
The Impossible Physiology of the Free Diver - dnetesn
http://nautil.us/issue/22/slow/the-impossible-physiology-of-the-free-diver
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JoshMilo
I was an avid free diver before I joined the Army (to be a diver no less) and
during a medical examination they did x-rays of my chest. The doctor came back
surprised and told me my lungs were 25% larger than normal. Even now I take
one breath for every two my wife takes. I always thought it was kind of cool.

For me free diving is a spiritual thing. Nowhere else am I more calm, more
sure of myself, I can be a visitor to an entirely different world.

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snowwrestler
Do you think that free diving resulted in larger lung capacity? Or that you
have always had larger lung capacity, and thus enjoyed free diving more than
most people?

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JoshMilo
It was the training for freediving, although I grew up next to the ocean and
have been swimming the majority of my life so I'm sure that plays a part.

What the article doesn't mention is most people can increase their lung
capacity using several techniques like over-unders (pool drills where you swim
across a pool alternating between underwater and regular),Oxygen tables,
breathing patterns (think meditation), and working out while holding your
breath (be careful with that one, I'd suggest just walking holding your breath
first).

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oostevo
I'm not about to try freediving without proper instruction, but some of those
sound generally useful.

Can you share any good resources for training?

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JoshMilo
Sure thing.

Breathing exercises:
[http://freedivingexplained.blogspot.com/2008/03/freediving-t...](http://freedivingexplained.blogspot.com/2008/03/freediving-
training-static-tables.html) The "go to" forum for me:
[https://www.deeperblue.com/](https://www.deeperblue.com/)

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luxpir
I've dived at the Blue Hole mentioned, in Dahab. Scuba, but was out with
freedivers too. Also Swedes. It's a beautiful yet chilling place, with
gravestones lining the surrounding rock walls. Divers who didn't come back.
Macho Russians saddling up multiple tanks of helium to reach seldom seen
depths.

Read some of their literature, the freedivers, participated in some of their
training sessions and saw first hand how they have completely mastered their
oxygen requirements.

It's quite something to be able to swim unaided for several minutes at a time.
Lots of reports of peacefulness and relaxation. The closest I can get is when
snorkelling, dipping under for a while. Not a patch, I'm sure.

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krat0sprakhar
The human body (and mind) never ceases to amaze. Just wow!

