FREEdiving

How long can you hold your breath under water?

Normally, an average person who’s in the pink of health can temporarily cease his breathing for about two minutes. Austrian national Wolfgang Dafert can hold his for seven minutes sans the scuba gears or any breathing devices; and can go down into the deep for as low as 70 meters which is equivalent to a 20-storey building. That’s quite a feat!

In a news item in www.time.com on underwater breathing written by Tiffany Sharples based on her interview with pulmonary specialist Dr. Ralph Potkin, it read that “when holding your breath underwater, you have a bit of mammalian evolution on your side. Our bodies instinctively prepare to conserve oxygen, much in the way that dolphins’ and whales’ bodies do when they dive. The body’s focus becomes getting the oxygenated blood primarily to the vital organs – the brain and the heart – and not to the extremities or abdomen.” Dafert call this as the mammalian dive reflex which he briefly explained that “there’s a little fish in our body that is capable of using less oxygen when in the water. You breathe from your belly, not from the chest.” And that is the number one factor to consider in freediving — proper breathing.

Wolfgang, 37, is responsible in making freediving known in the country. It’s diving on a single breath of air, where each diver competes to reach “great” depths in a speed of time. Since his conversion from simply a snorkeling enthusiast into a freediving fan in his late 20s in Austria, this adventure buff plunged into a diving safari of spreading the love for FD – which eventually flew him in to the Philippines. Currently, this licensed PADI diver is based in Moalboal where he teaches freediving in Freediving-Philippines, Club Serena Resort. He disclosed that the number of students (mostly expats/tourists and often Cebuanos) has increased since he launched his tutorials three years ago. His oldest student is 55 years old while the youngest is 14, with parent’s consent.

Aside from proper breathing, Wolfgang put emphasis on safety. To launch a successful diving, it’s a must to equalize to avoid discomfort and ear damage. With the right gears on (monofin, wet suit, mask & snorkel, and weights) one can freedive after the two-day beginner course.

To fully promote this competitive individual sport, Wolfgang is organizing the first ever freediving competition in the country, the BloodRed Philippine Depth Challenge, recognized and governed by AIDA (International AsDevelopment Apnea) – an association focused on the development of the sport and the international head organization. “In freediving, there are world and national records. Since there’s no national Filipino record holder, there will definitely be new records to be made,” he shared.

The competition is set on March 31 until April 1st in Club Serena Resort, Moalboal with three international AIDA judges to grace the event.

 “All freedivers will have a chance to donate P10 for each meter they dive into as financial support to a Bajau community,” said Dafert.

Stuntman David Blaine reaped praises for setting the world-record of breath-holding at 17 minutes and 4.4 seconds. Dr. Potkin who worked with him for his feat to break a record said, “the body can be trained.”

Learn the ropes with Wolfgang. Contact him at 0928-2634646 or log in to www.freediving-philippines.com. He also offers adventure packages for canyoning, mountain, mountainbike tours, jungle trekking, among others.