maria.felicia.carraturo

Knowing these two vital organs in broad strokes helps us understand how the oxygen in the air we breathe irrigates our bodies and is transformed into energy for our muscles.

The HEART is a muscle that receives blood coming in from the veins and, by contracting, “shoots” it into the arteries, which will push it throughout the body. The blood that reaches the heart comes from the lungs, where there is the air we have just inhaled, and is therefore well oxygenated and ready to begin its journey through the human body, starting from the aorta artery. As one moves away from the heart and travels to the peripheral areas, the arteries shrink, becoming arterioles and then arterial capillaries. The latter give up the oxygen contained in the blood and, as it were, effect the meeting with what are, instead, the venous capillaries toward which the now “used” blood will begin to flow, that which, through the process of combustion, by which it has given up the oxygen it carried, is now rich in carbon dioxide and must return, by a backward route through the veins, to the lungs to reoxygenate.

Red blood cells carry oxygen, but they can only do so because of hemoglobin; it follows that the ability we have to move our muscles depends on the presence in sufficient quantities of both of these substances.

The POLMONS, along with the trachea and then the bronchi, bronchioles and pulmonary alveoli, constitute some of the organs involved in breathing and oxygenation of the blood. Oxygen-rich air, contained in the pulmonary alveoli and freshly inhaled, is transferred to carbon dioxide-filled blood, blood that is already being used by the body. The carbon dioxide will be expelled with exhalation, while the newly oxygenated blood will be put back into circulation by the pumping action of the heart.

The lungs have a spongy, pyramidal appearance with the largest part at the bottom. With one respiratory act, an average of half a liter of air is introduced, but a maximal inhalation can result in as much as 2.5 liters. It goes without saying that even a semi-involuntary action such as breathing can be not only improved, but trained and taken to even extreme levels when it comes to athletic performance (glossa pharyngeal or carp breathing). A numerous series of muscles are involved in the action of inhalation and exhalation: those of the rib cage and the diaphragm. Since these are precisely muscles, as with any other muscle in the human body, they too can be not only trained, but strengthened and made well elastic and flexible, two fundamental factors in improving the quality of our breathing and increasing the amount of air we are able to put into our bodies with each breathing act and especially with our last breath before each performance.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The NOSE and MOUTH are the last, but not the least…, organs involved in breathing and are the pathways for air to enter the human body. It is important to take good care of it and especially to clean the nose from time to time. In the Eastern disciplines, Yala Neti is often referred to, which is precisely to keep the sinuses and sinuses pervious and free of impurities so that breathing is smooth and clearing is more peaceful and unhindered. A good tip is to avoid pulling up with the nose: this way we promote the stagnation of mucus in the sinuses, which could give us problems and pain during compensatory maneuvers. Rather, we try to blow our noses often, with alternating nostrils, so as to keep them clear and clean at all times.

by Mariafelicia Carraturo www.feliciacarraturo.it

Buoyancy thrust and pressure

It is important to understand Archimedes’ law to understand why a body floats. It reads:
“A body, immersed in a liquid, receives a bottom-up thrust equal to the weight of the displaced liquid volume.”

A ping pong ball in water floats, it is said to have positive buoyancy, and this is because the weight of the volume of water displaced by the ball is greater than the weight of the entire ball itself and, by Archimedes’ law, it manages to stay afloat. A stone, on the other hand, immersed in water, sinks: it has a negative buoyancy and this is because the weight of the displaced volume of water is less than the weight of the entire stone, so Archimedes’ buoyancy is not sufficient to keep it afloat.

Then there isneutral buoyancy, which is where a freediver is when, in midwater, he or she no longer tends either to sink or return to the surface. The elevation at which an athlete is in neutral buoyancy obviously varies depending on the characteristics of the liquid in which he or she is immersed-fresh or salt water and degree of salinity-the thickness of the wetsuit he or she is wearing and how heavy the belt is.

The ideal freediver’s weigh-in also depends on a number of variables:

(a) Salinity of water: In the saltier seas, Archimedes’ buoyancy is stronger, as the specific gravity of the water is greater precisely because of the presence of more salt, so there is a tendency to float more and the freediver will have to increase the weight of his or her belt a bit, while in fresh water there is a tendency to sink easily and wear lighter ballasts.

b) What quotas are to be achieved: a bottom athlete generally uses little weight, which will force him to fin with more energy on the descent, to counteract the buoyancy provided by the wetsuit and the positive buoyancy, but, once he reaches his target, he will not have to ascend by dragging too heavy a belt. If, on the other hand, you are preparing for shallow dives, such as fishing below the coast, then you may opt to wear more chili.

A professional athlete, who usually trains in the Mediterranean, if he moves to the waters of the Red Sea, which have a higher degree of salinity, resulting in greater buoyancy, for example, will have to recalibrate, to counteract it, the weight of his belt, increasing it a little bit.

In the water, we also have an increase in PRESSURE as we go deeper: understanding this phenomenon is crucial for those approaching freediving. All of us, at sea level, live at an ambient pressure of one atmosphere-or one bar-which is the weight exerted, by the imaginary column of air, 10000 meters high, on each square cm of our body and which, in practice, represents what the earth’s atmosphere is. In the sea, to reproduce the same atmosphere it is enough to descend, on the other hand, to a depth of only 10 meters and at -20 meters we will already be at an ambient pressure of 3 atmospheres and at -30 meters at an ambient pressure of 4 bar or 4 atmospheres. Such a relentless increase in pressure, as we descend into the depths, has enormous repercussions on what are the aerial parts of our bodies: the lungs, the oropharyngeal cavity, the ears and even the mask, which, in diving, is an element that becomes an integral part of us. These components experience crushing, which becomes increasingly important as depth increases and, therefore, will need to be “compensated.”

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Boyle’s law states that: at constant temperature, the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure.

In this regard, it is interesting to understand that if we have on the surface, at 1 atmosphere, a lung volume, for example, equal to 6 liters, this at -10 meters and at 2 atmospheres will be halved, becoming 3 liters, while at -20 meters and at 3 atmospheres, it will continue to shrink, but in a less than proportional way, becoming equal to 2 liters… and so on. It can be seen that the halving of lung volume occurs only in the first 10 meters, after these the volume will not continue to halve, but will shrink following a curve that flattens as you go deeper.

We observe, therefore, a very interesting phenomenon, whereby the greatest reduction in lung volume occurs at -10 meters: as we continue to descend underwater this reduction will continue to be there, but to a less and lesser extent. This is one explanation why the greatest accidents or difficulties for a freediver occur in the very last 10 meters of the ascent, where the lungs will “suddenly” return to their original size.

Solids and liquids, on the other hand, are not compressible, so the parts of our body with such characteristics will not undergo significant changes as pressure changes.

by Mariafelicia Carraturo
www.feliciacarraturo.it

Freediving is an environmental sport that is practiced in the water and, for this reason, requires specific equipment that gives us comfort and safety.

1) The mask: our eye is made for aerial vision, so in contact with water we see blurry. The mask is used to circumvent this obstacle. There are plenty of them on the market: the freediver generally chooses one with a smaller volume-the smaller it is, the easier it will be to descend to depth, but we will understand why later-rather than those who descend with scuba tanks. To understand whether a mask fits our face, simply place it on the face, keeping it facing the ground, without securing it with the strap and inhale: if the mask does not fall off, it is the right one.

Even those with visual defects today can have fun underwater, as it is possible to have a graded one made.

To prevent it from fogging, when we first use it, it would be good to wash it with a kitchen detergent, this is to remove any silicone grease that could cause it to fog in water and every time, before using it and when dry, it should be wet and sprinkled with saliva to avoid the same problem. It is a good idea to always rinse it with fresh water and not leave it in the sun.

2) The snorkel or snorkel: it is preferable to choose it without those annoying creases, in which water stops, which we would find difficult to expel, even if we exhale forcefully. It must also have a diameter that is neither too large, for the same reason given above, nor too small, otherwise we would overexert ourselves in inhaling and exhaling.

3) The fins: consist of the blade and the foot pocket, and there are all kinds and for all tastes and pockets. The blades can be mainly made of technopolymer (plastic) or carbon. It goes without saying that the latter perform better, reducing dead time in reversing the direction of the gambit and having greater responsiveness. The booties should be soft and comfortable, but not too much to let our feet run away in the action of finning; if we can’t find the size that gives us proper comfort, there are insoles that can be inserted inside the booties that, along with possibly some fin clips, keep us from losing them–which would be onerous, especially if we are using expensive carbon paddles. Fins should also always be well rinsed after use and not left in the sun.

4) The monofin: for the deepest performance, the monofin is used today. It is a single shovel inside whose shoes the two feet fit. The movement, once the relevant technique is learned, is dolphin-like and harmonious, less energy- and oxygen-intensive than classic twin-fin finning, but certainly more high-performing in terms of meters traveled.

5) The wetsuit: again, there are countless models made from as many materials. The freediver generally opts for a neoprene wetsuit, consisting of pants and jacket, which is very stretchy and therefore comfortable and gives him the ability to relax and breathe easily. They are, these, delicate wetsuits that could easily break the moment we put them on. It takes some dexterity before you start using them, and you have to spend some time on them: they are put on by wetting them with soapy water, which makes them easier to put on, making them slippery and smooth on the body. Those who are not yet familiar with it might, at first, choose a lined or double-lined wetsuit. The principle of always rinsing it after use and not drying it in the sun also applies to the wetsuit.

6) The belt: consists of the belt and the leads attached to it. The freediver generally chooses an elastic belt, as the crushing that the body undergoes, due to pressure, reducing volumes, would result in uncomfortable rotations of the belt. There are half-pound, one-pound and two-pound weights. The amount to be affixed to the belt depends on a number of variables and is a topic that will be covered later. Except in pathological cases, in which individuals take medication or have special treatments, apnea could be and is a way to become more aware of one’s own abilities and to look at our fears without being enslaved by them, seeking, rather, to overcome them.

7) The depth gauge: there are also these of all types and for all budgets. Those of the latest generation, in addition to withstanding considerable depths, provide a graph of the performance made and make us retrace not only all the various phases of our apneas, but also the relative recoveries between apneas.

8) Additional equipment for when it gets a little colder or for those who freediving: socks, gloves, undersuit, Bermuda shorts, anklets, knife, scuba marker ball.

by Mariafelicia Carraturo
www.feliciacarraturo.it

When Enzo Maiorca, the father of freediving, who mastered its scenes in the 1970s together with J. Mayol, announced that he wanted to reach the depth of -50m, there was a French doctor, Cabarrou, who opposed such an attempt, justifying it on the grounds that, at that depth, the champion’s rib cage would implode.

He had simulated, in fact, the immersion of an average-sized man by getting a kind of wooden fruit box underwater, resembling, precisely, a human chest. At that altitude such an experimental contraption crumpled in on itself, hence the scholar’s concerns. The Italian champion, however, contravened medical orders by diving to the altitude he desired and emerged unharmed.

Thus began studies of the physiological transformations that occur in a human body when it approaches depth, and an extraordinary phenomenon was discovered to occur, which was given the name Blood Shift or pulmonary hemocompensation or pulmonary erection. It has been observed that this phenomenon is activated as soon as one begins to move in the water, together with the diving reflex, even in very few meters or centimeters even, of course it becomes of greater magnitude at deeper elevations. As we descend to the depths, the aerial parts of our body, by Boyle’s law, decrease in volume: at -40 meters the lung volume is 1/5 of what it is at the surface; at -100 meters it is 1/11 of the volume it is at sea level.

The space left empty inside the lungs, by air that, compressed, has shrunk in volume, if not occupied by anything would allow the rib cage to fold in on itself. And here intervenes not only the perfection of our bodies, designed to survive always and everywhere and yearning for such survival even in an extreme situation, but the genetic legacy that belongs to us anyway, of life that was born in water.

The rib cage begins to fill with blood, drawn from the peripheral areas. This serves two functions:
(a) blood is a fluid and, as such, is incompressible; therefore, it protects the chest from implosion;
(b) flowing out of the peripheral areas, legs and arms, will begin 1) to be sprayed and to be “defended” only the vital organs and furthermore, 2) the body, sensing that it is in an extreme and dangerous situation, tries, in this way, to conserve oxygen as much as possible, promoting the athlete’s apneas.

Such blood, moreover, is very thick and lacks the watery part, as a hormone is activated in the diver that induces a frequent urge to urinate. When performances become demanding, and we are talking about dives over 50 meters, the blood shift begins to take on important characteristics, so it is essential to observe serious and adequate recovery times.

As it resurfaces, in fact, the blood returns to the peripheral areas, but being denser, because it is deprived of the water it has expelled with peeing, it struggles and is slower to do so and must be given time to “reposition” itself in the right way. It is also advisable to drink a lot after apnea to replenish lost fluids, even where the need is not felt. There is also to be said that professional athletes use such breathing techniques (glossopharyngeal or carp breathing) that they store a huge amount of air, during the last breath before a performance, much larger than during a normal inhalation.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Such methods involve that, in ascent, the diver slows down a bit, since the lung volume, which is approaching its original size, no longer immediately finds all of its space, the space it had at the beginning, before the deep dive, since, part of it, may still be occupied by the blood that, slowly, flows out to the periphery of our body.

Sometimes it is necessary for such divers to “debouch” even a little before surfacing, otherwise, upon exiting their dive, they may detect some blood traces in their saliva, due to the rupture of capillaries present in the lungs, in which there is still a lot of blood and insufficient space to contain it along with the air, which regains an expansion of volume equal to that which characterized it at the start.

by Mariafelicia Carraturo
www.feliciacarraturo.it

Apnea is a discipline that greatly helps us to know ourselves and whose purpose is to savor sensations of pleasure and well-being in the water.

Many factors can create states of anxiety and stress, perhaps our physical condition, which we know is suboptimal, or mental ones, such as the fact that we have worries that plague us and negative thoughts that do not leave us alone. We also dive, using some equipment, which might cause us discomfort or discomfort: a wetsuit that is too hard and makes us feel uncomfortable or into which water gets in, a mask that fogs up or doesn’t fit properly, a bootie that is too tight or paddles that are too stiff. Let’s also not forget that being at sea, there might be a bit of a wave or an uncomfortable wind, we might be cold or frightened by a strong current, and we might even have two different ones, one running in one direction on the surface, but, as soon as the capsize is done, encounter another one going in the opposite direction. Sometimes stress andanxiety can be caused by the knowledge that we have not yet mastered all the techniques necessary to deal with any situation and emergency.

Going into the water with a favorable and calm frame of mind would be the optimal situation, and that is why thefreediver becomes familiar with relaxation techniques and autogenic training.

The way of life we have developed in the West is as far as we can get from fully conscious movements and actions that manage to make us centered in the present moment: it often seems impossible for us to stop our minds, which are constantly traveling into the future or into the past, continually replaying things we have already experienced or things we should and will have to do.

Initial approaches to relaxation pathways can be guided: we typically follow someone’s voice/command to visualize, for example, the air going in and out of our body, making us observe every detail of it, the points it passes through, the freshness. There could then be a guided path to listening to the noises around us, savoring and enjoying them, without judgment and latching on, perhaps, to something that we hear and gives us pleasure and dwelling on that feeling. We could then carry out a screening of our body, starting from the tips of our toes to the hair: find the contractures and stiffnesses and let them go, loosen them up. We could dwell our attention on the parts where our body is in contact with the floor, the feeling this gives us, and begin to understand whether we are contracted or relaxed. Visualizing scenes and landscapes and lingering on details is extremely relaxing.

One can begin with guided or passive relaxation courses, and then evolve into active relaxation or autogenic training.

Devoting half an hour or even 15 minutes a day to these practices brings benefit not only to apnea, but to our entire lives: try it to believe.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Static apnea, a discipline in which the athlete remains, perfectly relaxed and on his belly below the surface of the water, simply holding his breath, is the emblematic test to make us understand where we are with our relaxation techniques: the fact that the athlete does not have to do anything, but “only” hold his breath puts him exactly in the frame of his states of anxiety and stress and his more or less relaxed condition. He has no meters to walk, no finning, no compensating ears, no need to do anything, just not to breathe, while he will have a mind and a survival instinct that will constantly send him messages to pull his head out of the water and get air. The ability he will have to make his journey out of time, to take his mind away from where he is, to estrange himself and find the solution that suits him best to “make time pass,” without ever thinking about it, becomes a subjective path, hooked at times on favorite noises, sounds or images, favorite song, the most beautiful scenes from our most beloved movie or our life, and that will lead him more and more and with training to lengthen his apnea times.

The mind trains as much and more than the body.

by Mariafelicia Carraturo
www.feliciacarraturo.it

All of us, when we are born, know well what is the right way to breathe. If we observed a small baby resting on the changing table, we would immediately notice that he breathes by moving his belly.

If we were to do, instead, a survey of adults, a kind of sample test, and ask them to take a deep breath, observing 99% of the respondents, we would notice that, in the action of breathing, they relentlessly move their chests and some also noticeably raise their shoulders. This makes us realize how, as we grow up, life, anxieties, stress, inhibitions and conditioning pollute us to such an extent that we “forget” the right way to perform an action that is so natural and innate to us.

J. Mayol was the one who introduced yogic-derived breathing techniques to apnea.

In the past, many freedivers and freediving fishermen-some, admittedly, still do, having never taken a freediving course-used to hyperventilate for a few minutes at the surface before exploring the abyss. Today no one with any theoretical knowledge about this discipline breathes in such a way anymore. In fact, it has been seen thathyperventilation does not increase oxygen levels in the blood at all, but instead lowers the level of carbon dioxide in it. This causes a delay in the diver’s perception of his or her “air hunger,” and this is why, at times, the bodies of fishermen have been found in the “waiting” position as death has occurred without their realizing it. Many of these tragedies could perhaps have been avoided, however, if the first rule of safety at sea, which applies especially to fishermen, who are, as a rule, solitary hunters and reluctant for company: use the pair system and never venture out alone.

Finally, hyperventilation, which is a forced breathing action, is also not conducive to relaxation and instead raises the heart rate, resulting in a huge expenditure of oxygen and energy.

Today we use diaphragmatic breathing, which allows us to fill the widest part of our lungs well, the lower part, and that is what young children naturally use. It is important to “feel” the action we take when we breathe and to be able to follow the path the air takes, from the moment we inhale until it reaches the lungs. Being aware of the action we take. Mindful breathing also helps to relax.

The diaphragm is the main muscle related to breathing. We could imagine it in the shape of an umbrella, the staff of which would represent our spine. When the umbrella is open, the diaphragm is up and we are exhaling; when it is closed, it is pulled down and we are, instead, inhaling. Smoothing the diaphragm and making it elastic is necessary to achieve beautiful full, wide and deep breaths.

You might first begin by visualizing only the upper part of the lungs, the thoracic part, and take a few breaths, lying comfortably on the floor and placing one hand on your chest and observing how it rises and falls with each act of breathing. Then you could visualize the breath only in the belly and perform the same operation. After that, take full breaths, following the belly-chest path in inhalation and chest-belly path in exhalation. It is obvious that you will get confused at first, but with practice you will prolong the duration of your breaths and the degree of relaxation with which you perform them, and you will begin to savor the benefits that come with it, apnea or not.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

It is also a good idea to always keep in mind that in controlled breathing, exhalation should always be twice as much as inhalation. It means that if I count 1, 2 and 3 by inhaling, when I exhale I should count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Finally, it is also possible to elasticize the rib cage, with ad hoc stretching exercises, taking into account that the last ribs, precisely those at the widest part of the lungs, are not fixed, but mobile: a flexible and elastic chest, allows the lungs to expand to the maximum

by Mariafelicia Carraturo
www.feliciacarraturo.it