The Best Breathe-Up For Freediving - Adjusted Tidal Breath (ATB)

The DS Breath-Up Method

Why your breathing before the dive matters more than your lung capacity

I’ve taught well over a thousand divers now, and the pattern is consistent: those who relax the most, have the best breath-holds.

Because breath-holding is not really a 'just' a respiratory skill.

It’s a nervous system skill.

Over the years I've noticed something interesting. Students were following their breathing instructions perfectly, doing what's taught by their agency (SSI, Molchanovs, PADI, AIDA, etc. )… yet many still struggled with relaxation - early contractions, anxiety, or inconsistent statics.

I was always asking myself, what if there's a better breathe-up method?

So I started testing, and researching...

I blended what freediving agencies teach (tidal breathing), what some systems use (ratio breathing), and what modern physiology research shows (coherent breathing).

That became the Adjusted Tidal Breath-Up Method.

First, What Actually Limits Your Breath-Hold?

It is not oxygen.

At rest, your blood oxygen saturation sits around 96–99%. Even after several normal breaths, your haemoglobin is already near full capacity. You cannot significantly “top it up” by breathing harder.

The thing that makes you want to breathe is carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Receptors in your carotid arteries and brainstem constantly monitor CO₂. When CO₂ rises, your blood PH decreases and becomes more acidic, then, your brain triggers the urge to breathe. It is a protective alarm, not an oxygen emergency.

Whilst this is mostly physiological, there is a pschological element at play with the urge to breathe.

So the goal of the breath-up is to prepare both the body, and the mind.

You are not preparing your lungs. You are preparing your brain.

The Autonomic Nervous System (Your Real Dive Computer)

You have two main operating modes:

Sympathetic (Dorsal Vagal Nerve) – alert, stressed, high oxygen consumption

Parasympathetic (Ventral Vagal Nerve)– calm, efficient, oxygen conserving

Freediving performance lives in the parasympathetic state.

This is controlled heavily by the ventral vagus nerve. When activated, it:

• slows heart rate

• reduces metabolic demand

• improves oxygen efficiency

• decreases anxiety response

Your breathing pattern is one of the fastest ways to activate it.

Your brain is constantly “watching” your breath. Fast breathing signals danger. Slow smooth breathing signals safety.

Once the brain believes you are safe, you slip into the parasympathetic state and oxygen consumption drops dramatically.

What We Learned From Breathing Science

Modern research has identified a breathing rate called coherent breathing.

Roughly:~5 to 6 breaths per minute (about 5–6 seconds inhale and 5–6 seconds exhale)

Studies show this breathing frequency:

• maximises heart rate variability (HRV)

• increases vagal tone (fun fact, this also correlates with EQ, as we have a tiny muscle the tensor veil palettini, redsponsible for opening and closing the eustachian tubes, increase vagal tone softens this muscle and allows for better contro/eq)

• lowers cortisol

• reduces amygdala threat activation

• improves emotional regulation

HRV is important. It’s a measure of how adaptable and relaxed your nervous system is. Higher HRV correlates strongly with better breath-hold performance and calmer contractions.

Interestingly, the cardiovascular system actually has a natural resonance frequency around 0.1 Hz (about 6 breaths per minute). When you breathe near this rate, your heart, blood pressure and respiration synchronise. The body becomes extremely efficient.

Fun fact: Your vagal tone links to equalisation. We have a small soft-palate muscle called the tensor veli palatini, which is responsible for opening the Eustachian tubes and allowing pressure to equalise in the middle ear. When you are relaxed and parasympathetic activity (vagal tone) is higher, the surrounding muscles of the soft palate and throat are less tense and easier to control. This is why many divers equalise better when calm and struggle when stressed.

Why Longer Exhales Work

During inhale, heart rate speeds up slightly. During exhale, heart rate slows.

This is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

A longer, gentle exhale stimulates the ventral vagal pathway and shifts the body toward parasympathetic dominance. Research shows slow exhalation increases vagal activity and decreases oxygen consumption.

But there is a catch.

If you force the exhale, you activate muscles, increase oxygen use, and undo the relaxation. This is the mistake we see lots of divers make, when we are teaching the ratio breathing. They focus more on the exhale count, then having it feel natural. Forcing themselves to over exhale.

So the goal is not a dramatic exhale.

It is a soft, passive, slightly longer exhale.

The Problem With Traditional Approaches

Pure Tidal Breathing

Good for relaxation, but many divers remain slightly alert. They never fully down-regulate.

Strict Ratio Breathing (4 in, 8 out)

Works physiologically, but divers start counting and put too much emphasis on the exhale, and can overbreathe.

Deep Breathing

Often becomes mild hyperventilation. CO₂ drops too low, blackout risk increases, and contractions hit harder later.

So, how do we combine the benefits of each, and remove the challenges?

The DS ATB Method

The solution was blending the science.

We combine:

• tidal breathing (natural rhythm)

• coherent breathing (nervous system resonance)

• ratio breathing (slightly longer exhale)

But we remove force and remove performance, allowing for natural and intuitive breathing by the divers.

How it works:

Slow natural (tidal) breathing, Relaxed inhale ~4–5 seconds, Passive exhale slightly longer ~6-8 (but don't count, just let it be a natural, longer exhale).

Pro-tip: The taller you are, the slightly longer you might want your inhale/exhale to be.

No forcing. No chest lifting. No “big breaths”.

You should feel almost sleepy.

This activates the ventral vagus nerve while keeping CO₂ stable and preventing hyperventilation.

What Happens Physiologically

When this is done properly, you are going to experience the following:

1. Heart rate drops

2. Muscle tension decrease

3. Oxygen consumption falls

4. CO₂ tolerance improves

5. Contractions arrive later

DISCLAIMER: This is an Advanced Breathe-up method. If you are doing the breathe-up and getting lightheaded, dizzy, or tingling, it means you are hyperventilating. This breathe-up should feel natural and effortless. IF, you experience the above, soften the exhale, or return to a normal tidal breath .

The Catch - There is No Best Way

At the end of the day, experiment with different breathe-up methods, and trust your body. Every diver is different, and you need to adopt the method that brings you the most relaxation.

If ever you are breathing up and getting light headed, you are doing too much. Drop it back, and slow down the breath.

Always do in-water breath-holds with a buddy, and never dive alone!