Scientists have long established that the human body can do without food from fifty to seventy days, and without water you can live up to ten days. But the most important for life support is the need for breathing. Without oxygen, the body will last only a few minutes.
AT recent times has become a popular trend to set various records and achievements in many fields of activity. Test of Opportunity human body is no exception. Divers and athletes compete against each other, trying to break the world record for holding their breath. Everyone understands that an unprepared person is not able to do without air for a long time. Therefore, despite the record for holding the breath, the champion had to train for a very long time before that.
Body Capabilities
Under normal conditions, a simple adult is able to hold his breath for forty to sixty seconds. It's no secret that this ability is individual, and in the process of training, you can achieve more effective and lasting results.
World achievement
The breath hold belongs to a German freediver named Tom Sitas. This man lasted without air underwater for twenty-two minutes and twenty-two seconds.
The previous world record for breath-holding was set by Ricardo Baja, who did not breathe for twenty minutes and twenty-one seconds. New Champion Tom Sitas refrained from eating five hours before the competition to slow down the metabolic processes in the body, and immediately before the dive he breathed pure oxygen. It should also be noted that the world record for holding his breath helped him to establish a large lung capacity, which is twenty percent more than that of an ordinary person.
Inexplicable but the fact
Few people know that in 1991, a seventy-year-old named Ravindra Mishra, in the presence of observers, specialists, and a group of scientists, was able to stay under water for six days. All this time, under the supervision of a special device, the man meditated. Dr. Raksh Kafadi carefully observed that the guru did not come to the surface to catch his breath or use other tricks to deceive the numerous observers. At the end of the allotted time, Mishra surfaced in good spirits and mind. The researchers confirmed that the man spent one hundred and forty-four hours, sixteen minutes and twenty-two seconds underwater. All this time he was sitting at a depth of nineteen meters. Experts believe that Mishra plunged his body into a special state of meditation, when the vital activity of all organs was reduced to the maximum. With the help of this method, the man avoided such a phenomenon as oxygen deficiency. Mishra himself said that an ancient goddess allegedly helped him to sit under water for such a long time, in whose honor he set this record.
Phenomenal immersion
In the same year, a Filipino named Jorge Pachino, a simple fisherman, was under water for one hour and five minutes. At the same time, the immersion depth was sixty meters. Special fixtures and scuba gear, allowing breathing under water, were absent. This was witnessed by cameramen filming the dive. Physiologists cannot explain the process that made an ordinary fisherman from the city of Ampari a famous person.
dangers
Meanwhile, prolonged breath holding and apnea training techniques are likely to cause detrimental effects on the health of the body. can directly contribute to the A method of buccal pumping, during which air previously taken into the mouth participates in breathing, and can even lead to rupture of the lungs. In this regard, any freediver must observe safety precautions. All training should be done only in a group and under supervision, even if the depth of immersion seems small.
Saving the child, the doctor transplanted his gills. So in the story of Belyaev, an amphibious man appeared - the idol of freedivers. He could easily give a pearl, look for pirate treasures, admire jellyfish and starfish to his heart's content. And how much oxygen is enough for an ordinary person under water?
If diving takes place with equipment, then freediving is diving under water without tubes, scuba gear and other tinsel. A piece of “fries” here emphasizes the freedom of a person, because swimming is almost like flying. Watchers from the shore are amazed to see how long a freediver can stay underwater. The trick is that doing this extreme view sport includes its own resources of the mechanism, improves the technique of breathing and self-control. Freediving is a whole philosophy, akin to yoga or Buddhism: in order to contemplate the underwater world for a long time, you need to renounce the hustle and bustle and be in harmony with yourself.
Swimmers dive into the water for various purposes: to plunge into the beauty and romance of the underwater world, to conduct research, to make money on valuables lost by someone, or to test their strength. Athletes-freedivers help to find the limits of the human body, it is they who most often make records in freediving.
The largest number of freediving records (41) was set by Natalya Molchanova, a native of Ufa. She became the first woman to dive 100 meters deep and the first to hold her breath underwater for more than 9 minutes. Natalya Vadimovna became seriously interested in this sport at the age of 40. She became the world champion, President of the Russian Freediving Association, setting records in all 6 areas. Natalya taught freediving to young athletes, was the author of textbooks, and made films. In the footsteps of his mother, the son Alexei followed, who also holds records when diving in fins and in length.
Freediving: recordsin numbers
Max Time holding your breath underwater (static apnea):
11 minutes 35 seconds - Stefan Mifsud;
9 minutes 02 seconds - Natalia Molchanova.
Swimming under water in length while holding your breath without fins (dynamics):
218 meters - David Mullins;
182 meters - Natalia Molchanova.
Dynamics in a monofin or two fins:
281 meters - Goran Golak;
234 meters - Natalia Molchanova.
Freediving competitions are held not only in the pool, but also in the open sea. Natalia Molchanova's record for deep diving without the use of a cable and fins was 69 meters, among men the championship belongs to New Zealander William Trubidge, who dived to 101 meters.
With all the romance of freediving, it is worth remembering that this extreme sport, a game on the verge of life and death. As you dive, stick with your partner. Natalya Vadimovna always taught this, but the champion once neglected her advice. The tragedy occurred in August last year near the Spanish island of Ibiza, where Natalia was diving with her friends, and then broke away from them and went missing. It is believed that the reason for this was the deep current.
Breathing is the most important factor in maintaining health and achieving sports results By controlling breathing, you can effectively speed up or slow down the metabolism and the overall tone of the body.
The main period we control the breath unconsciously, but sometimes we consciously follow the periodicity. When the body is normal, impulses from the brain cause the diaphragm and chest muscles to contract. So, air enters the lungs.
When the exit of carbon dioxide through the lungs is blocked, it accumulates in the blood, as happens in the process of stopping the movement of air in the lungs. The activity of oxygen consumption by tissues increases, and as a result, progressive hypoxia. Usually the time for which a person, without special training, can consciously hold the breath while inhaling, up to one minute. After this time, the brain will force you to take a breath. An increase in this time may result in dizziness or fainting.
By holding your breath while exhaling, you stimulate the metabolism for a long time, and at the same time the body receives the energy it needs. This practice is useful for relieving stress, overcoming depression and excessive aggression. It will help improve digestion, regulate the work of sweat and sebaceous glands. But, most importantly, this technique helps to reveal the reserve capabilities hidden in the body, literally renews the nervous system.
There are a variety of delay techniques, and they are performed in different ways. Each of them is aimed at achieving a specific goal:
- Holding your breath for up to 20 seconds will help your body absorb oxygen optimally. This technique has no contraindications, it is available to everyone.
- A delay for a longer time, up to 90 seconds, has an enhanced effect on the entire body, bringing significant improvements in its functions, safe for healthy person However, it can be fraught with danger for people with vascular diseases, heart disease, circulatory disorders, who have such diseases, it is necessary to perform it only under the supervision of an experienced mentor.
- Holding the breath for more than 90 seconds helps to renew and activate the capabilities of the body and psyche. Its consequence is the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood and increased absorption of oxygen by all cells of the body, which leads to an acceleration of regeneration, metabolism and overall recovery of the body. But you need the strictest control over your condition and preliminary preparatory training with a smooth increase in the duration of the cycle.
Such breathing exercises lead to an acceleration of metabolic processes in the body, all cells, including stem cells, divide more actively.
Harm of breath holding
Training at the limit, including the maximum time, can be dangerous.
- Bad habits. If in the process of mastering the techniques you take various stimulants tea, coffee, tobacco or alcohol, even rarely and little by little, or have other addictions that affect your health, then you are not threatened with unpleasant consequences for the body or difficulty in performing practices. In the process of training, without any struggle, any desire to accept all of the above disappears, body functions are normalized, and psychological addictions are eliminated. Only excessive efforts at the limit of your capabilities can be harmful, observing the smoothness and gradual increase in the load, you will ensure your safety and only positive results.
- Diseases. Long delays should not be practiced if you suffer from heart disease or cerebrovascular disease. If you have recently had an illness and have not yet recovered, do not force things, progress smoothly and gradually. It is also worth refraining from practice in case of diseases of the internal secretion organs, so as not to harm yourself.
- Pregnancy. Supporters of the use of practices during pregnancy, as an opportunity to prepare the body of mother and baby for childbirth, are at risk. But even the slightest inaccuracy in dosage - and the harm from the use of techniques will more than offset the benefits. You can never know exactly at what point the positive effect of the practice will change to destructive. The maximum time can be dangerous not only for the mother, but also for the child. So, if you are a future mother, exclude all extreme loads before 12-14 weeks so as not to harm your baby.
- Dream. During sleep, involuntary stopping may occur. Well, if this happens for 20-30 seconds. But it happens that the duration of such a stop reaches three minutes. If you suffer from nighttime snoring, you often (up to 400 times) stop breathing in your sleep. Such delays can not only cause harm, but can even be very dangerous. Headaches, irritability, memory impairment are just some of the problems that await you.
Freediving technique
Lovers of water depths improve their results not only through systematic training, but also by applying various psychological techniques and also, as already mentioned, by practicing yoga.
Since 2009 breathing exercises in water is included in the training system for instructors and trainers of yoga gymnastics of the YOGA23 methodological system.
A huge role during the dive is also played by the distribution of attention and concentration. They are necessary in order to control the position of the body in the water space, equalize pressure in a timely manner and relax - physically and mentally.
It is also important to remember that water does not like fuss. This is a substance that requires relaxation, merging with it, you need to live in it with its values - which means to be fluid and relaxed.
Helps, especially at first, also the visualization of immersion, which allows you to move smoothly and harmoniously in the water. Often, beginner divers have moments of panic due to lack of air, when they are seized by the desire to surface as soon as possible. But these feelings are often misleading. It is in such cases that you need to relax as much as possible, and then the delay time will increase.
Technics correct breathing
Sequence and elements of complete breathing:
1. Using Aperture - Bottom. Belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing is one of the most important steps in developing proper breathing skills. In this type of breathing, we learn to work with the diaphragm located under the lungs. This type of breathing is very natural, remember small children. Developing diaphragmatic skills is a way to make breathing effective.
2. Chest breathing - the middle part. With this breathing, we use the muscles of the chest and intercostal muscles. Only chest breathing is not effective, because. the physiologically largest part of the lungs, the lower one, is not activated. But the ability to work the intercostal muscles and develop their strength and elasticity of the thoracic region is another way to breathe correctly. When preparing for a dive, we mainly use these two types of breathing: abdominal and chest.
3. Shoulder breathing - top part. This is shallow breathing that is often used unconsciously. modern man- the most not effective method supplying our body with oxygen. When diving, in the last stages of the training cycle, we can intensively use shoulder breathing when making 2-3 forced breaths, as well as when “packing”.
Training Methods
- Distance swimming - continuous swimming with slow breathing. It is aimed at improving the supply, transport, and utilization of oxygen.
- Interval training - swimming short stretches with a breath hold and with a short rest interval. It is aimed at increasing the functionality of the heart, and the anaerobic decay products formed during work serve as a powerful stimulator of respiratory processes. Therefore, in the 1st 10-30 seconds of rest, oxygen consumption and heart performance are increased. If a repeated load at a time when these indicators are still high, then oxygen consumption increases from repetition to repetition.
- Repeated swimming of 50-meter stretches with a breath-hold in a hard mode or with a decreasing rest interval, which is determined by the dynamics of glycolysis (energy generation occurs in anoxic conditions, using muscle glycogen). It is judged by the content of lactic acid in the blood, and its maximum content is determined a few minutes after work, from repetition to repetition, the maximum time approaches the end of the distance. Consequently, the rest interval decreases, the second segment swims in the phase of under-recovery, against the background of fatigue from the previous one.
It is necessary to take into account the phase of development sportswear, which serves as a natural basis for periodization training process. Hence the choice of training influences. The use of repeated training methods at the beginning of the season without appropriate basic training will lead to disappointment in oneself, and at the same time in everyone, as well as in everything, due to the breakdown of adaptive mechanisms.
Pool workout
Freediving equipment
Freediving equipment can be such devices that differ significantly from diving and snorkeling equipment in that they are more improved in shape, focused on ergonomic parameters and take into account hydrodynamic qualities. It is also worth noting that it has less weight and volume, the absence of parts that, when diving, can catch on something and lead to an emergency and dangerous situation.
- One item of freediving equipment is a weight belt, or collar, with which the freediver is provided with positive buoyancy. It can be easily reset if needed.
- Specialized freediving suits are different from others in that they are more form-fitting and elastic. They have a low thermal conductivity, but cannot boast of strength, and are completely uncomfortable when dressing.
- The fins are different from others in their long and greater rigidity, which allows you to develop speed with little effort. A monofin is also used, which is fastened together and is a fin, which allows the development of high speed.
- The snorkeling mask has a minimal interior space to conserve air when diving. It is wide, allows a good panoramic view.
- Diving tubes are also used, without a corrugated insert in front of the mouthpiece, without valves and a wave baffle. It should be said that many freedivers do not always ventilate before diving with a snorkel, it often interferes and creates additional resistance during a quick ascent.
How to set the world record for holding your breath
Breathing Physiology to Achieve Records
Holding your breath implies oxygen starvation. This is the first thing to keep in mind when starting freediving training. Assess the risk and prioritize, and for this you need to understand 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 - it takes into account the depth, speed, duration of the dive, water temperature, pulse and lung capacity of the diver.
Every organ in the diver's body reacts to the slightest change in pressure, blood vessels constrict, blood flow is redistributed and blood pressure carries oxygen to the most important bodies- heart and brain. It's interesting that heartbeat begins to slow down immediately after immersion in the water of one person only.
But all the fun begins when the central nervous system gives an impulse to inhale. This feeling is familiar to everyone - the concentration of carbon dioxide reaches a critical level and we reflexively inhale. A trained diver can control this reflex to a certain extent.
The main rule for achieving records - do not rush into the pool with your head. Do not set impossible tasks without calculating the risk. Life and health is more important than any achievement.
World record
The ambitious Croatian has many awards to his credit and is ready to continue to improve for new achievements. He is already a nine-time world gold medalist and has a best time of 22.5 minutes. Now the Croatian is already over thirty years old, but he is going to surprise further.
On February 28, 2016, the Spaniard set a world record for holding his breath through water - 24 minutes 03 seconds. This record was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Holding your breath underwater for a while is a discipline in freediving. Its name sounds like "static apnea", and it is carried out for a while in a relaxed state of the body. Due to the complexity of this sport, there are not many record holders, as you understand. But in addition to athletes, people of another profession are engaged in holding their breath under water. And we will tell you about those and others in our top. So, 10 record breath holdings under water!
1
This athlete is a freediving legend. He became a champion in all disciplines, and in apnea too. His record today is the world one: 22 minutes 30 seconds, and no one can beat him for more than 2 years. Goran has been involved in this sport since 2006 and has 9 gold medals, 6 world records. The athlete is only 32 years old, and he plans to break his own record.
2
A German athlete in 2012, in pursuit of a record, spent 22 minutes 22 seconds under water. The media (mainly, of course, German) raised a whole storm around this event, and information about training, diet, the athlete's family began to be discussed literally on every corner. And Thomas, although well done, broke the previous record by only 1 second!
3
The Brazilian freediver, as you have already read above, was beaten by only 1 second, and there is almost no information about his record of 22 minutes 21 seconds. Not fair! But, nevertheless, Ricardo himself, after setting the record, admitted that he was on the verge of his strength. He surpassed the previous record by 3 minutes, and this is already a serious achievement.
4
In 2010, the Swiss set a new, at that time, record for static apnea - he managed to sit under water without oxygen for 19 minutes 21 seconds. Peter trained for two years and has become a record holder more than once, but before that he did not get into the Book of Records.
The Italian, who set the record for holding his breath even earlier than the Swiss Kolat, also trained for more than 2 years. Nicolo Putignano held his breath underwater for 19 minutes and 2 seconds. The Italian gave many interviews and the media literally carried him in their arms. In one of them, he honestly admitted that such time under water cost him superhuman efforts. Still would!
6
This is a famous person. Blaine is an illusionist and showman with a worldwide reputation. And in 2014, after 4 months of training on a special system, he set a world record for holding his breath underwater: 17 minutes 4 seconds. It is worth saying that Blaine showed "tricks" and stronger. He was buried alive, he "levitated", disappeared, burned, etc. Yes and documentaries enough about him already. Who cares - look, the guy is really well done.
7
The Lithuanian is also not an athlete-diver, he is also an illusionist. And in 2007, after training, he set a record. Arvydas was chained to a metal frame lowered into the water, and stayed in this state for 15 minutes 58 seconds, which became a new record. Many professional athletes literally flooded the illusionist with praise and congratulations, because being chained under water is a powerful stress for the body, and it is very difficult to cope with it without consuming oxygen. And along with the illusionist, his sister Diana also passed the test. She lasted 13 minutes.
8 Robert Foster (USA)
Further - more interesting. Foster is not an illusionist or an athlete, he is an electronics technician! And that was back in 1959! But even today, his result stuns many pros: 13 minutes 42.5 seconds. He, of course, prepared and, of course, had unique health, but! He is not professional sportsman, and this fact alone cannot but surprise. Most of today's record holders and champions were inspired by his example.
9
Among the athletes there was another high-scoring champion in this type of competition. Stefan Mifsud in 2009 set an apnea time of 11 minutes 35 seconds. The record did not last long, of course, and it was not a true record (especially after the American technician). But still, the time was fixed, and the Frenchman remained in the history of this sport as a record holder.
10
In 2001, inspired by Japanese divers, the Czech Stepanek set a new world record at that time, having been underwater for 8 minutes and 6 seconds. Of course, compared to the previous people on our list, this is not so impressive, but still, 8 minutes 14 years ago was a super-achievement!
Limit human capabilities is the eternal theme of all scientists. When and who will reach it is a very interesting question. And if no one ever, apparently, people will not be surprised, because every year they get tired of being surprised by themselves.
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 or even twenty minutes. How do divers do it, and how do you train to hold your breath for long periods of time?
My best result in terms of holding the breath in a static position, it 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 modest. Someone will say that it is simply impossible to hold your breath for such a period, but this is not so for people who practice “static apnea”.
This is a sport discipline in which the diver holds his breath and "hover" under water without moving for as long as possible. So, for such divers, five and a half minutes is really a small achievement.
In 2001, famous freediver Martin Stepanek held his breath for eight minutes and six seconds. His record stood for 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 Stephane Mifsud. In 2009, Mifsud spent 11 minutes and 35 seconds underwater.
What is static sleep apnea
Static apnea is the only discipline in freediving that is measured by time, but it is the pure expression of the sport, its foundation. long delay breathing is essential to all other disciplines of freediving, both in the pool and in open water.
Freediver performing in the discipline "Dynamics in fins" at competitions in London, 2009
Freedivers have different disciplines, such as “dynamic with fins” or without, when the diver needs to swim as far under water as possible, or “no limits” - the most difficult discipline, in which the diver dives with the help of a cart as deep as he can, and then with the help of the ball floats back.
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 breathe in enters the bloodstream and is delivered to different tissues of the body, where it is converted into energy. At the end of this process, CO2 is formed, which enters the lungs and is excreted from the body with exhalation.
When you hold your breath, oxygen also turns into CO2, but there is nowhere for it to go. It circulates through your veins, acidifying your blood and signaling to your body that it's time to inhale. First it is burning lungs, and then - strong and painful spasms of the diaphragm.
Freedivers spend years training to improve breath-holding, and in the process, their physiology gradually changes. The blood of freedivers oxidizes more slowly than the blood of ordinary people who inhale and exhale reflexively all their lives.
Sympathetic activation nervous system causes their peripheral blood vessels to constrict shortly after they stop breathing. The oxygen rich blood is stored in the body and redirected from the limbs to the most important organs, mainly the heart and brain.
Some freedivers also practice meditation to calm their hearts. They slow down natural rhythms, and oxygen is more slowly converted into carbon dioxide.
Meditation has a calming effect on the mind too, because the main difficulty in holding the breath lies in the mind. You must know that your body can survive on the oxygen it already has and successfully ignore the body's need to inhale.
This takes years of training, but there are other, faster ways to hold your breath.
Cheek pumping and hyperventilation
There is a method that divers call personal "gas storage" or "cheek pumping". It was invented a long time ago by fishermen-divers. The method includes the deepest breathing, using the muscles of the mouth and throat to increase air reserves.
A person completely fills the lungs with air, after which, with the help of the muscles of the pharynx, it blocks access so that the air does not escape. After that, he takes air into his mouth, and when he closes his mouth with the help of the muscles of the cheeks, he pushes additional air into the lungs. By repeating this breath 50 times, a diver can increase his lung capacity by three liters.
In 2003, they conducted a study measuring lung capacity in divers, and got the following results: “cheek pumping” increases lung capacity from 9.28 liters to 11.02.
Lung capacity can also vary from person to person. The approximate lung capacity of a woman is four liters, men - six, but 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 commonly 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 only oxygen 30 minutes before the dive.
The air contains only 21% oxygen, so if you breathe atmospheric air before diving, there will be less oxygen in your body than if you breathe pure oxygen.
It was this technique that allowed magician David Blaine to break the world record for holding his breath in 2008, holding out for 17 minutes and 4 seconds without air. With her help, Stig Severinesen broke this record in 2012 with a time of 22 minutes.
Unlike "static apnea" in which one is not allowed to breathe pure oxygen before diving, the Guinness Book of World Records is not so harsh, so the 22-minute record is now considered the first in the world.
Apnea dangers
But all these techniques and training are dangerous in their own way. Prolonged breath-holding and oxygen starvation of the body can adversely affect 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 train alone, only under supervision. Even when they are in shallow water, because it makes no difference how deep you are if you are unconscious.
So, if you decide to practice holding your breath, it’s better not to do it alone, you never know what can happen.