Breath Hold Question

[theMerFanc]

Ok, so I have been all over this forum and YouTube and Google in general and I can't find the answer to a specific question so I figured I'd just ask it here.

when getting ready for a breath hold either to go under water or to time it, am I holding on an I hail or an exhale? I know that you shouldn't like fill your cheeks with air or anything but when I hold on an I hail I feel like I get a longer time but I am so boy ant I can't even get under water. And when I finally do breath, I feel like my lung is so full it's going to burst. Where as holding on an exhale feels like I have 0 air and I can barely hold for ten seconds. But I sink to the bottom much easier and my movement is more free and flowing. When I do breath again, my heart is going really fast.

i know that I need to work up to having a good time and that is t my issue here. I am willing to train and work on this, but I need to know what exactly to train. I also watched a video where a mer was discussing lie, the top ten tips to a better hold (that she got off wikihow) and one of the things she said as that after a breath had, your first instinct is to breath out quickly and forcefully but by first instinct is to breath in and gasp for air. I am jus super confused.

[Rebela Hunter]

Oh gosh yes, I've been wondering about this as well !!!

[Merman Storm]

The best times come from a hold after an inhale. For more info:
http://shark-bait.com/2009/08/24/how-to-breathe-up-fill-your-lungs/

As for buoyancy: Learn to surface dive and/or wear weights.

[theMerFanc]

Thank you Storm :)

[AniaR]

if you're practicing breath hold please see if there is anyone you can learn from locally. it can be dangerous to try and figure out on your own, even more than just drowning. incorrect holds can cause you to cough up blood. I was shocked at how much i didn't know when i finally got a teacher.

I've written a blogpost about it here you migth enjoy: http://rainamermaid.weebly.com/blog/freediving-for-merfolk

[theMerFanc]

Thanks but I've done a lot of research and there are no local dive shops or swim coaches that teach on breath holds :(. I don't plan to do anything extream. Because of my current ear problems and high altitude situation, I can't even swim down past 6' so I'm never far from the surface. And all of my actual breath training will be done out of the water entirely. I have no death wish.

[AniaR]

I had the same problem so I contacted AIDA. You can too! I paid a 20$ paypal membership (that was canadian so you'll have less to pay) and got access to their forums and resources. they were the ones to help me find my mentor cuz I had been looking for years. Research is well and good but it doesn't trump experience! you dont have to be extreme to get hurt either. I went through AIDA canada, you should check out AIDA USA.

https://www.aidainternational.org/

http://www.usfreediving.org/