Freediving
How is Freediving done?
Freediving requires good physical fitness, mental discipline and training.
Human brain cells do not tolerate periods of apnea longer than five minutes and can become damaged after just three minutes.
Freedivers train to understand their body’s reflexes, and control those reflexes, allowing world-class professionals in freediving competitions to hold their breath for as long as nine minutes.
The mammalian diving reflex is a key factor in freediving.
This reflex is found in all known mammals, and puts the body into an oxygen saving mode to maximise the time that can be spent underwater.
Freedivers harness this reflex and use it to lower and control their heart rate which saves the body energy.
The air which is forced into their lungs by “packing” prior to submerging themselves in the water continues to oxygenate the blood and extends the amount of time that they can safely go without breathing.
Freedivers can also experience a “bloodshift” during their dives, which is the process of their blood vessels constricting in their limbs forcing blood into the body’s organs, and at the same time filling the lungs with plasma which reduces their volume and prevents lung collapse.
A dive usually ends when the Freediver experiences another reflex that we all experience every day, and that is the reflex commonly known as breathing.
Because there is no respiration during the dive, carbon dioxide (Co2 ) builds in the bloodstream and muscles.
This build up of Co2 trips an overwhelming reflexive response to breathe, which presents itself in the freediver as a contraction, which many freedivers can control for a period of time, before surfacing.
Contractions are very visible to the spectator, and look somewhat like a very big hiccup or small convulsion.
So what forms of Freediving are done in New Zealand?
The most common formats of freediving in New Zealand are;
- Constant Weight – which is depth diving with or without fins in the ocean
- Dynamic freediving – which is underwater lengths performed in pools with or without fins
- Static Apnea – where the diver floats in the pool for as long as they can hold their breath.
Are Kiwis any good at it?
Definitely yes! Kiwi Freedivers are world class and are prominent competitors on the world stage.
There are currently 12 competitive Freedivers in New Zealand, 4 of which are ranked amongst the top 20 in the world
