Apnea diving

Apnea diver with monofin

When freediving [ apnoːəˌtaʊ̯χn̩ ] or freediving breathes divers before the dive and uses as opposed to scuba diving for the dive just this one breath . The period of breath holding is called apnea ([ aˈpnoːə ], from ancient Greek ἄπνοια ápnoia "non-breathing" to πνοή pnoé "breathing, breath").

history

Apnea diving is the oldest and most original form of diving. As early as the Stone Age , freedivers collected, for example, mussels , sponges and pearls . Japanese ama (clam divers) still work this way today. Underwater hunting for fish with spears - spear fishing - is still practiced today and is the largest form of apnea diving worldwide. In addition, apnea diving is practiced as a leisure activity and as a diving sport through to extreme sports. In the leisure sector, the main focus is on exploring the underwater world and general conditioning for scuba diving. In competitive sports, on the other hand, longer and longer apnea times or distance and deep performances are aimed for through targeted training . The French Jacques Mayol , who succeeded in 1976 as the first person to penetrate to a depth of more than 100 meters without a breathing apparatus, should be mentioned as an important pioneer for the further development and spread of apnea diving .

Physiological principles and dangers

Static time diving exercise in the hall

The breathing is usually an involuntary process that may be well aware controlled. The breathing stimulus is essentially triggered by the increasing carbon dioxide content of the blood. Without practice it is hardly possible to suppress the breath stimulus over a longer period of time. With targeted training, however, the duration of the dive is mainly limited by the oxygen content of the blood. If the oxygen partial pressure falls below an individual limit (hypoxia) , the diver passes out .

Conscious, forced breathing or hyperventilation before diving first leads to a lowering of the carbon dioxide content in the blood. Due to the high pH value of the blood, depending on the duration and intensity of pre-breathing, there may be a delay in breathing. As a result, it can only start once the oxygen content has fallen below the required level. The beginner in particular is unable to recognize the signs of impotence. It usually attacks those affected suddenly and without warning. If those affected are not brought above the surface of the water within a short period of time, accidents or drowning can result ( swimming pool blackout ). That is why the protection of divers is particularly important. At least two people dive and the belaying is usually done alternately; this way, accidents are very unlikely. The accident rate for apnea diving is therefore very low - with the exception of deep diving with variable weights or diving under ice.

When deep diving under apnea, there are additional challenges for a freediver due to complex physical and physiological relationships. In addition to economical oxygen consumption, the ability to equalize pressure is particularly important. Since the diver has to return to the surface of the water in any case, he has little opportunity to end an attempt early on a deep dive. The diver therefore makes the decision about the maximum depth before diving. In competitive sports, the length of the orientation rope is set exactly to the targeted depth. A safety line (also: "lanyard") connects the diver with this guide rope.

At depth, the ambient pressure increases by about +1 bar for every −10 m  . This increase in pressure affects all air-filled body cavities. With increasing depth, however, changes in gas partial pressures also affect the physiological and neurological processes in the body ( deep intoxication, etc.). The difference in pressure is mainly noticeable in a severe pain in the ear. The eardrum is very sensitive to pain and would tear after a few meters without pressure compensation. Other body cavities that are sensitive to tenderness are the frontal and maxillary sinuses. The diver must therefore often adjust the air pressure in these body cavities against the external pressure. To do this, he repeatedly presses air from his lungs into the cavities. The lungs themselves, however, are already compressed to their volume at a depth of about 25 to 35 m during maximum exhalation. Due to the contraction of the lungs and the compression of the body as a result of the increasing water pressure, the buoyancy of the human body decreases more and more. Accordingly, less and less muscle power has to be used to drive downwards until you sink by yourself from a depth of around 30 to 40 meters - the phase of "free fall" begins.

In order to dive at these depths without injury, the diver has to adapt his body and learn complicated balancing techniques. Special exercises can improve the elasticity of the chest, diaphragm and intercostal muscles, among other things. In addition, the ability of the lungs to adapt to the increasing pressure by the accumulation of blood and lymph fluid in the tissues also develops . This process, known as bloodshift , is used by many diving mammals such as seals and whales.

However, the adaptation processes do not take place to the same extent and at the same speed for every diver. Exaggerated ambition, but also the changed perception caused by the deep intoxication, can overlay the physical warning signals so strongly that the diver exceeds his physiological limit. This can lead to micro-injuries and edema in the lungs, throat, maxillary and frontal sinuses. In order to minimize the risk of injury, apnoists increase the depth of each dive in very small steps.

With controlled diving, the risk of barotrauma while free diving is also low. In order to ensure that the pressure in the paranasal sinuses and middle ear is equalized , diving should be avoided if you have a cold or inflammation.

Decompression problems are unlikely when freediving in popular sports up to about 30 m, since the dwell time and depth are not sufficient for saturation of the tissue. Decompression accidents are not yet known when diving with constant weight, but are theoretically possible. It is believed that pearl divers who undertake many deep dives in a short period of time have experienced decompression problems. In the area of ​​no-limit diving, decompression sickness is seen as a danger. In the case of combinations of scuba diving and freediving (e.g. freediving in the break between scuba diving), decompression sickness accidents have been reported several times.

Training methodology

Freediver deep diving with monofin

During the training, the beginner first learns to breathe consciously and to deal with the stimulus in a relaxed manner. In addition, there is general conditioning through swimming, running, etc. Ä. as well as special technique training for swimming underwater. In advanced training, under the observation of his training partner, he learns the signs of an incipient lack of oxygen in order to recognize his own limits. This approach also has a great adaptive effect. The diver adjusts himself physiologically and mentally to this extraordinary load. He can relax, the diving reflex increases and the heart rate decreases. Through regular and conscious training, oxygen consumption can be significantly reduced and apnea performance can be significantly increased.

Experienced apnoists can bring themselves very close to the performance limit in a controlled manner and even exceed them in a targeted manner. Crossing boundaries is, however, deliberately avoided because it reduces performance. Therefore, faints are very rare. However, changed conditions such as competitions place increased demands on performance apnoists. In order to prevent border crossings nonetheless, in the event of a visible, self-endangering loss of control or even fainting in a competition, help is provided immediately and the athlete is secured. The participant will be disqualified and his performance will not be assessed.

Above all, performance apnoists use modified training methods from competitive sports such as hypertrophy , interval and lactate tolerance training to improve their dynamic and deep diving performance . The few measurements of vital parameters of experienced apnea divers that have been carried out to date are far outside the normal limits for healthy non-divers. Very low resting heart rate values, hemoglobin values ​​of over 16 g / dl, lactate values ​​of over 28 mg / dl and lung volumes of over 10 liters ( vital capacity ) were determined.

equipment

A freediver's equipment ranges from swimming trunks to a complicated sled construction made of stainless steel. The beginner can use simple ABC diving equipment and a normal diving suit . For advanced users there is equipment specially adapted to the requirements:

The diving suit is then made of particularly elastic neoprene with a good fit. Usually a suit made of so-called "open-cell neoprene" is used here, as this is characterized by better thermal insulation. The diving fins have particularly long blades, special monofins are often used in competition . The diving mask for deep diving has a particularly small internal volume, but normal swimming or chlorine goggles and usually a nose clip are used in the hall or pool.

More freediving utensils are a neck lead to the elastic weight belts, distance diving to achieve neutral buoyancy, which is usually a cylindrical buoy wound guide rope, and a stopwatch and a depth gauge . Usually a special dive computer is used today, which combines various functions in one device. Furthermore, a cutting device is sometimes carried along, e.g. B. a diving knife , a line cutter or diving scissors to be able to free yourself in an emergency, e.g. B. from a fishing line.

Apnea diving as a competitive sport

Basics

Apnoetauchen is also called competitive sports or competitive sport practiced. The association of freedivers AIDA - Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée (in German about "International Association for the Promotion and Development of Apnea Diving ") feels responsible for these competitions and record attempts . Its extensive set of rules prescribes binding safety standards as well as the conditions for the recognition of achievements and records.

The most important rule is that the athlete must realize his performance with full awareness and without assistance. If he loses consciousness or if he needs help from others for his own safety, he will be disqualified and his performance will not be assessed. The performance ends after the respiratory orifices have left the water and a protocol specified in the rules has been met.

Competitive or record disciplines

In competitive apnea sports, a distinction is made between pool and deep diving disciplines. An exception is time diving, which according to AIDA and CMAS can be carried out both in the pool and in open water.

Pool disciplines

Jumping off the edge of the pool is not permitted in any of the disciplines.

Time diving (Static / STA)

The time of the apnea is rated here. The diver prepares, inhales and submerges. During the apnea he then lies face down in the water (usually completely motionless and wearing a warming wetsuit ).

Dynamic apnea with fins (Dynamic with fins / DYN)

Distance diving in the indoor pool

In this discipline, the distance covered with one breath is scored with fins or a monofin . The diver is already in the water before the start.

Range diving without fins (Dynamic without fins / DNF)

In this discipline, the distance covered with one breath without fins is scored. The diver is already in the water before the start.

Distance diving according to time (speed endurance apnea)

This CMAS discipline is about diving a swimming lane (at least 25 m) a certain number in a row as quickly as possible. The usual total distances are 100 and 400 m. The time begins with the descent and is only stopped after the last swim lane. The total time is influenced by moving quickly on the track and taking the shortest possible breathing breaks. The diver is already in the water before the start.

Deep diving disciplines with constant weight

With just one breath, the diver tries to dive as deep as possible and back to the surface. The diver is allowed to carry weights ( lead ) to overcome his own buoyancy , but he has to bring all the weight that he uses for the descent back to the surface by his own strength (therefore "Constant"). The depth is rated in meters.

Constant weight without fins (CNF) diving with constant weight without fins

The diver may not use fins for the dive. He is allowed to use a rope for orientation. During the dive, however, he is only allowed to touch it before descending, once at the turn and only then again after surfacing. It is forbidden to pull yourself up or down on it. For most active freedivers this is the supreme discipline.

Constant weight / CWT deep diving with fins

The diver swims with the help of fins in the depth and back up to the surface. He is allowed to use a rope for orientation, but only touch it during the dive before diving, once at the turn and afterwards again after surfacing. It is forbidden to pull yourself up or down on it.

Free Immersion / Immersion Libre (FIM)

The diver may not use fins or similar aids. To move around, he pulls himself down and up again on a rope.

Deep diving disciplines with variable weight

Here the diver tries to dive as deep as possible with one breath and then to come back to the surface. The diver can be pulled into the depths by a weight or a driven body (usually a slide structure guided on a rope) and leaves it there.

These disciplines are not competition disciplines because of the incalculable risks . The ratification by the Association of Freedivers (AIDA) is a controversial discussion.

Variable weight deep diving (VWT)

The total weight of the output body is limited to 30 kg. The ascent is realized by one's own strength. The use of floats or similar is not permitted. The divers usually pull themselves up again on the guide rope and use fins for further support.

No Limit (NLT)

There are no technical restrictions in this discipline.

A very heavy sledge construction ( diving sledge ) pulls the diver (usually standing upright) at high speed into the depth. The diver can usually regulate his descent speed by means of a mechanical brake . A mechanical device (e.g. a lift bag filled with compressed air or a cable winch) brings it back to the surface at maximum speed.

The athletic challenge compared to all other apnea disciplines is relatively low. The main focus is on the development and manufacture of the equipment, the logistics of diving tests and the handling of pressure equalization . By using high quality technology, extreme depths of more than 150 m can be reached. But the technology keeps failing. In addition, the effects of high gas partial pressures on the human body cannot be scientifically predicted. The diving tests are therefore the only way to research the health consequences . The past few years have shown a devastating accident record. A great many no-limit attempts ended in accidents or even with the death of the athletes (as of 2007).

There is also a partner discipline, Tandem No Limits , in which Andrea Zuccari and Stavros Kastrinakis hold the (unofficial) world record with a depth of 126 m (as of 2013).

The affiliation of NLT to the apnoe sport is controversial. AIDA has not ratified any records in this discipline since 2019.

Official world records (according to AIDA)

AIDA International is the largest recognized association for competitive freediving. This organization ratifies, among other things, the world-wide recognized records: The organization CMAS partly has its own disciplines and regulations.

Area	discipline			Women ♀	Gentlemen ♂
P o o l	Time diving		STA	9:02 min Natalja Moltschanowa (June 29, 2013) Belgrade Serbia	11:35 min Stéphane Mifsud (June 8, 2009) Hyères France
	Stretch- diving	without Fins	DNF	191 m Magdalena Solich-Talanda (2 July 2016) Opole Poland	244 m Mateusz Malina (July 2, 2016) Turku Finland
		With Fins	DYN	243 m Magdalena Solich-Talanda (June 2, 2018) Belgrade Serbia	300 m Giorgos Panagiotakis Mateusz Malina (July 3, 2016) Turku Finland
T i e f t a u c h e n	constant Weight	without Fins	CNF	73 m Alessia Zecchini (July 22, 2018) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas	102 m William Trubridge (July 20, 2016) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas
		With Fins	CWT	107 m Alessia Zecchini (July 26, 2018) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas	130 m Alexei Moltschanow (July 18, 2018) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas
		Free Immersion	FIM	92 m Sayuri Kinoshita (July 26, 2018) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas	125 m Alexei Moltschanow (July 24, 2018) Dean's Blue Hole , Long Island Bahamas
	variables Weight	With Fins	VWT	130 m Nanja van der Broek (October 18, 2015) Sharm El Sheikh Egypt	146 m Stavros Kastrinakis (November 1, 2015) Kalamata Greece
		No limit	NLT	160 m Tanya Streeter (August 17, 2002) Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands	214 m Herbert Nitsch (June 14, 2007) Spetses Greece

(As of August 25, 2018)

Manipulation and doping

At the moment, some performances are extremely controversial among the athletes regarding possible manipulation and suspicion of doping . The current regulations are not suitable to exclude unsporting behavior of this kind.

See also

Portal: Diving  - Overview of Wikipedia content on diving

• In the intoxication of the deep , a French film

literature

• P. Radermacher, C.-M. Muth: Apnea diving - physiology and pathophysiology . In: German magazine for sports medicine . tape 53 , no. 6 . Süddeutscher Verlag onpact, 2002, ISSN  0344-5925 , p. 185–191 ( zeitschrift-sportmedizin.de [PDF; 660 kB ; accessed on September 17, 2012]).
• Dagmar Andres-Brümmer: Apnea diving: basics, training tips, practice . 3. Edition. Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld 2008, ISBN 978-3-7688-2431-6 .
• Umberto Pelizzari, Stefano Tovaglieri: Manual of Freediving . Idelson Gnocci, Reddick (Florida, USA) 2004, ISBN 1-928649-27-0 (English).
• Pipin Ferreras: Deep Intoxication - A Story of Love and Obsession . 1st edition. Blanvalet, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-442-36494-9 .
• Carlos Serra: The Last Attempt . Xlibris Corp, USA 2006, ISBN 1-4257-3839-7 (English).

Web links

Commons : Apnea diving  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Apnea diver  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• AIDA-International: International Association for the Promotion of Apnea Sports (English)
• AIDA Germany e. V .: National association for the promotion of apnea sport and official representation of AIDA-International in Germany
• Apnea department in the Association of German Sports Divers
• Video examples and photos from apnea diving

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Simon Rogerson: Jacques Mayol. In: The Independent . January 9, 2002, accessed May 17, 2018 . 
2. ↑ The Exhilarating Peace of Freediving - Guillaume Néry - TED Talks on YouTube , accessed May 15, 2018.
3. ↑ Fred Bove: Can Freediving Cause DCS?
4. ↑ RM Wong: Taravana revisited: Decompression illness after breath-hold diving . In: South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal . 29, No. 3, 1999, ISSN  0813-1988 . Retrieved October 18, 2011.
5. ↑ Disciplines according to AIDA. Retrieved August 25, 2018 . 
6. ↑ ^{a b} disciplines according to CMAS
7. ^ Sebastian Naslund: Dangers of the depth . November 2007 ( online article [accessed June 18, 2009]).
8. ↑ https://www.aida-deutschland.de/2019/03/24/no-limit-rekordveranstaltungen/
9. ↑ AIDA International : Current world records. Retrieved August 25, 2018 . 

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on April 15, 2006 .