Training to 100m with the IAFD
Posted By Steve Trulgia on 12 June 2002
This is the first of my reports from Miami, where I'll be attempting to make another UK record in the No Limits category at a depth of over 100 metres. At the same time an American and a Moroccan freediver will each be attempting their own respective national records.
DAY 1: 8th June. After being picked up from the airport and offered the very best hospitality by Pipin, Audrey, Carlos and all the IAFD crew we were taken out to dinner and spent some time leaning respiration techniques from Pipin. This technique is very different from that which we had all been practicing previously, and have been scientifically designed to maximize efficiency in the No Limits discipline, and have a proven track record here.
We took the larger of the boats out to the deep water after more respiration advice and practice. Once out at sea we were introduced to the latest sled which has been continuously improved over the past 15 years. The cable is made of Teflon coated stainless steel and the sled is fitted with Teflon rollers so we knew it would be fast. Working with this completely different system we set about warming up with a series of underwater statics.
Once we were all ready, Audrey and Pipin demonstrated their technique with a tandem dive themselves. After that I volunteered to go first with Audrey in tandem. We set the weights to 51 metres and away we went. Audrey did 4 dives with us in tandem as part of her training for her World Record attempt to 151 metres on July 13th. The safety divers watched us very closely and Pipin himself was also at the bottom, as was Wicky, a diver of enormous experience. We all felt in very safe hands. After more instruction of technique from both Pipin and Audrey we all went again in various tandem pairs. We set the weights a little lower at 60m and I went down solo to get a feel for the new sled.
There are lots of new procedures and techniques to learn and become comfortable with, and we all had a great first day and learnt a lot. The water was beautiful 28 degrees, which for me felt like a bath.
DAY 2: 9th June. Today I got to dive with and watch an IAFD Level 1 course in constant weight. We learnt and practiced more of the respiration techniques, and I found it quite fascinating to watch Pipin teaching his students with individual attention and demonstrations of all the basic techniques. The sea was beautifully warm again, the sun was scorching and we had a great day. We had a lovely lunch at Pipin and Audrey's house where we discussed the finer points of our individual performances and techniques.
DAY 3: 10th June Today the gods of the sea were not with us. Stormy conditions meant that we couldn't take the boat and sled out. Instead we did some very intense training in simulation dives at Pipin's home. After a thorough explaination of the techniques and a demonstration by Pipin, I performed a series of simulation No Limits dives, carefully recording heart rates and times.
This type of 'dry' training is very powerful and, although quite tiring, it is very easy to see how it will improve all aspects of the actual deep dives. Both Audrey and Pipin have shared with me the training that they do which allows them to go so deep with a minimum of time training actually in the water.
I am especially finding the new style of respirations which the IAFD teach, extremely useful and am grateful to have such a scientific and advanced training program which will continue to help me improve when I leave here.
- Bookmark with :
- what are these?
