World record for static breath holding. Freediving: scuba diving records

A person can survive without water for about two months. There is a chance of dying from thirst within 10 days. But how long can you live without breathing? Alas, a few minutes at most. However, the world record for holding breath refutes this fact and definitely deserves your attention.

Static apnea: at the limit of possibilities

Holding your breath is scientifically called apnea, and its duration for normal person is no more than 1 minute. However, practice, confirmed by numerous trainings, proves that the duration of apnea is individual for each person. In addition, it can be gradually increased, bringing it to amazing numbers.

Today there is an official discipline of freediving called "static apnea". It involves holding your breath for a while under water. Professional athletes and trained divers have simply incredible physiological limits for how long they can hold their breath. Record holders from France, Germany, the USA, Switzerland, Italy and many other countries confirm: breath-holding training can really work wonders!

Officially registered records

The first person to set a world record for holding breath underwater was Martin Stepanek. He dived in 2001, holding his breath for 8 minutes and 6 seconds. This record was soon broken by Frenchman Stephane Mifsud. With the help of hard training, he managed to achieve a result of 11 minutes. and 35 sec.

An even more impressive result belongs to the American Robert Foster. Moreover, he was by no means a professional diver, but a simple electrical engineer. Without oxygen underwater, Foster was able to survive for 13 minutes. and 42 sec.

Tricks or reality?

Arvydas Gaičiūnas did not dive either. But he was interested in all sorts of tricks and tricks. After careful preparation, the resident of Latvia finally decided and in 2007 set an impressive record - less than 2 seconds, 16 minutes under water! Even experienced divers were impressed by this result. Despite the colossal stress that the body experiences without access to oxygen, Arvydas’ body coped with the test without consequences. Together with him, his sister also demonstrated a 13-minute breath hold.

David Blaine, an American showman, trained for many months in order to set a record of 17 minutes a year later, in 2008. and 4 sec. This achievement, like many of Blaine's other tricks, was repeatedly described in the press and documented.

20 minutes without oxygen: reality or fiction?

An even more impressive result was demonstrated by Italian Nicolo Putignano. He spent two years training, and then spent 19 minutes underwater without oxygen. and 2 sec. This record, although not immediately, still ended up in the Guinness Book of Records. But already in 2010, the Swiss Peter Kolat managed to beat him by a few seconds, recording a result of 19 minutes. and 21 sec.

Soon, an athlete from Brazil, Ricardo Bahie, surpassed this achievement, increasing the world record for holding breath to 22 minutes. and 21 sec. Thomas Sietas from Germany managed to beat him by just one second in 2012. This event created a real sensation in the athlete’s homeland. Crowds of journalists besieged him, asking how Thomas managed to achieve such results, how he eats and what programs he trains with.

30-year-old Croatian Goran Kolak is famous for his success not only in freediving, but also in other sports disciplines. Years of hard training helped him become a multiple gold medalist, and soon set a new record - 22 and a half minutes without air underwater. By the way, the athlete does not stop there and is determined to beat his own result.

In 2016, a new record was set - Spaniard Alex Segura held his breath for as much as 24 minutes. and 3 sec. He is the current champion in static apnea.

Unique cases

There are also people known who have demonstrated breath-holding times beyond common sense. These cases can only be called phenomenal, and they defy any reasonable explanation.

For example, the world record for holding breath on land was set in 1990 by our compatriot, 70-year-old V.M. Zabelin. He spent 22 minutes without oxygen, and a group of researchers observed this. The experiment was carried out in Leningrad, at the Research Institute of Physiology.

And the Indian ascetic Ravindra Mishra, at the same age, managed to stay under water for six days! In 1991, he plunged himself into a state of meditation, after which he sank to the bottom of the lake under the supervision of scientists and curious spectators. Six days later, the man calmly surfaced. As observers recorded, this did not cause any harm to the health or mental system of the yogi.

The benefits and harms of holding your breath

Freediving itself has many health benefits, just like scuba diving. The ability to hold your breath optimizes metabolism and doubles the innate supply of oxygen in the human body. Therefore, it is recommended for almost everyone to practice this exercise, especially people prone to nervous disorders, with problems in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory organs.

But to whom holding your breath can cause harm are smokers and adherents of other bad habits. If you decide to set a world record for holding your breath - underwater or on land - you will have to completely reconsider your lifestyle and take care of your own health. Who else is not recommended to perform such experiments? Elderly people, pregnant women, patients who have recently undergone major operations, as well as people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system.

It is clear that you cannot simply set a world record for holding your breath, and this requires hard training. What advice do the athletes themselves give on this matter?

The result will be better if before diving you breathe not ordinary air, but pure oxygen. Participants are officially allowed to do this for half an hour and before setting a record.
Some athletes, such as Thomas Sietas, do not eat anything on the day of the dive and also slow down their own metabolism in a special way. Special techniques have been developed for this.
Scuba diving is one thing, but static apnea is something else entirely. After all, if you are under water without moving, in a calm state, the body will need oxygen much less.
Another important technique that every freediver knows is the ability to take small half-breaths. So, for example, if a diver completely closes his mouth and pinches his nose, as swimmers do, it would hardly be possible to set such impressive records.

Now you know that learning to hold your breath is possible, the main thing is desire and hard training. Who knows, maybe you will set the next world record for holding your breath.

Good day, dear readers! Today I want to tell you interesting information related to world records. People love to organize competitions based on the “faster-higher-stronger” principle. One of the most incredible records recorded in the Guinness Book of Records concerns a lot of work on oneself. It is this work that leads to the opportunity to be for a long time underwater without oxygen. Let's talk about freediving records today.

This is truly an achievement to be proud of and deserving of respect. I started getting interested in this topic after:

independent, in Sinyavino, near Kaliningrad,
watching the new film "Fear of the Deep" with a duration of 87 minutes. The heroes of the thriller dived in a cage in the open sea full of white sharks. I wondered how long the human body could remain without oxygen under water.

Record for holding your breath underwater

The official name of the record that a Croatian named Goran Čolak was able to set is static apnea.

A guy with a super ability to be underwater without breathing, was even able to set records in this category several times, surpassing himself every time. At only thirty years old, he was given a place in the largest collection of records on the planet - the Guinness record for holding one's breath under water.

A diving record without scuba gear that could not be broken!

Thanks to the fact that Goran was a few minutes ahead of his closest competitor, he had a lot of chances to remain the record holder for a long time, since there was no one who could surpass him yet. And who knows, maybe the crazy guy is not going to stop there, improving his data and changing the number of holding his breath under water for seconds, or even minutes.

Records for holding your breath underwater in a calm state belong to many people, including even the illusionist David Blaine. He was able to beat the result of Peter Kohl, a Swiss who was without oxygen for 16 minutes 32 seconds. But soon he was able to defend his title. After that, many athletes and ordinary guys tried to get into the Book of Records, but not everyone succeeded.

The last to go before Goran Colak were Ricardo Baja and Tom Satis. They held records of 20 minutes 21 seconds and 22 minutes 22 seconds, respectively.

The Croatian was able to hold out for 22 minutes 32 seconds

No one understands how he manages to do this, so it seems like an incredible miracle to many. I won't be able to spend even half of this time under water. Although I also made some attempts, but more on that a little later...

Significant day

September 28, 2013 was one of the most significant days in his life for Goran. On Ban Jelacic Square, which is central in his home country, the guy plunged into the water, putting his name in the Book of Records. But a year later, the Croatian managed to surpass his result, spending 23 minutes and 1 second under water.

I knew that this world is quite unpredictable and incredible, but what amazes me even more is the tenacity of a guy who set a goal for himself and goes towards it, eliminating everyone in his path. This willpower, training and desire cannot but amaze and leave any person indifferent.

I wonder what his lung capacity is!.. How did he conduct his training? What was he even thinking about, being lifeless and motionless in the water?

The only advantage that helped Goran break the 23 minute mark was the use of hyperventilation. You cannot live without oxygen for longer than 10-13 minutes. This is not prohibited for potential record holders, so everyone uses this procedure before setting at least a personal record.

But I read in books that hyperventilation in the future will negatively affect human health. Although, I think that people who have set themselves the goal of getting into the Guinness Book of Records are of little concern about minor health problems in the future. Who knows?

The record for holding one's breath under water, held by Goran Colak, is not the guy's only achievement.

Since 2007, his attempts began, which were quite significant at the time. He tested his body not only in static conditions in water without oxygen, but also in dynamics. Goran owns seven established records Guinness is on the move.

Such abilities, and in particular their development, deserve respect. I can't stop being amazed by what this guy gets up to. It’s unlikely that anyone I know will be able to get even a little closer to his records.

It is interesting that the career of victorious records of a guy from ordinary swimming in the pool began. I am sure that he will achieve much more, because he is only 32 years old. Although accuracy and caution would not hurt the guy. I would no doubt be more reserved than him. Still, a dozen records for different versions is a big risk.

If Goran often sets records close to the surface of the water, then when freediving there is a real threat to human life and health.

Freediving is diving to depths without scuba gear.

It is practiced by many, both as a sport and as a means of earning money. It seems to me that at my age I would not have dared to dive more than a couple of meters without a cylinder. But some daredevils still decide to do it. There are also quite a lot of them.

If someone doesn’t know how long he can last without oxygen entering the body, I can assure you that often this time does not exceed a minute. Some may not breathe for more than 20 minutes, and whales do not surface for almost an hour and a half. You can record right now how long you can stay without oxygen. Good luck, if anything 😉

If we return to the topic of diving, I think that this is a kind of philosophy. The philosophy of knowing the world around us, the philosophy of knowing oneself, the philosophy of testing unrealized possibilities.

A little history of freediving

The first record for diving without scuba gear was set at a depth of 100 meters underwater by Enzo Mallorca and Jacques Mayol. Unfortunately, this was not recorded by official representatives of organizations that have the rights to do so. Although the guys who did it first should be respected. Still, they risked their lives.

Their names will never be forgotten due to the fact that they became the prototypes of the main characters of the famous film by Luc Besson. I recommend watching a film called “The Blue Abyss” to everyone who is interested in this topic.

In 2002, deep diving without scuba gear gained another record, set by French freediver Loïc Leferme.

Without scuba gear, he reached a depth of 162 meters, thereby breaking his previous record of 137 meters. The desperate guy didn’t stop there and two years later he swam 171 meters, after which he was unable to swim back to the surface. This suggests that you always need to be careful, no matter what the goal. I recommend that you think about this, because it is very important.

Interestingly, the record for holding one's breath on land is half that in water. Although this seems a little unbelievable, it is true. You can hold out for only about 10 minutes without breathing while above the surface of the water. Nature has given humans a diving reflex, which helps them remain breathless under the surface of the water longer.

This is explained by the fact that when immersed under water, the pulse rate slows down and the blood vessels narrow. This does not lead to death or loss of consciousness, but only increases the resource reserve of the body. In this case, the brain and heart do not suffer, because the blood flow in these organs remains the same. On land, this reflex is switched off. But I wonder if this effect will occur if only the head is immersed in water and the body is left outside? Maybe someday I’ll carry out an experiment.

Women's business

It is also worth noting that not only men engage in this dangerous hobby, sport and interesting activity. Women have also set quite a lot of records, which are no less amazing and exciting. For women in the free diving category, the record without scuba gear is 91 meters. It was installed in Greece by Natalia Molchanova, representing Russia.

A few years later she managed to break her record, so our women can also be proud. In general, a separate article should be written about Molchanova. This is a great woman, whose name is not very well known to her compatriots. Unfortunately, Natalya left us early, the sea took her to itself...

Among men in this category the record reaches 121 meters

Videos that record divers diving underwater not only fascinate, leaving you speechless, but also make you think about something far away. The underwater world, from which all life on Earth is believed to have come, is very interesting and incredible. It is believed that the depths of the Earth have been explored about as little as space. Every year, scientists discover new species of algae and underwater animals that were hitherto unknown to mankind.

Watching the underwater world, I feel a certain peace, connection with all life on the planet, as well as inner peace. But the senses of those who plunge into the water world are even more heightened and attuned to perception. How attractive it is, this incredible water with which we all belong. It contains many wonders that are worth pondering.

But at the same time, water is danger, water is a test, water is work on oneself. Diving should always be carried out with a certain level of training. In some cases, this is not even months, but years. Training that is applied to innate abilities human body, inspire confidence that you can overcome any obstacles.

Where to start your freediving attempts?

If you want to achieve similar results, you don’t have to put off starting to increase your lung capacity and start training until tomorrow. The best time to get started is today!

First, you should learn to breathe correctly and master techniques that help increase the amount of air that can fill your lungs. It can be breathing techniques, meditation, physical activity, etc.

I found a funny video here about diving underwater without scuba while holding your breath:

Best to hire professional trainer, which will help, like me, to dive under water. To begin with, you can use scuba gear to get used to the atmosphere that reigns under the surface of the water. This will allow you to better adapt to such conditions in the future.

It is important to move from one stage to another gradually, and not throw yourself off a cliff into the abyss. Thanks to this, you can relieve the body of excessive stress and prepare it for what will happen to it in the future. If you rush, nothing will come of it.

Finally, I would like to wish that everything works out for you, as it once happened for me. It is important to overcome yourself every day, because with the help of this life acquires colors and becomes more interesting. See you next time, I'll be glad to read your reviews. Good luck everyone, and thank you for subscribing.

Text— Agent Q.

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An ordinary person can consciously hold his breath for thirty seconds to one minute. This is the standard breath holding time.

Attempting to increase this time may result in dizziness and fainting. For those who want to learn how to breathe correctly and hold their breath for as long as possible, there are special techniques.

Let's start by holding your breath underwater

Let's start with examples. Pearl divers can stay in the water for several minutes at a time, otherwise they will not be able to earn a piece of bread. The time spent under water among them is from 3-4 minutes to 6-7. Trained athletes can remain without air for two to three minutes.

In order to learn how to remain without air for a long time, you need to consider several points:

The length of stay under water depends on the ability to hold your breath on land. In order for the body to require less oxygen, you need to get rid of excess weight.
Basic meditation techniques will help you stay calm, slow your heartbeat, and remove anxiety and unnecessary thoughts. In this state, a person consumes less oxygen and will be able to stay under water longer.
To extend the delay time under water, you need to saturate your lungs with oxygen. There are special techniques for this that anyone can master. A beginner just needs to breathe more air into his lungs.

Holding your breath while diving

During diving, the body experiences strong physical activity. The body requires large portions of oxygen. Cold water causes vasoconstriction. As a result, the blood brings less oxygen and takes away carbon dioxide from the cells of tissues and organs worse. And consequently, so-called circulatory hypoxia occurs, i.e. oxygen starvation.

Holding your breath while inhaling increases the pressure in the lungs. Blood does not nourish the heart well due to obstructed blood flow.

For a while, the urge to breathe is not very painful. Until the respiratory center is excited due to the pressure of accumulated carbon dioxide, a person is able to control himself.

You can't come up to the surface to take a breath unless you make an effort of will. Long-term exposure to carbon dioxide reduces the sensitive receptors of the respiratory centers. The unbearable urge to inhale becomes less acute, and the diver can increase the time spent without air.

The subsequent need to inhale is a signal that it is time to ascend. The body has used up its reserve reserves of oxygen and further stay under water can lead to serious complications. Severe lack of oxygen leads to fainting and death.

It’s interesting: the deeper the dive, the less oxygen the body requires.

Those. this is a complex process: the oxygen pressure in the mixture is higher at depth, and the diver can stay under water longer without oxygen deficiency, despite the fact that there is practically no oxygen in the lungs (critically little).

But upon ascent, nature takes its toll: the total pressure decreases, and according to the same Dalton’s law, the oxygen pressure in the mixture (partial pressure) quickly drops, which leads to loss of consciousness in the diver, and as a result to death. So it is not recommended to joke with deep diving training.

Deep underwater, the pressure inside the lungs is no lower than in the atmosphere. The closer to the surface, the lower the pressure.

Voluntary holding of breath

Holding your breath for short periods is natural and harmless. Normally, holding your breath is approximately 30-40 seconds after inhalation and about 20 seconds after exhalation. In rare cases, a person is able not to breathe for one minute or a little more.

Attempts to increase the time spent without oxygen will lead to brain hypoxia. Professionals go without air for several minutes (2-4 min.)

Before such a test, they pump the body with pure oxygen. Special breathing techniques promote hyperventilation of the lungs.

A body completely saturated with oxygen extends the time spent without air. This ability can be developed and trained.

Breath holding record

The body dies if it is left without air for about 4 minutes. The brain begins to suffer from hypoxia, and its cells die.

Athletes try to increase the vital capacity of the lungs - this allows them to not breathe for several minutes without harm to the central nervous system.

Eastern practitioners are known for the fact that a yogi can arbitrarily slow down his pulse, heart rate and fall into a state of a kind of suspended animation. In this condition, the body's oxygen consumption is greatly reduced, and brain cells do not experience starvation even with very long breath holds.

World record for holding breath

A new world record for holding one's breath underwater has been set in China. German T. Sitas stayed under water for 22 minutes and 22 seconds. With this, he broke his own previous record, which was 17 minutes and 28 seconds.

The setting of the record was recorded by television cameras. Sitas, with his record breath holding, will be included in the Guinness Book of Records. Before him, the record holder was Peter Kola, a native of Switzerland. He was able to stay underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds.
Tom increased this volume by 20 percent. To do this, he needed many years of hard training and enormous willpower.

Record for holding your breath on land

Unlike the record for holding breath under water, the “land” record for holding breath is much shorter - only about 10 minutes. This is explained by the fact that human nature contains a reflex inherited from mammals. It's called the diving reflex, which causes your heart rate to decrease and your blood vessels to constrict. But they are not vital for the body.

In the vessels of the brain and in the heart, blood flow remains normal. For experienced athletes, this reflex helps reduce their heart rate by almost half. On land this reflex does not work. For this reason, the record for holding your breath on land is half that of underwater.

Holding your breath: benefits and harms

Yogis practicing various techniques correct breathing, amaze the average person with almost supernatural capabilities.

Holding your breath: benefits

Holding your breath for a long time stimulates metabolism and doubles the energy that the body needs. The practice of holding your breath is useful for neurotics, people prone to depression and aggressive behavior.

Breathing training perfectly restores mental balance. Indicators improve for those who are prone to respiratory diseases. Holding your breath improves the functioning of the digestive tract and regulates the functioning of the sweat and sebaceous glands.

The main advantage of this technique is that it allows you to unlock the body’s reserve capabilities and recreate the nervous system.

Holding your breath: harm

The practice can harm those who, while holding their breath, do not give up bad habits. Success is achieved only by restructuring your diet and revising your lifestyle.

Alcohol or tobacco intoxication is incompatible with exercise. It is contraindicated to practice prolonged breath-holding for people suffering from serious heart or mental illness.

You cannot work with someone who has not yet recovered from a recent illness. It is also better for those suffering from diseases of the internal secretion organs to refrain from practicing, since after holding their breath they may feel worse. Pregnant women are not allowed to participate in classes.

Holding your breath during sleep

On average, a night's breath holding is about 20-30 seconds. This is a physiological, involuntary apnea. If it reaches values of two to three minutes, this is a dangerous symptom. After holding your breath for such a time, brain cells begin to experience oxygen starvation.

The main cause of the phenomenon is snoring, which narrows the lumen in the larynx and nasal passages. A patient can wake up an infinite number of times during the night from apnea.

After breathing properly, he falls asleep again and after a short period wakes up again. People who suffer from nighttime breath-holding experience “chronic fatigue syndrome” due to ragged, restless sleep. They suffer from headaches, decreased intelligence, and irritability. Sleep apnea is a dangerous, life-threatening phenomenon that requires immediate treatment.

Breath Hold Test

Breath-hold tests are taken by people suffering from heart and lung diseases. Healthy people can take a test just to find out their readings.

Breath-hold test

Stange's test - test for holding breath at the entrance

The bottom line: you need to take a deep (but not maximum) breath - the lungs should be filled to 2/3 of the maximum volume, and hold your breath. Pinch your nose with your fingers or a trailer for the purity of the experiment. The test is performed while sitting, the time until inspiration is recorded using a stopwatch.

A healthy person without special training will show a time of 40-60 seconds of holding his breath (man), and 30-40 seconds (woman). For trained athletes, 60-120 and 40-95 seconds, respectively.

Genchi test - test for holding your breath while exhaling

The bottom line: first do 2-3 deep breathing cycles (inhale - exhale). Then exhale deeply and maximum delay breathing. Good indicator- more than 30 seconds of stopping breathing. Excellent - 60 seconds or more.

Breath holding: normal

Thus, it is considered normal for an ordinary person to hold his breath after a deep inhalation - 30-40 seconds, after a full exhalation - about 20 seconds. These are the average values for a healthy person. Of great importance in this case is the conscious desire of the subject to participate in the experiment.

The most objective indicators can be obtained by listening to the patient's heart when his attention is diverted. If during this procedure you ask him to hold his breath, he does it with great effort of will. At the same time, the indicators increase slightly.

Maximum breath holding

Often, breath holding performance during the test exceeds the average level. Breath holding during inhalation in trained people ranges from one minute to 90 seconds. When exhaling, the maximum breath hold is more than 60 seconds. To determine the vital capacity of the lungs, they use the Genci test (exhalation hold), Stange test (exhalation hold) and Serkin test (three-phase test).

Breath holding training

The breathing training system is the most popular means of restoring health. By learning to breathe correctly, you can successfully control your emotions. mental condition. And for scuba diving enthusiasts, breath-holding exercises are a must.

Holding your breath while inhaling

Correct execution of this exercise trains the subconscious mind to hold the breath even when a person does not strive to do so consciously.

Relaxation is the most effective way to achieve the desired result. The technique of correctly holding your breath while inhaling involves alternately relaxing the diaphragm, intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles.

It is carried out in several stages:

Take a deep breath.
Focus on the upper ribs and collarbones.
Raise your shoulders and hold this pose.
Alternately relax your shoulders, laryngeal muscles, facial muscles and chin.
Feel the sensations of peace and complete relaxation.
If you have an unbearable desire to exhale, inhale a little air.

This technique increases the ventilation area of the lungs and improves blood flow to the heart. The blood becomes acidic, hemoglobin begins to intensively give it oxygen. Breathing deepens: holding after inhalation improves gas exchange and saturates the blood with oxygen.

Holding your breath while exhaling

Exhale completely.
Pull your stomach in.
Raise the diaphragm.
Relax your intercostal muscles.
Keep your spine straight.
Relax your face, chin and larynx.
If you want to inhale, exhale a little more: this technique will allow you to effortlessly extend the pause.

A sharp increase in carbon dioxide stimulates the respiratory and nervous system. The level of hydrogen ions increases, and the body begins to intensively absorb electrons, i.e. – energy in its purest form.

An increase in temperature and heavy sweating is the first sign that holding your breath is being done correctly. The benefit of exercise is that it stimulates the body's production of powerful energy.

By learning the technique of holding your breath correctly, you can significantly improve your health and become a more balanced and harmonious person. You can discover new possibilities in yourself and awaken the hidden reserves of the body. And for divers and those who engage in scuba diving, the ability to hold your breath is an absolutely necessary tool.

Just a few centuries ago, the ability to not breathe under water for a long time could provide a person with food and resources for trade. Fish, pearls, algae - all this could be obtained by diving without scuba gear.

Now static apnea is used in sports, meditation and even magic tricks. Our editors decided to describe this phenomenon in detail. In this article we will look at world records, and also try to understand what helps divers overcome themselves.

Static apnea: what is it?

From ancient Greek the word apnea is translated as “calmness”. And indeed: respiratory activity has completely stopped, complete “calm” reigns in the lungs. Static apnea is a sports discipline for the bravest and most resilient, because realizing oneself at depth without an air tank is very exciting and can be confusing. How do swimmers cope with this task? What is the human body really capable of? Top 10 records for holding your breath underwater. Which swimmers are not included in the Guinness Book of Records?

The average person can go without breathing for about one minute, and with light exercise this figure increases to 4 minutes.

Now competitions are being held on static apnea, special ones are being developed techniques to increase lung capacity. Such training helps not only athletes, but also people who have great responsibility on their shoulders: rescuers, police officers, firefighters. This skill can save lives in critical situations. , for example, when there is a high concentration of burning or toxic substances in the air.

The benefits and harms of not breathing for a long time

At the right approach to technology, apnea can benefit the human body. Eg:

Metabolism stimulation– holding your breath as you exhale fills the body vital energy and stimulates regeneration processes.
Stress relief– breathing practices are actively used in the treatment of depressive disorders.
Normalization physiological processes – digestion, blood circulation, sweating.
Increased endurance – a person can stay “on his feet” much longer if he trains his lungs. This is a great help for people whose profession involves physical activity.

“Everything is poison and all medicine” - this quote also applies to breathing practices. If you do not follow precautions, you may encounter negative consequences:

Oxygen starvation– holding your breath for a long time has a detrimental effect on your well-being and overall health.
Hyperventilation- may cause loss of consciousness and injury.
Lung rupture– may occur due to improper buccal pumping.

Beginner freedivers should not practice alone due to the risk of fainting. By the way, we are having .

How to learn to hold your breath for a long time?

To navigate underwater without air, novice athletes practice on land. The main point in such exercises is the ability to hold your breath correctly - this should be done not by clamping the larynx, but by working the chest.

Exercises on dry land

The following static exercise will help you build endurance and reduce stress during a real dive:

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly - feel how your lungs fill and empty.
Don't breathe for 5 seconds.
Repeat the first step.
Increase the time you hold your breath by another 5 seconds.
Exercise according to the following scheme - one minute in normal mode, 5 seconds delay, 1 minute in normal mode - 10 seconds delay, etc. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

The record for holding your breath on land belongs to Ricardo Baja and is 10 minutes. Remarkably, he survived underwater without air for much longer. This phenomenon is explained by the natural instinct of self-preservation, which becomes aggravated in conditions of real danger.

Immersion exercises at home

Once you feel confident in your own abilities, you can go into the water. And for this you don’t need to go to the pool or pond. It is enough to fill a deep basin or bathtub with water and use the following technique:

Place a container of water in front of you or stand in front of the bathtub.
Take a deep breath and slowly close your eyes.
Start the timer. Immerse your face in water so that access to oxygen is completely blocked.
Hold on as long as possible, raise your head and take a smooth breath, gradually restoring your breathing rhythm.

Exercises in a pool or pond

The next stage is the transition to deep water. This is always exciting, so in order to avoid injury, it is permissible to use auxiliary means: hold on to the handrails or the edge of the pool. As you gain confidence, you can sink to the bottom on your own. The main thing is that someone from the outside monitors the exercises and in case muscle spasm or loss of consciousness, he could get you out of the water. You need to increase the time spent in water gradually - adding 5-10 seconds with each session.

Regularity is the key to success. It is better to exercise a little every day than to load yourself with intensive exercise once a week. IN otherwise you will only overload your lungs and blood vessels without receiving any return.

Restoring breathing after exercise

After a long stay without oxygen, it is very important to restore normal breathing rhythm, because blood circulation and brain activity depend on it. To do this, you need to take a smooth but deep breath “all the way” and exhale the same slowly, gradually returning to the usual, uncontrolled rhythm. If it is difficult for you to perform the exercise while standing, sit or lie down to reduce intracranial pressure and calm your heartbeat.

Auxiliary sports

Self-control, endurance, coordination - these are the qualities a diver must have in order to achieve high results in static apnea. The following sports will help improve physical performance:

Body-building– strengthening the muscle corset.
Fitness/cross-fit– develops endurance and strengthens the heart muscle.
Swimming– teaches how to stay on and under water, develops coordination of movements.
A ride on the bicycle– improves the functioning of the vestibular apparatus, strengthens calf muscles.
Skiing– develops coordination of movements, strengthens leg muscles, increases endurance.
Yoga– teaches you to “hear” your body and breathe correctly.

What happens to the body during static apnea?

Holding your breath always implies oxygen deprivation - this is something worth remembering before you begin static apnea training. Necessarily undergo a full medical examination to understand how this may affect your health.

So, what does a diver’s body experience when diving without scuba gear?

O2 deficiency (hypoxia). During a dive, the muscles begin to consume oxygen very quickly. The exact rate at which oxygen reserves are burned depends on the depth of the dive, water temperature, heart rate and volume of the freediver.
Slow heart rate. Remarkable, but the heart begins to beat slower, even if only the face is immersed in water. The blood flow is redistributed and oxygen primarily supplies vital organs - the brain and heart.
Risk of loss of consciousness. The lungs compensate for the lack of oxygen by extracting it from tissues and organs, thereby increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the body. It is toxic and dangerous because it can abruptly turn off consciousness.

The third point is worth talking about separately. First, the swimmer feels unprecedented lightness and euphoria, and warmth in the body (as after a cup of hot tea), then vision becomes blurred, weakness appears, and the swimmer anticipates loss of consciousness. The last stage is convulsions and immediate fainting.

The above symptoms develop more dynamically if a person swims too fast or panics. A trained pearl hunter knows that you should not stay underwater for more than 8 minutes.

Records for holding your breath underwater

These swimmers know firsthand what it means to overcome their own strengths and capabilities. Thanks to dedication and perseverance, they managed to get into the Guinness Book of Records.

10th place - Martin Stepanek (2001)

For the first time, the world was shocked by Czech freediver Martin Stepanek, who stayed underwater for 8 minutes and 6 seconds. His record remained in the leadership position for 8 years, until the next swimmer replaced him.

9th place - Stefan Misfud (2009)

The French diver proved that he could survive without oxygen for even longer, namely: 11 minutes and 35 seconds.

8th place – Robert Foster (1959)

“How long can a person not breathe underwater?” — this was the question asked by a simple electronics technician, Robert Foster, and decided to answer it himself. He was able to survive without an oxygen tank for a full 13 minutes and 40 seconds.

7th place - Arvydas Gaiciunas (2007)

Another world achievement that does not belong to a swimmer. Arvydas Gaiciunas is a magician from Latvia who decided to amaze the audience with sleight of hand in an extreme situation. The trick was as follows: the illusionist and his charming assistant (the trickster’s sister) were chained and sent into a glass, transparent aquarium filled with water. Arvydas lasted without air for 15 minutes and 54 seconds. Maximum time assistants – 13 minutes.

6th place – David Blaine White (2008)

Less than a year later, another illusionist, David Blaine, announced himself. The American did not want to be in the shadow of the Latvians and promised his viewers that he would break all existing records. And the promise was fulfilled - he stayed in a glass aquarium for 17 minutes and 4 seconds! In an interview, the magician stated that it took him 4 months to train his lungs and learn to “turn off” his mind to save oxygen.

Each of David Blaine's tricks is a break in patterns and ideas about the capabilities of the human body. The list of his accomplishments also includes being buried alive, being frozen in ice, standing for 35 hours on top of a high column, and being imprisoned in a box for 44 days without food.

5th place - Niccolo Putignano (2010)

Unlike the two previous participants, the Italian Niccolo Putignano did not pursue fame and outrageousness - he only wanted to prove to himself that he was capable of more. For many years, he did not miss a single freediving competition, time after time leaving his competitors behind him. In 2010, his efforts were noticed thanks to a new world record - 19 minutes and 3 seconds.

4th place - Peter Kola (2010)

Peter Kola overtook his predecessor only slightly - when he emerged from the water, the timer showed 19 minutes and 20 seconds. Nevertheless, he for a long time secured the title of the person capable of holding his breath for the longest time.

3rd place - Tom Sitas (2015)

Thomas grew up on the sea coast and therefore water is his second element. Since childhood, he has honed his skills in static apnea and his efforts were rewarded - with a time of 22 minutes and 22 seconds he set a new world record. Thomas literally became a treasure of his country - his face constantly flashed on blue screens, he gave many interviews and advice on proper nutrition and training.

His story can be called truly amazing, because he became a celebrity thanks to a gap of just one second. A few months earlier, Brazilian two-time champion Ricardo Baja set a record of 22 minutes and 21 seconds.

2nd place - Goran Kolak (2016)

Diver from Croatia Goran Kolak is an example of determination and dynamic growth above oneself. He tirelessly felt in freediving competitions, each time taking gold medals (at this moment Goran is a ten-time champion) and was moving towards his cherished goal of setting a world record. In 2016 he succeeded - he did not breathe for 22 minutes and 30 seconds.

1st place - Alex Segura (2016)

The mark of 24 minutes and 3 seconds is the maximum breath hold recorded by the Guinness Book of Records.. Alex Segura is the toughest freediver in the world. Will anyone be able to beat his record? We can only follow events.

Beyond common sense: unique cases of static apnea

For many, advanced age is a time of passive rest and creation. But not for these two men. They proved that pensioner status is not a reason to change morning exercises for gossip with neighbors in the building.

Zabelin V. M.

In 1990, a 70-year-old Russian pensioner interested the best experts at the Leningrad Research Institute of Physiology. The man showed that using a special technique he can hold his breath for 22 minutes. The specialists were amazed at this result and physical endurance.

Ravindra Mishra

The Indian yogi adheres to ascetic views - he believes that all a person needs to live is to taste the gifts of nature and breathe pure oxygen. And you can completely abandon the second one for a while with the help of meditation. So, in 1991, he dived to the bottom of the lake and plunged himself into a long, meditative sleep lasting 6 days. Amazingly, such an act did not affect his vital signs in any way - he simply floated to the surface, as if only a few minutes had passed.

In 2018, the world record for holding breath underwater in the discipline of static apnea was set by the Croatian Budimir Shobat ( Budimir Shobat) 24 minutes 11 seconds. The previous record was exceeded by 8 seconds, and this is truly a heroic achievement.
Budimir Shabat dedicated his achievement to people with autism spectrum disorders.
On February 28, 2016, the world record was 24 minutes 03 seconds. Spanish freediver Aleix Segura managed to achieve such an incredible result. In 2014, Goran Colak held his breath for 23 minutes 01 seconds. It should be mentioned that achieving a twenty-minute or more breath hold is possible only by hyperventilating the lungs with pure oxygen before the start, but this is allowed by the rules when measuring static apnea.
Video from Guinness World Records recording the 2016 world record for prolonged apnea using pre-hyperventilation with 100% oxygen. The record holder is Spaniard Alex Segura.
What is the secret of holding your breath for a long time? Superpowers, training, meditation? To achieve this level of mastery, there are special tools and physiological laws, knowing which you can hard work consistently reach records. So how is it done?
Physiology of breathing for achieving records
Holding your breath implies oxygen starvation. This is the first thing to remember when starting freediving training. Assess the risk and set priorities, and to do this you need to understand the basics of respiratory physiology.
What happens to the body when diving? Muscular load during a dive quickly burns oxygen, leading to hypoxia (O2 deficiency). Calculating the rate of oxygen loss is very complex and individual - the depth, speed, duration of the dive, water temperature, pulse and lung capacity of the diver are taken into account.
The video shows a clear example of what happens to a diver’s lungs during a dive:
Every organ in a diver's body reacts to the slightest change in pressure, blood vessels spasm, blood flow is redistributed and blood pressure carries oxygen to the most important organs - the heart and brain. I wonder what heartbeat begins to slow down immediately after immersing just one face in the water!
But all the fun begins when the central nervous system gives an impulse to inhale. This feeling is familiar to everyone - the concentration of carbon dioxide reaches a critical level and we reflexively inhale. A trained diver can control this reflex to a certain extent. When we're talking about If you talk about a small pool to demonstrate holding your breath, and not about diving, for example, for spearfishing, then we are not talking about gas pressure in the body, but with active movement under water at a depth of 8-10 meters, there is a real risk of loss of consciousness upon ascent.
Why is it possible to lose consciousness upon ascent? In simple terms: pressure during a dive compresses the lungs and it seems to the diver that there is still enough oxygen, but when ascending, the pressure decreases and the lungs need an increasing volume of air with each meter. The lungs compensate for the missing oxygen from tissues and organs, thereby sharply increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide. CO2 is toxic and especially dangerous because consciousness turns off without much warning - a rapid active rise to the surface aggravates the situation every second. To prevent hypoxia from overtaking you suddenly, you need to learn how to dive safely.
Before beginning exercises to hold your breath and increase lung capacity, a novice diver must learn to understand the signals of his body and correctly evaluate sensations. Read the article about how to start your first workouts.
Symptoms of oxygen deprivation and carbon dioxide poisoning:
A harbinger of an increased concentration of CO2 is mild euphoria, tingling of the fingertips, goosebumps, then the temperature rises slightly (like after a cup of hot tea), a headache and slight nausea begin.
Pulsation of cerebral vessels, tunnel vision, presyncope.
Convulsions, loss of consciousness.
The so-called anesthesia, during which the irreparable happens.

These symptoms occur very quickly. For a novice diver actively moving underwater, everything can be over in a couple of minutes. Even a trained pearl fisherman will not last longer than 8 minutes.
How to learn to hold your breath for a long time?
To reduce the sensitivity of receptors to carbon dioxide and set records for static apnea, regular training is needed. An experienced diver consumes more than 50% oxygen - this is the threshold for O2 consumption before the obligatory reflex breath of an ordinary person.
There are two different approaches to increase the duration of apnea:
Various training systems aimed at developing proper breathing, self-control and relaxation, increasing lung capacity, training the diaphragm. Some techniques are based on pranayama, melting sadhana, kundalini yoga and others meditative practices. Oh there is a separate material.
Controlled hyperventilation, inhalation of pure oxygen.

Despite side effects, hyperventilation is the most popular and effective way prolong apnea. This is the practice of rapid breathing, which reduces the pressure of carbon dioxide before diving. Practice fast deep breathing can double the apnea time, but the more intense and longer the hyperventilation is, the more acute the hypoxia will be during ascent. Some instructors consider this practice of prolonging apnea to be dangerous and not effective enough to justify the risks.
How long should you hyperventilate before freediving?
A range from 30 to 60 seconds is considered normal. Beyond a minute, hyperventilation reduces the diver's oxygen control and the likelihood of seizures increases several times. This has been tested academically and in practice hundreds of times, so you should not exceed the time of mandatory ventilation. Control of most tasks can and should be trusted.
There is a generally accepted test for optimal duration hyperventilation, developed by a medical commission specialist from the World Confederation of Underwater Activities (CMAS) R. Charlie. The coach or doctor discusses in detail the symptoms at which the diver will signal the first stage of oxygen starvation, several approaches of hyperventilation are carried out (at different times, with different frequencies and depths of inspiration), the first symptom is recorded with a stopwatch. The marked time is divided by 3 - this will be an acceptable time for preliminary ventilation.
The main rule for achieving records is don’t throw yourself into the pool headlong. Do not set impossible tasks without calculating the risk. Life and health are more important than any achievement!