How long can you hold your breath?

[Mermaid Lily_Pad]

I was working on breath holding today and I reached 21 seconds. When I was young I swear I could hold it for a lot longer. Of course back then I also sank to the bottom of the pool like a stone, now I have to hold onto a ladder to keep myself down.

How long can you breath hold for?
I want to see if I am at least average LOL.

[AniaR]

static 2.5 minutes. Underwater if I am not moving much I can usually hot 1.5-2 minutes. If I am swimming, usually no more than 1 minute unless Im really relaxed and careful

[leeloo]

My boyfriend timed me a little while ago, I could only hold mine for 30 something seconds. I remember being much better at holding my breath as a kid too, although I was much more active back then and swam a lot. I need to start swimming more often again, but the pool in my complex is an outdoor pool and I'm very sensitive to cold! Plus I have some health issues which makes it hard to exercise consistently. Sometimes I feel like such a pathetic mermaid, lol.

[leeloo]

I did some searching and found the world record for breath holding is over 20 minutes! The guy was breathing pure oxygen beforehand, but still, that is damn impressive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqERqQj-ozc

[Mermaid Melanie]

In most competitions you would be disqualified for breathing oxygen before a competition dive - the official record for regulated breath hold is over 11 mins for men and over 9 for women

My personal best is 3:03 - but I can swim continuously for over a minute and a half so I think I still have more time in me yet ! But like anything you must practise to get better and if you put a little dedication into freediving you will be surprised at what your body is able to do ! X


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[MermanOliver]

Static 2,5 minutes, swimming about 1 to 1,5 minutes. Need to get some training again.

I agree with Melanie, with some training you will be amazed how those times go up. The key is being relaxed. The more you relax, the longer you can hold your breath.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Same here. When I was at school, I could hold my breath for the entire length of the pool (50 m) and a half on the way back. Now I can barely hold it for 15 secs. I have improved though, when I started mermaid swimming, it was only 6 to 10 secs breath hold!

[Echidna]

If you check the "how long can you stay under"-thread in Tail swimming, you'll see most mers here actually surpass the apnea world record holders :lol:

also, it's a difference whether you mean "how long on average while mermaiding without significant preparation/breath-up time" or "your best once-of-a-time-record after meditating for a week" :p

anyway!
I can hold my breath for around 2 minutes when not moving (without freedive meditation trick stuff), for around one minute when swimming, and a bit less than that when swimming full tilt.
When I do a lot of swimming and breathholding in a row (like during performances), the times are even shorter, probably around 30 secs or so.

I completely suck at dry apnea, which is why I've given up trying to practice on land, especially as I didn't notice a change from practicing.

I probably could go on a bit longer with doing the freedive jedi stuff, but that would increase my BO/cramp/samba risk, and I'm not in the mood for that as I'm often swimming alone, and a blacked out mermaid is sooo uncool. :p

[Mermaid Melanie]

I don't think anyone on this forum can hold their breath longer than the world record holders, or they would be the record holders. The average human being can hold their breath 40 secs to 1 min without training.

Every dive you do you should take some time preparing on the surface even during performances before I dive to perform I will focus my breathing and go through normal protocol. When we train in dynamic sets (25m come up breath for 1 min down for 25m come up breath for 30 seconds ) you start to feel the 25m become more difficult the more of these short sets you do - it's good training to get your legs in shape and used to the burn but yeah you will find it harder and harder to perform the same distance if you don't spend sufficient time on the surface and that can lead to black outs too


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[Trident True]

mine was about 2.5 to 3 mins when i was in my early teens. can't say for now though. but i do have a huge lung capacity i know that. some advice the more you move the more oxygen you use due to blood circulation. if you can slow your heart rate down. (this can be done) then you will be able to told your breath longer while moving. i used to do this when i was younger. practice will help. this is going to sound weird. but reality check, I am. so when i used to swim I used to sit on the bottom close my eyes a mediate. that's right i said it, meditate. and breath holding always got easier.

[Chrissy]

Swimming I have about 1 minute, static I have about 1 min45 sec

[MermaidCrystalofthe7seas]

For me, static 3 minutes 5 seconds. Swimming- just over 1 minute

[MermaidLiara]

30 seconds or so. Anyone any advice on how to train this? :') @Trident True your tips sound useful, thanks for posting :)

[Mermaid Aria]

Static a little over a minute. Swimming- about 30 secs

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[Merman Storm]

I started training 8 months ago. I got up to 1:50 in February. But then, for some reason I do not understand, my times started getting shorter. I'm down to 1:20 right now, wondering what I am doing wrong.
I'm basing my training on this site: http://freedivingexplained.blogspot.com/2008/03/freediving-training-static-tables.html

[Merman Andrew]

30 seconds or so. Anyone any advice on how to train this? :') @Trident True your tips sound useful, thanks for posting :)
It helps to be as calm and relaxed as possible (it is as much mental as it is physical!) and to slow your heart rate right down first by taking a few deep breaths before doing the breath hold. The freediving training I've done suggests at least 2 minutes of calm regular breathing on the surface then 30 seconds before you start take at least 2 slow deep breaths breathing as deeply as you can into your diaphragm.

When you do the static breath hold hold the pool edge and completely relax your body so you almost float. Try to empty your mind and think of nothing (like you are meditating). I've been able to get up to a 3 minute breath hold in just a few months using this method. Once you understand what is needed for a static breath hold you can apply the same principles to dynamic (swimming with breath hold). Again for dynamic try to remain as relaxed as possible throughout and you will get a longer breath hold.

Oh and you should always have some one buddy you (eg for static breath hold have someone checking on you every 30 seconds or so with a tap on the back which you acknowledge by making a sign with your hand to let them know you are still ok). If you want to learn more I recommend taking up freediving!

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[Merman Andrew]

I started training 8 months ago. I got up to 1:50 in February. But then, for some reason I do not understand, my times started getting shorter. I'm down to 1:20 right now, wondering what I am doing wrong.
I'm basing my training on this site: http://freedivingexplained.blogspot.com/2008/03/freediving-training-static-tables.html
It's hard to know for sure why but remember that how you do the recovery is just as important as the time you give yourself for recovery. Perhaps you are not slowing your breathing down enough or relaxing enough during your actual breath hold. Remember to try to always slow your breathing and heart rate down as much as possible in the recovery time you have, and in free diving straight after a breath hold they recommend you do a hook breath or 2 (breathing in fast and hold for a bit then breath out slowly) rather than a fast panting breath that your body naturally wants to do.

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[Merman Storm]

Those breathing techniques are what I am doing. It all seemed to be working great in December and January, with my personal best times gradually increasing to 1:50. Then, things started getting worse. I was doing the CO2 tables and the O2 tables, each twice a week (static, dry). They started getting harder and harder to complete, and my maximum time started dropping. I had to lower the times I used in the tables to insure I could complete them. A free diving site suggested I was over-training, and to do just two tables a week. Ive been doing that since May, but my times are not improving. I'm stuck.
One thing: If I push, I end up feeling terrible for the rest of the day. For example, yesterday I was at 1:10 when I first felt sufficient discomfort to look at the clock. I decided to push an extra 10 seconds. Later in the day, I started feeling poorly, tired and depressed. To distract myself, I looked at posts in this thread. It reminded me of my decision to push for that extra 10 seconds, and suddenly realized I had done it to myself again.

[Ligeia]

I JUST hit a static of 1:04 yesterday underwater and bawled like a baby! I used to hold longer but then I had surgery and developed asthma and...it wasn't pleasant. When I popped up and my boyfriend told me, I was ecstatic.

Swimming, I'm at about 35-40 seconds. Which makes me ecstatic. I'm almost where I aim to be by summer's end!

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[Playing Koi]

Static: right now I'm at 1 minute 40 seconds. I havent timed myself while underwater, but I'm sure its really low. :/ Working on it!

[MermaidAdrine]

Right now im at about a minute, i surprised myself I was expecting 30-40 seconds :)

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[Merenneito Nerissa]

I haven't tried static one so my record I did when swimming slowly around in bottom of 4 meters deep pool with monofin and weights, my record is 2 minutes 31 sec :) Should try static one too, haven't had time lately cause I've spend all my pool time training scuba diving instructor course things (like swimming etc). But maybe I'll get to it anytime soon... :D I'd love to also try AIDA courses.

[Merman Andrew]

Got to a new record of 3:30 yesterday.

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[MermaidNerenia]

Not very long at all I'm afraid, iv never timed myself but I'm sure it's a pitiful number. If I have a goal like a photo or retrieving something I can hold it a bit longer but it is a HUGE struggle for me to stay down in the water, I float back up immediately. Deeper water with fins is easier, I can remain in place a little longer but I'm still floaty.

I'm hoping my new tail is a bit weightier to give me a little extra oomph, but I really need to work on breathing exercises to start expanding it.

[Merman Andrew]

Not very long at all I'm afraid, iv never timed myself but I'm sure it's a pitiful number. If I have a goal like a photo or retrieving something I can hold it a bit longer but it is a HUGE struggle for me to stay down in the water, I float back up immediately. Deeper water with fins is easier, I can remain in place a little longer but I'm still floaty.

I'm hoping my new tail is a bit weightier to give me a little extra oomph, but I really need to work on breathing exercises to start expanding it.
Have you tried wearing a weight belt?

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[AniaR]

I have been training with a free diver through AIDA

On land my best was 2:30

Underwater I just hit 1:48 but I had to do a deadman's float. Even with a weight belt I am not sinking enough to be able to stay still underwater. Still working on a system. I am using too much oxygen trying to get down

I can do 40 seconds while blowing bubble rings

I can only do about 45-60 seconds while moving in my tail, depending on the movements.

[Shimmer Mermaid]

Last summer before I got pregnant I was at 3:26 sitting at the bottom of the pool not moving, and swimming with my tail was 2:04.
Blowing bubble rings I was at 1:10.
This year since I've been pregnant, I haven't even tried doing actual breath holds obviously. Just typical swimming, and not Trying to hold my breath longer than a few seconds when I go under

[AniaR]

wow thats impressive... the world record for bubble rings is 40 and he took 1 minute 43 seconds to blow them out


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2YfDGTljk8

(I like the nosey fish)

[MermaidNerenia]

Have you tried wearing a weight belt?

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No, but I will if I have too. We'll see what happens. I'm working on more and more swimming right now. Going to start with laps this fall in the pool and see if I can get more comfortable and build my lungs and breath control more.

[Shimmer Mermaid]

wow thats impressive... the world record for bubble rings is 40 and he took 1 minute 43 seconds to blow them out


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2YfDGTljk8

(I like the nosey fish)
I didn't get anywhere close to 40 bubble rings. If I tried for 40 is drown for sure lol heck, if I tried for 25 I'd drown. I have to have several seconds between rings for them to be rings I'm definitely not as good at bubble rings as others. I have to go really slow for mine to turn out right

[silkfabric]

Just now I try, now I am depressed, Static a little about 30 secs. Swimming - about 20 secs

[AniaR]

everyone has to start somewhere.