the human body without breathing?

Physiology of apnea

Prolonged lack of oxygen supply to the body causes a certain sequence of reactions in the body. The diver's body goes through three stages:

1. Convulsions of the diaphragm. In the first minute, the level of CO² in the body rises sharply and the brain signals the body to breathe. If the swimmer can overcome this strong urge, he moves on to the next stage.
2. A surge of energy. Convulsions stop, the body is filled with vigor and strength. This is due to the fact that the spleen, trying to save the shocked organism from oxygen starvation, pours into the circulatory system about 15% of the blood enriched with oxygen.
3. Fainting. The brain uses about 20% of all oxygen entering the body. With its deficit, it simply turns off. Experienced freedivers say their secret to long-term breathlessness is artificially "shutting down the creature." They seem to meditate, clearing their minds of all thoughts, thereby reducing the consumption of oxygen by the brain. And in.

By examining the signals of his body, an experienced swimmer will be able to determine how much time he has left for the dive. Convulsions indicate that there are still a few minutes left. A surge of vivacity and strength is a signal to ascend to the surface, so as not to lose consciousness right under the water.

Age is not a hindrance! Unique cases of breath holding

These diving experiences are truly phenomenal and defy any logic and common sense... In 1990, 70-year-old Russian V.M. Zabelin gathered experts from the Leningrad Research Institute of Physiology around him and set a record for holding his breath on land in 22 minutes. Thus, he proved that venerable age is not at all a reason to abandon sports.

The second unique case still excites the minds of skeptics and causes a lot of controversy. A year later after our compatriot, 70 years old indian yogi and the ascetic Ravindra Misra dived to the bottom of the lake, where plunged myself into a deep meditative sleep lasting 6 days! If this is true, then Indian meditation is the longest breath-holding in the history of mankind. But since the validity of this experiment has not been confirmed, world achievement owned by swimmer Alex Segura.

The benefits and harms of holding your breath

Respiratory gymnastics at the right approach can be powerful health-improving effect both mental and physical levels, namely:

• Slowing down the aging process. Apnea slows down the metabolism, thereby prolonging the youthfulness of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Concentration of attention. Breathing exercises help calm the raging stream of thoughts and focus on the main task.

It is also worth mentioning the dangers of this practice:

• Hypoxia - one minute without breathing, and the brain begins to suffer from hypoxia.
• Hypercapnia- without saturation with pure oxygen, carbon dioxide begins to accumulate in the blood.

Dangers and contraindications

If you decide to check for yourself how many people can not breathe under water - make sure that you do not have medical contraindications to this kind of practice. Static sleep apnea is a prohibited sport for people with the following ailments:

• diseases nervous system(epileptic seizures);
• damage to the cardiovascular and respiratory system;
• blood clotting disorders;
• recovery period after surgery or serious illness;
• a tendency to involuntary apnea - stopping breathing during sleep.

Pregnant women are not allowed to practice static sleep apnea. For mothers-to-be, there is a special breathing exercises, preparing the body of the expectant mother for childbirth and attempts.

How to hold your breath for the maximum time? Basic rules for athletes

• Lose excess weight. Overweight is a serious strain on the heart, lungs and skeleton. Choose a balanced diet and physical exercise to tidy up the shape.
• Learn to hold your breath on land. It is advisable that your assistant and mentor was a professional coach who knows perfectly. Do not study alone at all, as breathing exercises often cause dizziness and fainting. If you don't have a partner, practice at home while sitting.
• Practice yoga. Yoga is a great tool for the diver. She teaches you to breathe correctly, get rid of extraneous thoughts and control your own body.
• Stop smoking. This habit can cause irreparable harm. respiratory system... In addition, it is highly undesirable to be in the role of a passive smoker.

If you set a goal for yourself: practice relentlessly and listen to own body... Who knows - maybe you will set the new world record?

The best exercises for holding your breath underwater

The following exercises will help you increase your lung capacity and prepare you for underwater activity:

• Purification of the lungs from carbon dioxide. Lie on the floor, place your arms along the body, relax. Inhale slowly, deeply, and then exhale equally slowly. You should feel your lungs emptying. Voltages in chest shouldn't be. Continue the exercise for two minutes.
• Slow heart rate. Exhale and then inhale quickly. Hold your breath for a split second and then repeat. Do the exercise 3-4 times. Increase the length of time without breathing each time.

Before doing the exercises, wash your face with warm water - this will alleviate your condition and reduce the likelihood of dizziness.

Once you're ready, go from land to water. For a start - to the pool. Practice in open water without proper preparation can lead to extremely unfavorable consequences for the body. In the pool, you also need to adhere to certain rules:

• Move smoothly. Your every movement should be slow and measured - your body should get used to being in the water. Also learn to relax and drift motionless on the surface of the water.
• Concentrate. Even if you feel muscle cramps, learn not to panic. It could save your life.
• Don't lift your head. If you need to take a breath, come up, but in no case lift your head from a horizontal position. This can lead to constriction of the arteries and oxygen starvation of the brain.
• Learn to use peripheral vision. It will help you navigate underwater.

Do not try to conquer record marks right away. Start small and gradually increase the number and duration of your activities. Be persistent and systematic and rejoice in your small victories.

Conclusion

The ability not to breathe for a long time is a skill that swimmers, divers, athletes and yogis actively use. However, it can also be useful to the common person, because breathing exercises perfectly train the lungs and increase physical endurance.

Magician-illusionist Harry Houdini became famous for his ability to hold his breath for three minutes. But today, experienced divers can hold their breath for ten, fifteen and even twenty minutes. How do divers do it, and how do they train to hold their breath for long periods of time?

My best result holding the breath in a static position is not impressive at all, I think it is about 5.5 minutes. Mark Heli, surfer

It seems that such a result is simply unrealistic, and Heli is simply being shy. Someone will say that holding your breath for such a period is simply impossible, but this is not the case for people who practice "static apnea".

It is a sports discipline in which the diver holds his breath and "hovers" underwater without moving for as long as possible. So, for such divers, five and a half minutes is really a small achievement.

In 2001, the famous freediver Martin Stepanek held his breath for eight minutes six seconds. His record lasted three years, until June 2004, when freediver Tom Sietas raised the bar by 41 seconds from best time underwater 8:47.

This record has been broken eight times (five of them by Tom Sietas himself), but the most impressive time to date belongs to French freediver Stéphane Mifsud. In 2009, Mifsud spent 11 minutes 35 seconds under water.

What is Static Apnea

Static apnea is the only freediving discipline measured over time, but it is the pure manifestation of the sport, its foundation. Long delay breathing is important for all other freediving disciplines, both in the pool and in open water.

Fins Dynamics freediver at London 2009

Freedivers have different disciplines, such as "dynamics with fins" or without, when the diver needs to swim as far as possible underwater, or "no limits" - the most difficult discipline in which a diver dives with a cart as deep as he can, and then with the help of the ball floats back up.

But both disciplines are based on apnea - the ability to hold out for as long as possible without air.

Changes in the body

The oxygen that you inhale enters the bloodstream and is transported to various tissues of the body, where it is transformed into energy. At the end of this process, CO2 is produced, which flows back into the lungs and is excreted from the body as you exhale.

When you hold your breath, oxygen also converts to CO2, but it has nowhere to go. It circulates through your veins, oxidizing your blood and signaling your body to breathe. First, these are burning lungs, and then - strong and painful spasms of the diaphragm.

Freedivers spend years training to improve their breath holding, and their physiology gradually changes in the process. Freedivers' blood oxidizes more slowly than the blood of ordinary people, who breathe in and out reflexively all their lives.

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes their peripheral blood vessels to constrict shortly after they stop breathing. Oxygen-rich blood is stored in the body and is redirected from the limbs to the most important organs, mainly the heart and brain.

Some freedivers also practice meditation to calm the heart. They slow down natural rhythms, and oxygen is more slowly converted to carbon dioxide.

Meditation has a calming effect on the mind as well, because the main difficulty in holding the breath lies in consciousness. You need to know that your body can live on the oxygen it already has and successfully ignore the body's need to breathe.

It takes years of training, but there are other faster ways to hold your breath.

"Buccal pumping" and hyperventilation

There is a way divers call personal "gas storage" or "buccal pumping"... It was invented by fishermen-divers a long time ago. The method involves breathing as deeply as possible, using the muscles of the mouth and pharynx to increase the air supply.

A person completely fills the lungs with air, after which, with the help of the muscles of the pharynx, he closes the access so that the air does not escape. After that, he draws air into his mouth, and when he closes his mouth, using the muscles of his cheeks, pushes additional air into the lungs. By repeating this breath 50 times, the diver can increase the lung capacity by three liters.

In 2003, a study was conducted to measure lung capacity in divers, and the following results were obtained: "buccal pumping" increases the lung capacity from 9.28 liters to 11.02 liters.

Lung capacity can also differ from person to person. The approximate volume of a woman's lungs is four liters, a man's - six, but it can be more. For example, the famous freediver Herbert Nitsch had a lung capacity of 14 liters.

There is another way - hyperventilation of the lungs often used by divers. This method allows you to rid the body of carbon dioxide and fill the body with oxygen. The most extreme version of this technique involves breathing oxygen only 30 minutes before the dive.

The air contains only 21% oxygen, so if you breathe in atmospheric air before diving, there will be less oxygen in your body than if you breathe in pure oxygen.

It was this technique that allowed magician David Blaine to break the world record for holding his breath in 2008, holding out without air for 17 minutes and 4 seconds. With her help, Stig Severinesen broke this record in 2012 with a time of 22 minutes.

Unlike "static apnea", which is not allowed to breathe pure oxygen before diving, the Guinness Book of Records is not so severe, which is why the record of 22 minutes is now considered the first in the world.

The dangers of apnea

But all these techniques and training are dangerous in their own way. Prolonged holding of breath and oxygen starvation of the body can be bad for health, and hyperventilation can lead to loss of consciousness and other risks. As for the buccal pumping method, lung rupture can occur from this.

And for this reason, freedivers do not practice alone, only under supervision. Even when they are in shallow water, because there is no difference at what depth you are if you lose consciousness.

So, if you decide to practice holding your breath, it is better not to do it alone, you never know what can happen.