Thread: Iron Lungs

This thread reminds me of Simon Birch.

Holding your breath has nothing to do with lung strength. Practicing at least
once a day for as long as you can comfortably will improved your endurance in
this area. It is largely just a matter of willpower. My personal best is three
minutes, and I do not have interest in practicing to make it any better. What
stopped me at that point was purple lining around my vision (I figured I could
go for as long until vision began to whack out), but bear in mind that some
people, like US special forces, have to be able to hold their breath for up to
twice as long or slightly more, even if it means passing out in the process.

Like I said, willpower. It's not enjoyable.

http://www.impulseadventure.com/asse.../freetable.htm

As Invader said, it's all about willpower and it's painful and scary.
I went from 1:30 to 3:30 in a week using a page like that. That wasn't enough time to make any physical changes on my lungs.

If you want to make any progress with it, familiarize yourself with diaphragmatic breathing.

On the side note, it's a useless skill unless you're into diving.
I stopped doing it as soon as I lost interest in diving about 4 years ago.

Being a musician (alto sax), I only played during the fall really and so at the beginning of a season, I really stucked at my breathing, but by the end of the year, I could hold notes for noticably longer. I prob went from 10sec (and tire quickly) to at least 30sec+(and stay consistant throughout a song) playing one note. However, marching at the same time helped out as I had to build up stamina

Originally Posted by Armistice

Being a musician (alto sax), I only played during the fall really and so at the beginning of a season, I really stucked at my breathing, but by the end of the year, I could hold notes for noticably longer. I prob went from 10sec (and tire quickly) to at least 30sec+(and stay consistant throughout a song) playing one note. However, marching at the same time helped out as I had to build up stamina

Circular breathing.

It's a useless skill unless you dive.
Everyone can hold their breah for 3 minutes with out passing out, but it's painful and you might black out momentarily.

I can't hold my breath very long before i need air, but once i held my breath and it felt like i did not need air anymore, i could be fine this way. After like 3 minutes i decided "i better breathe, even though i am not gasping for air in any way shape or form and feel like i can do this forever". I have not been able to do it since.

Do 15 minutes of this every day.

hold breathe for 45 seconds, then breathe for 30 for 5 minutes
hold breathe for 90 seconds, then breathe for 45 for 5 minutes
hold breathe for 2 minutes, then breathe for 1 minutes

Being in good aerobic shape is worth a lot for breath holding. Running, biking, swimming, etc. will get your respiratory and circulatory systems to where you can hold your breath a lot longer.

I'd been seeking out ways to do this for a long time. I enjoy being underwater. I think I've improved.

Ninja's correct, as well as UM..general cardio and aerobic fitness will only serve you well and help you in this area..and it has a lot to do with willpower as well. When I'm underwater (or holding my breath anywhere for that matter) my mindset is: "I am in full control of my body, I tell it what to do and when".

Doesn't feel good, but it works, combined with a good fitness routine of course.

Good luck

Originally Posted by SnakeCharmer

On the side note, it's a useless skill unless you're into diving.

Or holding your breath across bridges/under tunnels. =P

Originally Posted by guitarboy

Circular breathing.

I could barely do that. I could do it better on trumpet than sax

What is circular breathing?

Originally Posted by Armistice

I could barely do that. I could do it better on trumpet than sax

Hah. Try doing it on tuba. Freaking impossible.

What is circular breathing?

It's a technique used to create a constant, uninterrupted stream of air when playing a wind instrument. An instrumentalist blows the last of the air from their lungs into their cheeks as a reserve, then inhales through the nose while their cheeks deflate. It is much easier to execute in instruments which require a small air volume, but high pressure, as in a trumpet, rather than the opposite, as in a tuba. Experienced circular breathers can hold a note for several minutes without stopping.

o.o I played the trumpet for... 5 years and I've never heard of that. Maybe I'll try it sometime, if I ever re-learn how to play.

Freediving exercises,

Diafragm flexibility: Sit on your knees and draw in your stomach as far as you can (without it being too painfull).

Lung capacity: Packing technique, sit on your knees and breathe deep. Then open your mouth with your throat closed, close your mouth and breath in the air in your mouth. Repeat this to overfil your lungs. Diziness is a commom effect. Tis technique is used by many record freedivers to push more air into the lungs and enlarge lung capacity

Breathing exercises: Done directly before diving, if you are interested in these, tell me. I'm sort of in a hurr right now so I can descripbe them later if you like..

Greets

-Chris