Learning to relax deeper into the hold
Road to 6 Minutes | Daily Apnea Journal
Munich • Starnberg
What I learned!
Today was my first morning static session in quite a while, and it felt very different from my usual evening training. On one hand, I felt more relaxed than expected, but on the other, my body seemed to scream for coffee. During my final hold, I noticed a tingling sensation that made me stop, during the recovery breath I realized I should have continued the hold.
After discussing it with my coach, he explained that this was most likely caused by cardiovascular constriction—a normal response as the body redirects blood to protect vital organs during apnea. Knowing this gave me more confidence because the sensation wasn’t necessarily a sign that I had reached my limit.
Now I’m curious to see what tomorrow brings. Was this simply because it was my first morning session, or will the sensation appear again? If it does, I’d like to explore whether I can recognize it for what it is, stay calm, and gently convince my mind to continue instead of stopping automatically.
What I liked!
- the sun on my face
- the comfy soft pillow and coach
- the feeling of lightness
What I found hard!
Honestly to motivate myself to do it before coffee. I really need to work on this as I thought it cannot be this bad. So tomorrow the same again and hopefully this first part will be already easier.
Tip of the DAY!
Never underestimate the power of sunshine. Spending time outside can lift our mood, reduce stress, and help our body settle into a calmer state.
The goal for tomorrow!
- Have an early morning again to prepare the summer party for the freediving club
- Still do a morning static session 🙂
My progression chart.
Today’s Tasks
Today’s pool training
Today’s club session focused on static apnea followed by a 25-meter swim. Since I postioned my weight to be quite neutral with a full breath, I slowly floated down during the static hold. That meant my poor safety buddy—who did an amazing job by the way —had to stay close and gently guide me while I was holding at the bottom of the pool.
After the first two statics, we both became much more comfortable with the setup. Feeling confident in my buddy’s safety also helped me relax more, which had a positive effect on my breath holds.
The second part of the session focused on finning technique, followed by again a fun statics exercise. We crawled across the pool while first counting the lines on the pool floor and then, on the return, counting the holes in the boards of the pool. It was a great reminder that freediving isn’t just about holding your breath—it’s also about staying calm, focused, and having fun doing what you love.
