Breathing Techniques for Freediving: Essential Insights for Safe and Effective Dives

Breathing is at the heart of freediving, both literally and figuratively. Proper breathing techniques not only enhance your performance but also play a critical role in ensuring your safety underwater. At Deep Sensations Freediving, we believe that mastering these techniques is fundamental for every aspiring freediver.

Here, we break down key concepts that will help you dive more safely and effectively.

The Foundation: The "Breathe Up" Process

Before any dive, a critical phase is the "breathe up" process, also known as the "relaxation phase". This pre-dive breathing routine prepares your body for the demands of breath-holding by optimising oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your system. Understanding how oxygen and CO2 interact within your body is crucial to performing safely and effectively.

Key Points:

• The breathing process involves inhaling oxygen and nitrogen, which travels to the lungs for gas exchange. Oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream by haemoglobin and distributed throughout the body, playing a crucial role in energy production.

• Cellular respiration takes please where the breakdown of glucose by oxygen generates ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy source for our body. This biochemical reaction is essential knowledge for any freediver.

Managing CO2: The Silent Challenge

A significant part of breath-holding involves managing CO2 levels. While oxygen is vital for life, CO2 plays an equally important, albeit less understood, role in our physiology. During breath-holding, CO2 accumulates because exhalation is restricted, which can lead to 'the urge to breathe' or even blackout if not properly managed.

Key Points:

• The urge to breathe is primarily triggered by high CO2 levels rather than low oxygen levels. Misunderstanding this can lead divers to mismanage their breath-holding.

• Hyperventilation before a dive, a common mistake among beginners, reduces CO2 buildup and delays the urge to breathe. However, this practice significantly increases the risk of blackout by dampening the body’s natural warning signals. Additionally, hyperventilation not only masks these warning signs but also decreases your overall breath-hold time. This happens because oxygen binds more strongly to haemoglobin, making it harder for oxygen to be delivered to your muscles and vital organs. As a result, your body may run out of usable oxygen sooner, leading to an increased likelihood of blacking out during the dive.

Individualised Freediving Coaching: Why It Matters

At Deep Sensations Freediving, we emphasise the importance of personalised instruction tailored to your body’s unique needs. While general resources can provide valuable insights, nothing replaces the hands-on experience and guidance from a professional instructor. Each person's tolerance to CO2 and response to hyperventilation varies, making individualised coaching crucial for safe and effective diving.

Key Points:

• Every diver's body is different, and personalised advice ensures that your breath-holding techniques are safe and effective for your specific physiology.

• Our freediving courses not only teach you the correct techniques but also help you understand how your body responds to CO2 and oxygen levels, significantly reducing the risk of accidents.

The best way to get personalised instruction is by signing up for a freediving course. You can view upcoming courses here.

Practical Techniques: Breathing Up and Recovery

Mastering the right breathing techniques is essential for a safe and effective dive. At Deep Sensations Freediving, we emphasise two key methods for breathing up: tidal breathing and ratio breathing. These techniques help you prepare your body optimally before a dive and ensure a smooth recovery afterward.

Tidal Breathing

Tidal breathing is a simple and natural method that mimics your regular breathing pattern but with a focus on calmness and relaxation. This technique is especially useful in keeping your body and mind relaxed before a dive, reducing unnecessary tension and conserving energy.

How to Practice Tidal Breathing:

• Breathe in and out gently and rhythmically, much like you do when at rest.

• Focus on breathing deeply but without forcing the breath. The aim is to maintain a steady, relaxed rhythm.

• As you breathe, pay attention to the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen, allowing your breath to flow naturally.

• This method is particularly effective when you want to maintain a low heart rate and stay relaxed before a dive.

Ratio Breathing

Ratio breathing is a more structured technique that involves controlling the length of your inhalations and exhalations to optimize your oxygen intake and carbon dioxide release. This method allows you to tailor your breathing to suit your body's needs and the demands of your dive.

Common Ratio Breathing Patterns:

• 4 in, 8 out: Inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. This pattern is a good starting point for many divers, helping to extend exhalation and promote relaxation.

• 5 in, 10 out: Inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 10 seconds. This pattern further extends the exhalation time, deepening relaxation and helping to reduce CO2 levels efficiently.

Adjusting the Ratio:

• If you start to feel light-headed or uncomfortable, it’s important to adjust your breathing ratio. You can shorten both the inhale and exhale times (e.g., 3 in, 6 out) until you find a comfortable rhythm.

• The key is to find a ratio that allows you to stay relaxed and focused without over-breathing or hyperventilating.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Regardless of the breathing technique you choose, diaphragmatic breathing is recommended for better breath control. This method involves engaging the diaphragm (the large muscle beneath your lungs) to draw air deep into the lungs, maximizing lung capacity and supporting efficient gas exchange.

How to Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing:

• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.

• As you inhale, focus on expanding your abdomen, allowing your diaphragm to move downward and your lungs to fill fully. Your chest should remain relatively still.

• As you exhale, gently contract your abdomen, helping to push the air out from the bottom of your lungs.

Recovery Breathing

Recovery breathing after each dive is equally important as the breathe-up process. Proper post-dive breathing techniques help your body efficiently eliminate CO2, replenish oxygen, and prevent complications like shallow water blackout.

How to Practice Recovery Breathing:

• Immediately after surfacing, take a strong, active inhale, hold for 2-3 seconds, and then exhale passively (slow and relaxed). Repeat this process several times.

• Focus on calming your breath and heart rate.

• This method helps to clear any excess CO2 and allows oxygen to be effectively distributed throughout your body, aiding in a quicker and safer recovery.

Mastering Your Breathing For Freediving

Understanding and mastering proper breathing techniques are essential for any freediver. Not only does it optimise your breath-holding capacity, but it also ensures that you remain safe throughout your diving adventures. The foundation of safe freediving lies in the breathe up process, managing CO2 levels, and receiving personalised instruction. Whether you're new to the sport or looking to refine your skills, these techniques are indispensable tools on your freediving journey.

At Deep Sensations Freediving, we emphasise these principles in all our courses, ensuring that our students are well-prepared and confident in their breath-holding abilities. Ready to dive deeper? Join us for a course and experience the difference that proper breathing can make in your freediving performance.