training alone

[henjon]

We all know that it is a BIG no-no to be training alone at public pools and in the ocean. But still, how many of you can admit to be doing it?
I can admit to be training, taking 25 meter laps with a recovery time at around 1:30 - 2:00 mins before taking another lap. Also i train frenzel technique.

But still i am very disiplined with not pushing myself or going anywhere near my limits. I mostly do it, in order to train underwater technique as it is not possible to do that above water. Besides, the 2 training passes a week in the club are not nearly enough to cover my urge for training.

How about you?

[SnuFPunK]

I always train alone.

[MKDVR]

I do but the more I learn the more hesitant I am to do so. I was doing max holds on occasion but have shyed away from that and am just working on 2 minute tables. I'm building up dynamic a little at a time.

I've read here that some people black out with no warning or having warning but were helpless to prevent it. That kind of put a dent in my fun but can't just give it up. I'm a very irritable person when I don't get wet every couple of weeks.

[henjon]

Well, I am also constantly aware about the risks of beeing alone. so i dont even consider pushing limits while im alone.. mostly i train technique. like 5 breaststrokes under water, or 5 dolphinkicks under water. and with plenty of breaks in between. And a little frenzel workout.. but as I said i am at no point under water for more than 40 secs. and make sure to have plenty of breaks in between.

I also focus on the head-above-water workout when im alone, and then save the uw drills for the club nights.

[jome]

I think as long as you apply common sense, training alone is safe enough. By common sense I mean that you keep a very large safety margin and never try anything even remotely resembling a "performnace" while alone. But I see no problem in short apneas as part of honing one's technique etc. But I would never, ever try to make a pb alone, or in fact get anywhere near my pb's. I simply like living too much.

Of course a bunch of people are going "oh come on man, please...You're just making too big of a deal".

But I have personally experienced a blackout in the pool - no waning. And I've seen so very many divers, to whom I've told time and again "beware of blackout, it strikes without warning" and they go on and do it anyway...And then they come and tell me "oh, this is what you meant".

The point being - you cannot know when you get a BO, your body's feelings, your previous performances etc cannot be used to determine it. All you can do is lower the probability of an incident to "safe enough" by having a huge safety margin. And by huge I mean:
-I never dive more than 25m in the pool alone, pb in dynamic 125m
-I never hold my breath for more than 2 minutes, pb over 7 min

And the nice thing is - I don't need to. I can train every aspect of diving within these limits. If I need to train the apnea part (pushing it) I either get a buddy or do it dry (which is very effective in that).

[greendiver]

To be honest with you guys, I do a lot of spearfishing alone, however I am reconsidering, have a look at other sites like medfish....you would not be the first one, and not a special case either if your lights would go out..for ever!!
let us not be fools!!

[wes]

I train "alone" at the pool. I agree with Jome that knowing your limits is the first key and and staying a good margin away from them is the second key.

I do 2x25m lenghts (50m total) on 90 sec intervals. My PB is 125m.
I will do these 2x25m for 30 min or 45 min, sometimes 1 hour, I find them quite relaxing and also find that if I swim faster they are harder and if I swim slower they are easier so can moderate the pace if I am feeling off. Sometimes I add an extra 30 second recovery period every now and then if I feel pushed at all.

I also very occasionaly do PB dynamic at the pool if it is empty. I ask the lifeguard who I know to walk beside me at the side of the pool. I turn over and swim upside down to make sure he is there and feel safe enough then.

I don't ever do wet statics at the pool as I don't feel it fair to the lifeguard as they wouldn't know if I was in trouble or not (seems that way to me anyway).

Anyway be safe and if you feel you need to push yourself definitely do so with a partner!!

Cheers Wes

[trux]

Well, I admit I mostly dive outdoors alone, because it is impossible for me to do otherwise, but when training wet, whether it is static, dynamic or depth, I always train with a group of experienced freedivers. The reason is simple - while at exploratory freediving I do it for the pleasure, and do not need and do not go anywhere close to any limits, when training, doing it without pushing limits makes no sense to me. I do not mean by it that I am doing max attempts at every training, however, unlike at solo diving, after almost each training (CO2, O2 tables, DYN tables,...) I am exhausted and feel I could not do much better or longer. If I were quiet and relaxed after a training, I would not think it gave me anything.

So, from this point of view, I'd highly recommend finding a local club, or founding one if there is none in your area. If there is really no club in your town, create a flier announcing a creation of apnea / freediving club, place it in all local public swimming pools (after asking, of course - mostly they'll let you do it without problems), send it to local scuba, fin-swimming, synchronized swimming, swimming, UW-hockey/rugby, spearfishing, and other water related clubs, maybe place an ad to the national apnea or scuba magazines and websites, and I am sure you'll get a bunch of requests.

It is much better creating a club with some official structure and fix training hours, than relying on training with buddies during the public hours. Not only it helps with the security and regularity of trainings, but as an official association you can easier negotiate with the swimming pool management or the city (which often owns public pools here in Europe) to get free lanes, nice discount, and maybe even more intensive surveillance, medical support, or sometimes even financial help, for example when organizing competitions, instructor or security trainings, or when inviting expert freedivers.