“Static apnea training” is what us freedivers use to condition our lungs and body to withstand the effects of prolonged breath-holding. “Static” refers to the fact that you’re not swimming or moving your body while you do these exercises; you’re staying still. On your Freediving courses with us at Big Blue Freediving we will introduce you to the world of static apnea when we jump in the pool and see how long you can hold your breath for.
CO2 tables condition you to get used to having CO2 build up in your system without having to take a breath. The training consists of a series of alternating breath-holds and rest periods. By the time you get to the end of your training session, your lungs will be burning. Here is an example of a CO2 static apnea table.
As you can see, the rest periods get shorter and shorter as the session progresses. During your rest period, it’s important just to breathe normally — don’t hyperventilate! Start off with a breath-hold period that you’re comfortable with. If it’s 30 seconds, that’s fine. Just try adding 5 seconds each day.
Space your sessions out; don’t try doing two back-to-back. Do one in the morning and one at night.
