Basic lung stretching for freediving – Part 1

By Maria-Teresa Solomons

Feb

1

This exercise is called Uddiyana Bandha and has been used as a abdominal tonification and purging exercise in yoga for hundreds of years. Recently in the world of freediving the effects of diaphragmatic manipulation in this way has been proven to improve the elimination of air from the lungs and thus enables the ribcage to flex and compress more with the more extreme pressures at depth when the lungs have been reduced to Residual volume. Simultaneously with the reduced volume and the increased flexibility the trained freediver is able to “pull up” a little more air from the airways for deep equalisation.

This exercise must be practised carefully on an empty stomach, and regularly to reap the benefits. However a word of caution, just with this practice alone it DOES NOT mean that a freediver who has a good equalisation technique should jump irreverently to depths without a well prepared training program. The body needs time for physiological adaptation and the rush for depth must not be at the expense of safety.

Injuries that can result in irreversible damage are pulmonary barotrauma, i.e lung squeeze and trachea squeeze, that can leave scarring and result in limiting your depth freedives permanently. ALL UNNECESSARY AND COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE.

After all, Freediving is about fulfilment, exhileration, human potential and absolutely about humility!

Jacob Ewing – CNF training in the Red Sea

By Aharon Solomons

Jan

23

Jacob first came to do a course with me in Mexico 2 years ago. Jacob is the skipper of a very large private yacht, he was a surfer and a good swimmer.

Jacob’s work doesn’t leave him much time for freediving, but he tries every year to spend 1 month at his favourite sport.

Jacob has passed 43mts in his chosen discipline of CNF, he wants to do 50mts, his challenge is in improving his mouthfill. We agreed the best way to improve his equalisation was by doing totally empty lung descents, not to be confused with FRC which is diving after a passive exhale.

Here Jacob is pulling down to 10mts, totally empty. This physiologically and from an equalisation point of view is exactly equivalent to a 60mt dive .

He goes slowly because all the physiological changes take place in a very short period of time.

After each dive we discuss his sensations, what stopped him and what happened to the air in his cheeks.

Notice he is not wearing any weights when doing empty lung exercises this is both unnecessary and also an important safety precaution while doing empty lungs.

He finishes the session by doing a full lung dive to the bottom by the satil ( missile boat ) for fun and light relief.

 

Training Delainya Kazarian

By Aharon Solomons

Oct

22

In January 2011 I received an application from a young US woman Delainya Kazarian for a freediving course. One of the first things I do with a new student is explore their personal objectives and expectations and their aquatic history. Delainya was a surfer and was interested in improving her breathold in case she was held down by a big one.

But when we discussed her history it emerged that she had been a synchronised swimmer and also a competitive swimmer an excellent pedigree for a freediver !

I had just finished training a young Mexican girl Estrella Navarro Holm, also a Continued…

Belief and Freediving competition

By Aharon Solomons

Oct

19

Just a thought that occurred to me while thinking about athletes I trained for the recent International competition in Greece. Belief is an essential element in mental preparation. Belief is distinct from faith.

I remember in one of the first Competitions, in either Sardinia or Nice, an Israeli competitor had a Blackout in a CWT (Constant Weight) dive. When we were analysing together what went wrong, it emerged that during the warm ups before his dive which had been declared at 47mts, he did a warm up to over 40mts. This was an extraordinary lack of belief in himself, he needed to prove to himself NOW that he could do his dive. Two dives with a short interval close to his maximum were not likely to produce a good result!

First, lets distinguish between what I mean by faith and belief. Faith is when

Continued…

Freediving Israeli team in Kalamata 2011 World Championships

By Aharon Solomons

Sep

26

 I first met Max and Shlomi training static in Manta’s pool just before a meeting to discuss security for Alon’s 100mts variable weight dive. We talked briefly there and they expressed a desire to do a few training sessions with me before going to the international competitions in Greece. We agreed to focus basically on tactics, and the mental and predive preparation. Both Shlomi and Max were new comers to freediving, Max had some equalisation issues to resolve to get to 50mts, and had just received his first monofin, so technique was also an issue. Shlomi was basically struggling with pacing; when to go into the glide, whether to go to a point of non deceleration and glide from lets say 35 mts or to do the 16 kicks 8 strong 8 with less force then a phase of kick and glide, then the pure glide.

Some of the issues were concerning speed and overall timing, and ascent to descent ratio and this was in part related to fin stiffness. Relaxation particularly in the glide was a major issue. Warm up procedures are Continued…

Good bye to Mexico

By Aharon Solomons

Aug

14

 Just a look back at my final 12 months in Mexico. The Freedivers originally came to Mexico to Baja California in 2001 freediving was virtually unknown in Mexico except for a handful of spearos.

At first our students came from Europe and the UK, then from everywhere but Mexico but after a few months the word began to spread and 2 guys got in touch with us from Mexico city Armando Torres, a very talented surgeon and internationally known composer, we share a love of classical music and Luis Turrent a lawyer and perhaps Mexico’s top spear fisherman. They did a course with us and in the following weeks we began to grow them, and they became close friends, with our help they founded AIDA Mexico. With further training they began to establish Mexican records and before long there was a Mexican national team that took part in the international competition in Cyprus. Armando and Luis were part of that team.

In 2005 we organised the first national competition probably one of the first triple depth competitions. It was the first competition for Manuel Gonzalez who became one of our permanent students and in 2007 he made a Mexican DNF record of 75 mts and in the same year did an easy 47mts Constant No Fins.

Teaching and coaching in Mexico had its own challenges, nearly all our students were Continued…

A TRIBUTE TO PATRICK

By Aharon Solomons

Jul

29

I couldn’t respond to this terrible news till now, frankly I was too angry . Why Patrick Why? A question we all know the answer to and one that will never be answered. I first met Patrick in Ibiza in the international competition in 2001 . The first thing that impressed me about Patrick was that he talked straight and later I was to learn he was a person of great integrity. Also he was generous as a friend.

There was a soft side to Patrick a genuine kindness. A part of Patrick was formed by his martial arts background, a code of honour to use an obsolete word. We had on many occasions revolved in the same areas of the world - Mexico, the Red Sea and as is inevitable in freediving associated with the same people.

Patrick was a gentleman, and someone who was unafraid to walk his own path, he will be a tremendous loss to freediving. More, I think, than many understand. He perfected a technique of equalisation originated by Pipin and he always gave him credit as the originator, he was always modest and gave other people their due. His movie on the “Ancestors”, which in other hands could so easily have turned into a tool for self glorification instead it was an ode to those who went before us into the depths, and thus he let us share the magic and the majesty of our history.

I can only express my deep sadness and sympathy for his family, I know nothing we can say can help, but know that there are those around you who loved and respected him.

Advanced training in Eilat, Summer 2011

By Web Master

Jun

1

The Freedivers ,Aharon Solomons , are returning to Israel on the 14th June 2011 and will be running Advanced Training for Competitive Freedivers.

Aharon will be teaching a program of 4 star AIDA courses.

Aharon will also be conducting trouble shooting weekend work shops in all the competitive disciplines .

The program is totally focused on individually solving YOUR individual challenges.

The subjects will include -

  • Mouthfill we have our own very successful technique for teaching this . That we have taught to many national champions we have grown over the last few years.
  • Frenzel and BTV for those still struggling with these techniques.
  • Stretching for the competitive diver.
  • Tactics for the deep diver.
  • How to construct a training program with your own limitations of facilities or available time .
  • Advanced breathold training.

The Freedivers will also publish a program for 2 & 3 Star AIDA courses.

Isotonic drink

By Aharon Solomons

Feb

16

I am frequently asked, particularly by visitors from the great North land, about hydration – this is a vital concern in tropical Mexico. Every pharmacy here in La Paz distributes free of charge “suero”, which is the standard W.H.O. recipe of 6 teaspoons sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Added to 1 lt water you will get an Isotonic drink – sports drink designed to help athletes rehydrate when fluids are depleted after training or competition. Electrolyte replacement promotes proper rehydration, which is important in delaying the onset of fatigue during exercise. As the primary fuel utilized by exercising muscle, carbohydrates are important in maintaining exercise and sport performance. This mixture was adopted by W.H.O. because it works and the ingredients are available nearly everywhere, NOT because it is necessarily the best. If I had to choose one for freedivers, it would definitely be the juice of Continued…

THE MENTAL – PART 2

By Aharon Solomons

Feb

11

I want to approach this subject indirectly. I want to walk around it before we get to the center, because I am not sure there is a center. We all know that the ideal attitude, to have before a dive, is relaxed confidence. Without relaxation and confidence little can be achieved.

In order to set up the ideal conditions for these vital prerequisites for a deep dive or competition several things have to be in place, if any of these pieces are not in place the dive is already compromised.

Lets list them , and deal with their Continued…