BREATH TRAINING

FOR SURVIVAL

E XPLORE YOUR LIMITS

 D I S C L A I M E R

Please read this before you proceed.

Freediving is a fun activity!

When practiced conservatively and when all

safety rules are followed the risks are minimal.

Nevertheless, Freediving is a potentially

dangerous activity and can lead to serious injury
and death even if all currently known limitations
and safety guidelines are followed correctly.
Accidents may be due to, but not limited to,
drowning, shallow water blackout, defective gear,
improper operation of boats, ear and sinus
injuries, shark attack and others.

This manual is intended to serve as a guideline

but should be combined with an actual course
taught by a certified instructor. This manual is not
a replacement for your own judgment, experience
and honest assessment of your own FreeDiving
abilities and limitations.

APNEA INTERNATIONAL accepts no liability for

any wrong doing, resulting in any damage,
personal injury or death from intentional or
non-intentional acts of negligence by any person
associated with the interpretation, application, or
instruction of any information presented in this
manual.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

About Apnea International 2

Physiology 3
Correct Breathing 4
Recovery Breathing 5
Psychology and Relaxation 7
Meditation 8
Training for Surfing 9
Working on the Specific elements 10
Practical Exercises 11
Tackling a session 13
What Next? 14
Trips and Training 15
Notes 16
SAFETY AT A GLANCE
THERE IS NO SHAME IN TRAINING WITH A BUDDY! IT WILL ACTUALLY
MAKE YOU A BETTER SURFER.

DON’T MIX ALCOHOL AND TRAINING. ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ABILITY AND WILL RESULT IN POOR
PERFORMANCE.

PICK YOUR FIGHTS – WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE NOT RIGHT,

MODIFY YOUR PLAN AND CONSIDER PRACTICING SOMETHING ELSE.

AVOID SURFING WHEN FEELING UNWELL – AS IN ANY SPORT,

SURFING REQUIRES YOUR BODY TO PERFORM AT THE OPTIMAL WAY.
A SLIGHT COLD CAN DROP YOUR POTENTIAL BY A HUGE
PERCENTAGE.

WHEN CAUGHT IN A RIP – ALWAYS SWIM PARALLEL TO THE SHORE.

CHOOSE YOU GEAR WISELY – DIFFERENT CONDITIONS REQUIRE

DIFFERENT GEAR.
About Apnea International
Apnea International was established by Erez Beatus - Former world record holder (CNF 2001) and
multiple national record holder. Erez has been the VP of A.I.D.A and has taught well over 2000 students
worldwide and has been involved in Freediving on a professional level since 1997.

Apnea International Promotes SAFE Freediving through cutting edge education systems and top level
instructors. All of our instructors have many years of experience as Freedivers in various capacities-
from Competitive Freedivers to leading pro surfers and underwater photographers / Spearfishermen.
The Manual you are reading is the fruit of many years of research and experience.

Apnea International currently operates globally and aims to create a community of ocean lovers.

More information about Apnea International can be found on www.apnea-international.org

You are now entering a new world of experience, we hope you like it as much as we do

Breath Training Freediving Training and

for Survival B4s Expeditions workshops

Skindiver
Gear, Finning, Duck-dive, Confidence

Spearfishing
Gear, Technique, Breathing, Safety

Stage A
Bottom time, Comfort, Safety, Breathing,
Depth (20m), Static, Dynamic

Stage B
Breathing, Dive response, Relaxation, Depth
(30m), Training

Stage C
Psychology, Goal setting, Competition, Exhale
diving, Leadership

Instructor I
Certified to teach Apnea International courses

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Physiology

Our lungs

• Our breathing System is composed of a few key

elements:

• Nose and mouth

• Trachea

• Bronchi

• Bronchioles

• Alveoli

• The lungs are surrounded by the ribcage and the

Diaphragm.

Breathing

Breathing is one of the body’s most important functions. We breathe all the time but most of us are not
even aware of the way we do it, let alone understand how it should be done.
Breathing is done with the use of either the chest (inter-costal) muscles or the Diaphragm. Each person
has an individual way of breathing with one of those systems being dominant. Looking at the structure
of the chest and lungs it is apparent that abdominal breathing is more effective and will result in better
ventilation. Saying that – it is very easy to “over-breathe” or hyperventilate! Our body knows exactly how
much O2 it requires and any breathing beyond the required rate will result in changes to our blood acidity
levels and to the way we operate.

ALWAYS PREPARE AN EVACUATION PLAN WHEN TRAINING.

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Correct Breathing
Begin by testing yourself to determine which system is dominant. Do not try to control the breath – just
observe.
Correct breathing contains a few stages. Inhalation begins low and builds up into the chest. Do not inhale
past your comfort spot and make sure the breath is slow and comfortable. Once full, passively exhale by
relaxing the muscles in your chest and abdomen.
You might notice a small pause between the exhale and next inhale- when the breathing muscles are
most relaxed.
Breathing is a something that should be practiced on a regular basis and with time- will result in
increased performance, stronger body, better concentration and other health and lifestyle benefits.

Straw breathing / Breath trainers

Breathing through a straw helps improve control over the breathing system and increases breathing
efficiency.

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Recovery Breathing
Recovery breathing is very important – not only for deep Freediving but also for surfing. After
being held under for what might seem like a very long time, a surfer might have to reach the
surface, take a breath or two and then dive again. In order to maximise recovery during this
short surface break we utilise a Freediving technique called “Hook Breathing”

As you reach the surface (Not before)- release a bit of air out (in case you had air to begin with)
and then straight away inhale fully. Once you have a full lung- hold for a split second and then
repeat the process two or three times. This form of breathing maintains high blood pressure
around the lungs and forces O2 into the blood stream. It also removes CO2 and shortens
recovery times drastically.

Surface protocol

In training it is important to communicate with your buddy and make sure he knows that you
are OK.

Once you have recovered sufficiently (after at least 3 hook breaths) signal you are ok and say I
AM OK.

HOOK BREATHS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS A SURFER CAN
UTILISE IN ORDER TO QUICKLY RECOVER AFTER A HOLD-DOWN

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ASCEND INTO
THE LIGHT
Psychology and Relaxation

Mental management for Surfing

Key points:
• Visualisation
• Meditation
• Preparation for Hold-downs
• Head Space
• Yoga
• Relaxation Techniques

It is not enough to be in great physical shape. When it comes to the ocean- you can never be strong
enough to fight a big wave holding you down. The only way to deal with this situation is to relax and let
the water carry you. You will end up either on the surface or at least being let go and “allowed” to swim
up to the surface.

The key to relaxation is to have a good self image and for this to happen a surfer must train his mental
skills as well as his fitness and flexibility.

The brain is the biggest consumer of O2 and in a state of stress- consumes even more. The key is to be
able to switch into a calm state quickly and to be conscious of the fact that even though it might feel
like 2 minutes under – it usually is “only” 20 seconds
One way of preparing the mind for an event of a hold-down is to incorporate visualisation exercises into
training.

Visualisation
Find a comfortable place to lie down and close your eyes.
Go over a course of whole surf – from pedalling into the wave, standing up, manoeuvring and the exit.
Repeat the drill twice.

Visualise a surf in slow motion and include an event of a hold down. Visualise the set closing in, falling
and being held under. Try to then still your mind and relax the body. Wait for a few seconds and see
yourself swimming to the surface, taking a good hook breath and recover. Be mindful not to visualise
the sensation of stress or anxiety as it will translate into a short breath-hold ability and a negative self
image.

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Meditation

“Meditation refers to a family of self-regulation practices that focus on training

attention and awareness in order to bring mental processes under greater voluntary
control and thereby foster general mental well-being and development and/or specific
capacities such as calm, clarity, and concentration”

Most people think that meditation is only for Yogis or “new-age” people. It was actually proven that
Meditation can enhance hand to eye coordination, focus, concentration and that it also can be used to
change a person’s self image – which will greatly affect the performance.
Most top athletes use some form of meditation / self awareness exercise. The principles of meditation:
As the practice relaxes muscles it promotes faster recovery.
Meditation can involve focusing on a sound, shape, word or sensation to achieve greater focus. It can
also involve focusing on the breath as the breath is the most basic function.
Meditation can be practiced anywhere – while you walk (Not while driving), eat, rest, prepare for training
and more..
As meditation is a state of mind you cant force yourself to do it. Be patient and dedicated.
As there are many different forms of practice you will need to explore until you find a type that fits.

Breath Meditation
Sit quietly in a comfortable position in a place where you will not be disturbed or distracted. Close your
eyes. Begin to breathe easily and normally for a few minutes. Then, allow your breath to deepen and
begin to pay attention only to your breath. Notice and observe the sound of the breath. Pay attention to
the way it feels entering your nostrils, throat, lungs and the rest of your body. Keep your attention on this
breathing and notice your body and mind relax and become still as time passes and your focus increases.
Do this meditation for ten minutes if you are a beginner. Increase the time by five minute intervals as you
develop more discipline.

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Training for Surfing
We all know the good old Rock running drill- dive down to the bottom, pick a big rock up and walk on the
bottom until you can’t hold it any longer. Swim to the surface and after a short recovery – repeat the drill.
This drill works but is a bit complicated, dangerous and is not as efficient as other, more “modern”
exercises.
Your surfing experience depends on a few different elements- some are physical and some are mental.
When training to become a balanced surfer you must place a big emphasis on training your week points.
Those points can be:
• Breath-hold
• Technique
• Relaxation
• Patience
• Recovery
• Psychology
• Head space
• Fitness
• Experience
• Recovery breathing

Action Plan

What do we do when we fall of the board?

1. Curl into a ball- protect the head
2. Count to 3-5 depending on the type of wave
3. Either open up or stay curled depending on the conditions
4. Orient yourself and decide if its time to swim up / stay down.
5. Once on the surface - Hook breathe and consider the options.

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Working on the Specific elements

Breath-hold - Static

Breath-hold training can work on your psychology, CO2 tolerance and O2 tolerance. Picking the right
exercise for the correct segment in training is important.

It is imperative to understand that in most cases, the main limiting factor is the CO2 followed closely by
psychology.

Remember - you do not have to breathe... you want to breathe. High levels of CO2 make you feel like you
must take a breath when in reality the level of O2 is still high. By accepting that discomfort as a part of
the experience we can greatly prolong the hold duration.

The warm-up

As in other sports, warm-up is an crucial element. It reduces the risk of injury, increases the potential of
improving and allows easier execution of physical effort.

Most surfers stretch before entering the water – this is good. Stretching alone will not improve your
ability to withstand wipe-outs. It will not get you into the correct state of mind needed for dealing with
some of the more “aggressive” elements of surfing.

When it comes to breath-hold, the most efficient warm-up technique is called Facial Immersion.

We can differentiate between two scenarios:

• During pool training- breathe through a snorkel (no mask) for at least 3 minutes.

• As you enter the water and before you swim out to the surf either dip your face in the water and
hold your breath until you get the first urge to breathe. This should be done on a passive exhale.

Once we have completed our facial immersion we will perform an additional breath-hold to the first urge
on a passive exhale.

Once the warm up is finished you can move on to the main part of the session.

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Practical Exercises
Static Apnea

Contraction test
With a buddy holding a stop-watch- Perform a breath-hold on an exhale. As soon as you feel the first
contraction (a feeling of tightening in your chest or something similar to your body trying to take a
breath)- lift your finger. Your buddy will record the time. You can then keep holding for another contraction
and come up.

CO2 Training - Exhale training (FRC)

This table works on our ability to withstand high levels of CO2

DIVE BREATHE UP BREATH HOLD

1 01:15
2 01:00
3 00:45
4 00:30
5 00:15
6 00:15
7 00:15
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)
FIRST CONTRACTION MEASURED (FRC)

CO2 Table for Focus

• Hold to first urge (measure time)

• 2 hook breaths
• Hold to measured time
• 2 hook breaths
• Hold to measured time
• 2 hook breaths
• Repeat until not able to maintain same breath-hold time.

WHEN TRAINING IN THE POOL- ALWAYS TRAIN WITH AN

ALERT BUDDY

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Breath-hold – Dynamic

Delay Exercise Static > Dynamic

Recovery Breath-up Hold Swim

00:30 25 Seconds 25m
02:00 00:30 25 Seconds 25m
02:00 00:30 25 Seconds 25m
02:00 00:30 25 Seconds 25m
02:00 00:30 25 Seconds 25m
• Aim to increase hold time and swim distance at 1:1 ratio

Reverse Delay - Dynamic > Static

Recovery Breath-up Swim Hold

00:30 25m 25 Seconds
02:00 00:30 25m 25 Seconds
02:00 00:30 25m 25 Seconds
02:00 00:30 25m 25 Seconds
02:00 00:30 25m 25 Seconds
• Aim to increase hold time and swim distance at 1:1 ratio

Recovery breathing Dynamic

Make sure you work with a super alert buddy.
• Swim 12.5m in medium pace
• Passive Exhale and swim for 12.5m.
• Come up, Perform 2 hook breaths and dive again
• Swim 12.5m
• Come up, Perform 2 hook breaths and dive again
• Swim 12.5m
• Come up, Perform 2 hook breaths and dive again
• Swim 12.5m
• Repeat as desired.

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THE SOFT OVERCOMES
THE HARD
Tackling a session

STRAW BREATHING

10 MINUTES

VISUALISATION

REHEARSE THE SEQUENCE AND YOUR ACTION PLAN

STRETCHING

WORK WITH BREATH | WORK ON BALANCE

FACIAL IMMERSION

IF TRAINING IN THE POOL

WARM UP HOLDS

FRC TO URGE | INHALE TO URGE

GO FOR IT
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What Next?
Well done! You have completed the B4s program. Apnea International offers many other courses,
workshops and Expeditions around the globe:

Freediving courses:

• Stage A- Learn how to hold your breath longer, improve your confidence, dive deeper and be a safer
Freediver

• Stage B- Learn about the Dive response, Advanced breathing techniques, Equalization, relaxation
and more

• Stage C- Take Freediving to the highest level with advanced relaxation, goal setting, Pranayama,
Mental management and more.

Training sessions:

B4s training sessions are held on a weekly basis and help you maintain a high level of fitness, confidence
and breath-hold for those big days out on the water.

Freediving & Whale Encounters in Tonga

10-15 training days that include Yoga, Snorkelling, Freediving, Breath workshops, and spectacular whale
swims - All in an Eco resort.
www.whale-encounters.com

Important links and further reading

www.Apnea-International.org | www.facebook.com/Apnea.int
Contributors:
Erez Beatus - www.apneaaustralia.com.au
• Surf Images courtesy of Tyson Williams, Freediving images ©Erez Beatuss

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Notes

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 FREEDIVING
ENJOY THE SILENCE...

©EREZ BEATUS