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, as 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 to 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.

The art of holding your breath underwater is called freediving. It is still used by swimmers today, for example, in pearl fishing. Nowadays freediving has become a sports discipline with different directions. Athletes hold competitions and set world records. Fans of diving without scuba gear also compete in the ability to do without oxygen for a long time, their victories are recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

About freediving

For a long time, man dreamed of conquering the water element. Diving for many peoples living on the coast was not so much fun as a way to get seafood. This skill has been honed over the centuries. Over time, various devices have appeared, and now scuba diving has become an affordable element of recreation. But this did not stop the underwater air retention training.

People, armed with scientific knowledge, began to train the ability to do without oxygen. Although official medicine believes that after 4 minutes of hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the blood), brain destruction begins, the records of professionals and amateurs refute this. But such abilities are achieved through years of training. An untrained person simply will not be able to immediately hold his breath for a long time, even a couple of minutes seem to be an overwhelming task. With a lack of oxygen and an excess of carbon dioxide, a protective mechanism is activated - the need for inspiration is stimulated reflexively. Therefore, divers learn not only the technique of holding their breath, but also self-control.

To set world records in freediving, you need to train simultaneously in several areas:

• breathing exercises: it is aimed at increasing the volume of the lungs and training the diaphragm;
• self-control training: it is necessary to control the activity of the heart (the less often it beats, the less oxygen consumption);
• meditation techniques: in practice, different systems are used (yoga, pranayama, melita sadhana);
• "Buccal pumping": provides an additional supply of oxygen above the normal lung volume (experienced divers can store up to 3 liters of O 2 above the norm);
• Relaxation Technique: Provides additional control of the body's oxygen consumption.

Professional freediving divers are constantly improving their abilities in all these areas. But the greatest time and the best results are shown by those who additionally use the hyperventilation technique.

There are a number of restrictions in professional competitions, but they do not apply for Guinness Book holders. Therefore, applicants actively use this opportunity and breathe pure oxygen before diving or use the rapid inhalation technique for hyperventilation. Their results are usually higher. That is why it would be fair to consider world records for holding breath underwater separately in different categories.

Please note that even experienced athletes and divers do not risk organizing competitions or diving to depths without observers.

The danger is that an excess of carbon dioxide can lead to sudden loss of consciousness and the swimmer will simply drown. Therefore, it is dangerous for beginners to remain alone even at shallow depths. Someone needs to be in control of the situation and be able to provide assistance when needed.

Professional freediving

The world record for air retention under water is set in different areas of freediving:

• Static apnea. It is about diving to a shallow depth and being there without moving. In this discipline, it is estimated how many minutes a person can survive under water. Competitions are held both in swimming pools and in open water bodies.
• Dynamics in fins. It is estimated how many meters the athlete will swim without diving.
• Dynamics without fins. The distance is covered without additional equipment.
• Constant weight without fins. We are talking about deep diving, the result is also estimated in meters.

Each discipline has its own world records for air holding.

Static apnea

Natalia Molchanova was able not to breathe for 9.2 minutes, having won not only among women, but also among men. Goran Kolak showed a result of 8.59, which is 3 seconds less than Natalia's.

Dynamics in fins

And in this discipline, Molchanova was the best, she swam 234 meters, among men the winner is Goran Kolak, his achievement is 288 meters.

Dynamics without fins

Natalya Molchanova showed an excellent result here too - 182 meters. Among men, Goran Kolak became the record holder, swimming 225 meters.

Constant weight without fins

This discipline was discovered by Enzo Mallorca. Back in the 60s of the last century, he refuted the theory of the impossibility of deep diving. Prior to that, it was believed that a person could not survive at depth, since his lungs would simply burst. The first achievement of the Italian - diving to 51 meters was the beginning of the development of this discipline. No less famous is the Frenchman Jacques Mayol. At the age of 56, after a long preparation, he managed to overcome the 100-meter line and dive to 105 m.

If we talk about officially recorded victories, then among men, William Trubridge is famous, who dived 101 m in 2010.

Among women, Natalia Molchanova has the palm, she managed to overcome the mark of 71 meters.

Guinness book

Freediving also recorded their victories in the Guinness Book:

• Karl Kost, who swam 177 m in the open ocean without any equipment.
• Marina Kazankova covered a distance of 154 m in open water.
• Italian Nicolo Putignano showed himself in static apnea, he was able to set the world record for holding his breath under water in 19 minutes 2 seconds.
• He was beaten in 2010 by the Swiss Peter Kolat, lasting 19 seconds longer (19 minutes 21 seconds).
• Richard Bahier from Brazil raised the bar significantly - up to 22 minutes 21 seconds.
• The next was German Thomas Sietas, having improved the result by 1 second in 2012.
• Goran Kolak from Croatia achieved the best result - 22 minutes 30 seconds
• Spaniard Alex Segura raised the bar even higher - in 2016 he managed to hold out for 24 minutes and 3 seconds.
• At the moment, Croat Budimir Shobat holds the palm - 24.11 minutes.

Achievements of the illusionists

Many famous illusionists practice apnea when performing stunts. The most impressive is the ability to get out of the water tank of a person chained. It is worth noting that in terms of the duration of their stay in them, the illusionists do not show the longest time. But such tricks require more effort: the ability to control natural fear is required, the magician is chained, which makes it much more difficult to get out. And an uncontrolled rush of adrenaline can increase the consumption of the supply of O 2. In addition, unlike competition in static apnea, a person must move to free themselves from the shackles. Consequently, an overconsumption of oxygen is inevitable.

Record holders among illusionists include:

• Arvydas Harchunais, Lithuanian illusionist and his sister. The couple dived together, the guy lasted 15 minutes 58 seconds, the girl - 13 minutes;
• David Blaine, an American showman who managed to hold out even longer - 17 minutes 4 seconds;
• Harry Houdini, a famous illusionist, who managed to free himself from the handcuffs in icy water and got out in 8 minutes, and he did not have any special equipment.

Defies explanation

It seems that the longest time spent under water in different conditions is already known. Naturally, even the biggest records for holding breath underwater will be updated in the future. New victories are achieved through long-term training and improvement of their own respiratory system. But there are truly inexplicable advances in this area.

Filipino fisherman Jorge Pacino was able to stay at a depth of 60 m for 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Incredibly, there is a videotape that was filmed by representatives of the American Diving Association. They did not believe the newspapers that published a note about Jorge's abilities, and came to personally verify the reality of such an achievement, taking with them the most modern equipment. There was no revelation: the Filipino was able to demonstrate his skills. It happened in 1991.

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 of the human body, as well as look at world records and the most amazing 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 was it: a demonstration of 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 a new record by holding his 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 is a 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. From an early age, he spent time at sea honing his freediving skills, and his work was rewarded - an indicator 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. Will there be a new champion or will the world record be secured 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 possibilities are endless?

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 or 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-year-old Indian yogi and 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 reliability of this experiment has not been confirmed, the world achievement belongs to the swimmer Alex Segura.

The benefits and harms of holding your breath

Respiratory gymnastics, with the right approach, can have a powerful healing effect on both the 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 have no medical contraindications to this kind of practice. Static sleep apnea is a prohibited sport for people with the following ailments:

• diseases of the 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 expectant mothers there is a special breathing exercise that prepares the organism 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 exercise to keep your figure in 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 practice alone, as breathing exercises can 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 to the respiratory system. In addition, it is highly undesirable to be in the role of a passive smoker.

If your goal is to practice relentlessly and listen to your 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. There should be no tension in the chest. 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.

Few people know, but there is a technique for holding the breath under water. This is done for a while and is a full-fledged discipline in freediving. They call it "static apnea".

It is performed only in a relaxed state of the body.
This sport is extremely challenging. This explains its low prevalence. Accordingly, there are not as many record-breaking freedrivers as we would like.

Holding your breath is common not only in sports. There is a whole profession that is not complete without intermittent breathing. The rating of the most record holdings of breath under water includes:

1. Goran Kolak

This Croat is the real pride and legend of all freediving. During his life, he managed to become a champion in all disciplines, including apnea. In addition, Goran managed to set a new world record for holding his breath.

It is 22 minutes 30 seconds. No one has yet managed to beat him (and 2 years have passed already). The athlete has been involved in this sport since 2006. It was then that he entered the first competition in his life, which took place in his native Zagreb.

In less than a year, he has already won his first Croatian championship and set several national records. Goran becomes a professional diver in 2011. During this period he decides to join an exclusive group of free diving specialists around the world.

At the moment, Goran boasts 9 gold medals, 6 world records. But the athlete does not plan to stop there. Now he is only 32 years old, but the athlete already knows what he wants to achieve. In the near future - to break their own records.

2. Thomas Sietas

Famous German swimmer. In 2012, he stayed under water for 22 minutes 22 seconds. Thomas wanted to break previous records. The media made a huge sensation out of this, began to find out information about the athlete's family, his training, and diets. In fact, there is no sensation here: the previous record was changed by only 1 second.

3. Ricardo Bahier

This is the athlete who set the record at 22 minutes and 21 seconds. He is a young but very talented freediver who has been involved in sports professionally for over 6 years.

This record was not easy for him. According to the athlete himself, he was already on the verge of his strength. But it was worth it. He managed to beat the previous record by as much as 3 minutes, which is already a significant achievement.

4. Peter Kolat

Representative of Switzerland. In 2010, he set a new apnea record for that time. The athlete was able to sit under water without oxygen access neither more nor less - 19 minutes and 21 seconds.

At that time, Peter had already been training for 2 years, but this was his first record to get into the Guinness Book.

5. Nicolo Putignano (Italy)

The record that Kolato broke was set by an Italian. To do this, it took him about 2 years to study. The athlete managed to hold out without air for 19 minutes 2 seconds.

The Italian woke up famous. He was interviewed and literally carried in his arms. But Nikolo himself admitted that such a result cost him simply inhuman efforts and patience.

6. David Blaine

American Blaine is a world famous personality. He is a talented illusionist, showman known in many countries. To set a world record, it took him 4 months to study according to a special system.

His result was 17 minutes 4 seconds. But his track record is full of other achievements as well. For spectacular stunts, he was buried alive. Often he had to "levitate", disappear, burn.

Many directors are so carried away by such an extraordinary personality that they have already created several documentaries about him. The guy in his young years (he is only 34) has already become an idol for many.

7. Arvydas G aichnas

Representative of Lithuania. This is not an athlete, but a simple illusionist. In 2007, he managed to set the world record for underwater apnea. It took him several years of hard training to do this.

But the result is worth it. Arvydas was attached with chains to a metal frame that was lowered into the water. In this state, he withstood 15 minutes and 58 seconds. In fact, this person really deserves to be commended. After all, he is not just under water.

He was chained - and this is a powerful stress and shock for the body. It is rather difficult to cope with it without unnecessary consumption of oxygen. As moral support, the younger sister Diana passed the test next to the illusionist. She, too, was chained, but was able to hold out for 13 minutes.

8. Robert Foster

This is a simple American who had nothing to do with water. He is not an athlete, not an illusionist. Robert is an electronics technician. His record was set back in 1959. With excellent preparation and good health, Robert managed to stay under water for 13 minutes and 42.5 seconds.

Moreover, for almost half a century no one managed to break his record. This is surprising. The fact that this man was not an athlete is a true miracle. Without knowing it, Robert became the idol of many. Today's record holders and champions are often inspired by this truly great man.

9. Stefan Mifsud

There is a lot of controversy about this athlete. In 2009, Stefan established an underwater apnea lasting 11 minutes 35 seconds.

The record did not last long. But many critics still do not consider it a record: the Ved American technician lasted much longer.

But, in spite of everything, the time was fixed, the Frenchman was named one of the record holders for holding his breath under water.

10. Martin Stepanek

A Czech by birth managed in 2001 to set a new world record at that time. He managed to stay under water for 8 minutes. This is not so much, compared to other record holders, but 14 years ago it was considered a real achievement.

The athlete was inspired by Japanese divers. Watching their performances, Stepanek decided that he himself could achieve something.

When will the limit of human capabilities come? Scientists don't know the answer. Until he is gone, people will increasingly show incredible results, surprising themselves and their surroundings.

An ordinary person knows how to deliberately hold his breath from thirty seconds to one minute. This is the standard breath hold time.

Attempts to lengthen this time can lead to dizziness and fainting. For those who dream of learning how to breathe correctly and hold their breath for the maximum time, there are special techniques.

Let's start by holding our breath underwater

Let's start with examples. Pearl divers can stay in the water for several minutes, otherwise they will not be able to earn their bread. The time spent under water among them is from 3-4 minutes to 6-7. Trained athletes can remain without air for two to three minutes.

In order to learn how to stay without air for a long time, you need to take into account several points:

• The duration of stay under water depends on the ability to hold your breath on land. In order for the body to require less oxygen, it is necessary to get rid of excess weight.
• Basic meditative techniques will help you stay calm, slow your heart rate, remove anxiety and unnecessary thoughts. In this state, a person consumes less oxygen and will be able to stay under water longer.
• To extend the retention time under water, it is necessary to saturate the lungs with oxygen. For this, there are special techniques that anyone can master. A beginner just needs to breathe more air into his lungs.

Holding your breath while diving

During diving, the body experiences a strong physical stress. The body requires large amounts of oxygen. Cold water causes vasoconstriction. As a result, the blood brings less oxygen and takes less carbon dioxide from the cells of tissues and organs. Consequently, the so-called circulatory hypoxia occurs, i.e. oxygen starvation.

Holding the breath while inhaling increases the pressure in the lungs. Blood does not feed the heart well due to obstructed blood flow.

For a while, the urge to breathe is not very painful. Until the respiratory center is excited due to the pressure of the accumulated carbon dioxide, a person is able to control himself.

Not to come up to take a breath, you can only make a willful effort. Long-term exposure to carbon dioxide lowers the sensitive receptors of the respiratory centers. The intolerable urge to inhale becomes less acute, and the diver can increase the time spent without air.

The subsequent demand for inspiration is a signal that it is time to float. The body has used up reserve supplies and oxygen, and further stay under water can give formidable complications. Acute lack of oxygen leads to fainting and death.

Curiously, the deeper the dive, the less oxygen the body needs.

Those. This is a complex process: the oxygen pressure in the mixture is higher at a depth, and the diver can stay under water longer without oxygen deficiency, despite the fact that there is practically no oxygen in the lungs (critically little).

But when surfacing, nature takes its toll: the total pressure decreases, and according to the same Dalton's law, the oxygen pressure in the mixture (partial pressure) quickly drops, which leads to loss of consciousness in the diver, and as a result to death. So joking with deep diving training is not recommended.

Deep under water, the pressure inside the lungs is no lower than in the atmosphere. The closer to the surface, the lower this pressure.

Arbitrary breath holding

Holding your breath for short intervals is natural and harmless. Normally, holding the breath is about 30-40 seconds after inhalation and about 20 seconds after exhalation. In rare cases, a person is able not to breathe for one minute, or a little more.

Attempts to increase the time spent without oxygen will lead to brain hypoxia. Professionals do without air for several minutes (2-4 min.)

Before such a test, they pump the body with pure oxygen. Special breathing techniques promote hyperventilation of the lungs.

A body soaked through and through with oxygen lengthens the time spent without air. This ability can be developed and trained.

Breath holding record

The body dies if it is left without air for about 4 minutes. The brain begins to suffer from hypoxia, and its cells die off.

Athletes try to increase the vital volume of the lungs - this allows them not to breathe for several minutes without harm to the central nervous system.

Eastern practices are known for the fact that a yogi can arbitrarily slow down the pulse, heart rate and fall into a state of a kind of suspended animation. In this state, the oxygen consumption by the body is greatly reduced, and the brain cells do not experience starvation even with very long breath holdings.

World record for holding breath

China has set a new world record for holding breath underwater. The German T. Sitas stayed under water for 22 minutes and 22 seconds. With this, he broke his last own record, which was 17 minutes and 28 seconds.

The establishment of the record was recorded by television cameras. Sitas with his record holding of breath will be included in the Guinness Book of Records. Prior to him, the record holder was a native of Switzerland, Peter Kola. He was able to stay underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds.
Tom increased this volume by 20 percent. To do this, he needed many years of hard training and tremendous willpower.

Record for holding breath on land

Unlike the record for holding the breath under water, the “land” record for holding the breath is much less - only about 10 minutes. This is due to the fact that a reflex inherited from mammals is inherent in human nature. It is called the diving reflex, in which the heart rate drops and the blood vessels contract. But they are not vital to the body.

In the vessels of the brain and in the heart, blood flow remains normal. For experienced athletes, this reflex helps to cut the heart rate by almost half. On land, this reflex does not work. For this reason, the record for holding your breath on land is half that under water.

Holding your breath: benefits and harms

Yogis who practice a variety of correct breathing techniques amaze the average person with almost supernatural powers.

Holding your breath: benefits

Holding the breath for a long time stimulates the metabolism and doubles the energy that the body needs. The practice of holding the breath is useful for neurotics, people prone to depression and aggressive behavior.

Breathing training perfectly restores mental balance. Indicators are improved in those who are prone to respiratory diseases. Holding your breath improves the functioning of the digestive tract, regulates the work of the sweat and sebaceous glands.

The main advantage of this technique is that it allows you to reveal the reserve capabilities of the body and rebuild the nervous system.

Holding your breath: harm

The practice can harm those who, while holding their breath, do not leave bad habits. Success is achieved only with a restructuring of nutrition and a revision of the lifestyle.

Alcoholic or tobacco intoxication is incompatible with classes. It is contraindicated to practice prolonged breath holding for people suffering from serious heart or mental illness.

You can not deal with those who have not yet recovered from a recent illness. It is also better for those suffering from diseases of the organs of internal secretion to refrain from the practice, because after holding their breath they may become worse. Participation in classes for pregnant women is excluded.

Holding your breath while sleeping

On average, the nocturnal holding of the breath is about 20-30 seconds. This is physiological, involuntary apnea. If it reaches values ​​in two to three minutes, this is a dangerous symptom. After holding the breath for such a time, the brain cells begin to experience oxygen starvation.

The main cause of the phenomenon is snoring, due to which the lumen in the larynx and in the nasal passages narrows. During the night from apnea, the patient can wake up an infinite number of times.

Having breathed properly, he falls asleep again and after a short interval wakes up again. People suffering from nocturnal breath holdings experience "chronic fatigue syndrome" due to ragged sleep that does not give rest. They suffer from headaches, suffer from decreased intelligence, irritability. Sleep apnea is life threatening and requires immediate treatment.

Breath holding test

Breath-holding tests are taken by people with heart and lung diseases. Healthy people can do a test just to find out their indicators.

Breath-holding test

Stange test - breath holding test at the entrance

The bottom line: you need to take a deep (but not maximum) breath - the lungs should be filled to 2/3 of the maximum volume, and hold your breath. Pinch the nose with your fingers or a hook for the purity of the experiment. A sitting test is performed, the time before inhalation is recorded using a stopwatch.

A healthy person without special training will show a time of 40-60 seconds for holding the breath (man), and 30-40 seconds (woman). For trained athletes - respectively 60-120 and 40-95 seconds.

Genchi test - breath holding test on exhalation

Essence: 2-3 deep breathing cycles (inhalation - exhalation) are done beforehand. Then a deep exhalation and maximum breath holding. A good indicator is more than 30 seconds of respiratory arrest. Excellent - 60 seconds or more.

Holding your breath: normal

Thus, it is considered normal for an ordinary person to hold their breath after a deep breath - 30-40 seconds, after a full exhalation - about 20 seconds. These are the average values ​​of a healthy person. In this case, the conscious desire of the subject to participate in the experiment is of great importance.

The most objective indicators can be obtained by listening to the patient's heart when his attention is distracted. If, during this procedure, you ask him to hold his breath, he does it with great willpower. At the same time, the indicators increase slightly.

Maximum breath holding

Often, breath holding indicators during the test exceed the average level. Holding the breath on inhalation in trained people ranges from one minute to 90 seconds. On exhalation, the maximum breath holding is more than 60 seconds. To determine the vital capacity of the lungs, the Genchi test (expiratory delay), Shtange's test (expiratory delay) and Serkin's test (three-phase test) are used.

Breath hold training

The respiratory training system is the most popular remedy for health restoration. Having learned to breathe correctly, you can successfully control your emotional and mental state. And for those who like scuba diving, breath-holding exercises are a must.

Holding your breath while inhaling

Correct execution of this exercise trains the subconscious mind to hold the breath even when the person does not seek to do it consciously.

Relaxation is the most effective way to achieve the desired result. The technique of holding the breath correctly while inhaling involves alternating relaxation of the diaphragm, intercostal muscles and muscles of the abdominal region.

It is carried out in several stages:

• Take a deep breath.
• Focus on the upper ribs and collarbones.
• Raise your shoulders and hold in this position.
• Relax your shoulders, larynx muscles, facial muscles, and chin one at a time.
• Feel the sensations of calm and complete relaxation.
• If you have an intolerable desire to exhale, inhale a little air.

This technique increases the area of ​​ventilation of the lungs, improves blood flow to the heart. The blood acidifies, hemoglobin begins to give it oxygen intensively. Breathing deepens: holding after inhalation improves gas exchange and saturates the blood with oxygen.

Holding the breath on exhalation

• Exhale the air completely.
• Pull in your stomach.
• Raise the diaphragm.
• Relax the intercostal muscles.
• Keep your spine straight.
• Relax your face, chin and throat.
• If you want to inhale, exhale a little more: this technique will allow you to effortlessly extend the pause.

The sharp increase in carbon dioxide stimulates the respiratory and nervous systems. The level of hydrogen ions rises, and the body begins to intensively absorb electrons, i.e. - energy in its purest form.

A rise in temperature and heavy sweating is the first sign that holding your breath is being done correctly. The benefit of exercise is that it stimulates the body to produce powerful energy.

Having learned the technique to hold your breath correctly, you can significantly improve your health, become a more balanced and harmonious person. You can open up new opportunities in yourself and awaken the hidden reserves of the body. And for divers and scuba divers, the ability to hold your breath is an absolute must.