Air packing in freediving

By Aharon Solomons

Feb

23

aharon_solomons_sled_freediving_pippin_eilat_smallThere have been several incidents, recently, of pulmonary barotraumas and even air embolism connected to the practice of “air packing”. Sufficient incidents are enough to raise concern.

We cannot wait for formal experiments, to determine the degree of risk. This may take years before even a protocol can be designed for tests, we need to act now. At least paying attention, and approaching techniques that have an element of risk with a degree of caution.

Part of the trouble is that the general freediving public is becoming more aware of techniques practiced by the Elite few, without any awareness of the safety constrictions that they put upon themselves, or without any idea of how long it has taken them to get to their current level of physiological adaptation to this technique.

The better informed are beginning to realise that there is a difference between packing for depth and Continued…

Q&A Webinar – February 13, 2013

By Web Master

Feb

13

After some technical problems – another webinar

Continued…

Q&A Webinar – February 7, 2013

By Web Master

Feb

7

Talking about BTV / BTO / Hands free equalisation

Q&A Webinar – January 31, 2013

By Web Master

Jan

31

Talking about equalisation, diet, style.

RIP Carson Bilsland

By Aharon Solomons

Jan

22

Carson-Bilsland

It is with deep sorrow that we have just heard about the loss of a friend, Carson Bilsland in the Algerian hostage debacle.

Carson who we knew at first as a freedive student, became an avid freediver and competitor attending our first competition in Cabo San Lucas and several times visitor to our camp in Punta Coyote was a true Gentleman and sportsman.

He became a very dear and valued friend. A man of shinning courage and a gentleness and kindness that extended to our then little 8 year old son to whom he told magical stories and sent childrens books.

Carson was funny and wild and loved by our family, he will be sorely missed I can only with humility offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.

Carson-Bilsland_freediving

Freediving webinar in English – January 17th, 2013

By adminWordpress

Jan

17

Join us today 20:00 – 21:00 GMT +2

Our first pilot broadcast!!

By Aharon Solomons

Jan

10

Suunto Vertical Blue 2012

By Aharon Solomons

Dec

13

This competition in the Bahamas has produced incredible results across the board and I think there are very important lessons to be learned here. Quite apart from the physical conditions of comparatively warm, deep and current-less water, without much surface disturbance, there are other very important factors at work here.

The main one I believe is the length of the competition –10 days. This gives the divers some very substantial advantages. They can approach their maximum depth gradually, this allows some acclimatisation to pressure. In the past, last year in Greece for example, divers who had been training in the pool and Continued…

THE NITRIC OXIDE STORY

By Aharon Solomons

Dec

8

NO was discovered in the 1970’ s in research that was awarded a Nobel Prize. It is a vasodilator, like a natural Viagra, actually exploiting the same pathways in the body. It is a gas that is produced in the Para nasal sinuses in very small quantities. In large quantities it is toxic. It is of extreme interest to freedivers, it improves breath hold and also protects the system being overcome by ROS (free radicals) during blood shift (ischemia and referfusion) during the Ischemic stage phase, where it behaves like a powerfull anti oxidant.

I have long speculated that diver exhaustion after a series of extreme deep dives might be due to NO depletion, or the 3rd day exhaustion factor. NO also behaves as an anti inflammatory and is helpful in preventing DCS in freedivers.

Erika agreed that this might be an exciting subject for research.

Alexey Molchanov 128 CWT take1

By Aharon Solomons

Nov

29

Just a few words about what was perhaps the greatest dive in history . Alexey Molchanov declared 128 CWT –what happened is another story ,in fact he descended to 129.7 mts ,Effectively 130 mts , he could’nt find the tag – Why ? there are several reasons – narcosis is part of the story . One gets very stoned at this depth .Alexey however breathes up on the surface in a vertical position and is a moderate packer,so probably at the end of packing he does not have much more air in his lungs than if he had breathed up on his back and taken one giant breath before diving.

Now here is where the dive became something beyond the extraordinary , he spent 14 agonising seconds looking for the tag at 130mts ,that is a very long time there. He could’nt locate the tag because it was above him ,he had passed the plate !! On his 126 mt world record he also passed the plate ,was narcosis the only explanation ? I don’t believe so , There are several other factors

1 the plate does not seem to have been illuminated .

2 For some inexplicable reason the tags were black and also not luminous , this is what one sees in the photos

if this is indeed the case ,somebody was seriously stupid.

In spite of all this Alkexey returned to the surface and completed a clean protocol .

What can this man do ? he has elevated freediving and the human potential to the level of the super human ! This dive ,a very short time ago would have been achievable by only 2 or 3 people in the world in No Limits !! And none of them could have spent 14 seconds on the bottom !!