Benchmark for Holding Your Breath

When I was in my 20s (30 years ago) and living on Maui, I used to practice holding my breath while thrashing around underwater. After a while, I think I made it to about a minute and 5 seconds. In real life conditions, though, if I was held under in big waves, 15 or 20 seconds could seem like a very long time. I don't think I was ever held under for longer than that.

A few years later, I stayed at the Motel 6 of Winnemucca, Nevada. I decided to push my limits in the pool. After hyperventilating a little, I calmly floated and made it to 2 minutes 40 seconds.

It is unlikely that you'd ever be held under for that long, unless things went really, really wrong.

I think that if you could do 30 seconds, thrashing around on a partial breath, you'd be doing great. Then take a quick gulp of air and do it again, because remember the rest of the set is also going to nail you.

I talked to a free diver a couple years ago about how he practiced breath hold technique. He recommended lying on your back, on your bed, and trying to hold your breath until you pass out. Should you do so, you will immediately start breathing with no danger. I lack the willpower to last until unconsciousness.

He strongly cautioned against practicing underwater - it is dangerous.

One way to up your lung capacity is to breath through a straw for 20-30 minutes. If you really want to go hard, try breathing through a straw while jogging or biking.

I think holding your breath is not really the issue. The issue is mental and keeping relaxed but alert. No matter how long you can hold your breath, if you freak out, you will burn a ton of oxygen . The fact that you can paddle out in big conditions means you are in some kind of shape and that is the key.

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/10/30/how-to-hold-your-breath/

I would say that every time you surface with a pulse after a wipeout, you have achieved the benchmark...HD times are always going to vary, right? But as @peli says, keeping calm is key. It's best to Immediatley go limp and try to get into the Zen of relaxing while getting completely thrashed. Tell yourself how relaxed you are. Don't fight for the surface and wait for the release. Not always easy to do. Plus, you may have all the air you need only to have the lip or a collision with the bottom completely knock the wind out of you and rendering you breath holding useless.

I think breath holding practice does help. Physiologically your system becomes accustomed to the breath being held and probably learns to conserve when that happens but also as PelicanPaul and sharkturd say you learn to stay relaxed while waiting to eventually come to the surface. Staying relaxed is key, when you get held down try to remember how it felt to hold your breath during those practice sessions, how still and calm you were. Just recently I too got a little panicky while being held down and decided to do something about it. I started doing wind sprints every other day. Nothing major just, run hard for ten seconds then walk until your breath normalizes and do it again for about 5 or 8 sets. Within two weeks my aerobic capacity was improved and I noticed a huge difference out in the water. Plus try to always see it coming, don't let yourself get into a situation where you can't afford to be under water. Smooth, rhythmic breathing.

This is what Mark Healey does:
http://www.surfermag.com/blogs/how-to-hold-your-breath-longer/

I keep this as my favorite benchmark:

(1.30mins and 50m swim underwater)

Like in most things, practice/repetition. I am a former competitive swimmer and very used to be underwater a lot but I must admit I can't hold breath underwater at OB as long as in Hawaii or somewhere warm. I would say 20-30 secs here is very good and should be enough to save your life. Cold temperature compresses the lungs for heat and increases the need for oxygen. Warm pool is a good, safe place to practice but gives you a wrong idea of your capabilities. Aquatic Park by the Bay is lovely place to swim without a wetsuit and test your water-skills in a safe environment. There's even a public, free shower.

Some great advice on this thread. One other thing I would add is know your limits. For me, I don't go out in huge conditions that require the skills mentioned above. I respect the heck out of anyone that does, though. It can be fun, but most days the surly stuff feels like I'm just out there surfiving. So when it gets too big like DOH+ (D'oh!), I retreat to my favorite beachbreak closeouts and I'm okay with that. The big stuff just isn't my style of surfing (like I have style,ha ha), but I like watching and reading about it. So you might see me out there once in awhile, but "don't hold your breath". Have fun out there!

Going with Mr Pelican on this one. The real key here, is not doing pool exercises, but being in shape, and being able to take a huge bomb on the head, get pushed down deep, and I mean real deep, and be OK with taking another one **before** you come up again. It's NEVER the first one that gets you. It's the one behind it that's bigger, meaner and nastier that puts you in the unhappy zone.

I've wondered whether some of the Buteyko techniques for improving breath control, particularly reducing breathing rate would help. I've no personal experience with it but a friend swears by it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buteyko_method

So some place some time I read about a breathing exercise, I've been practicing it for about a year now and it works. Heres how it's done.

1. Hold you breath for 30 sec.
2. Release and wait 30 sec.
3. Then hold your breath for 1 min.
4. Release for and wait 1 min.
5. Then hold your breath for as long as you can.

I stated out only holding my breath for 1:12 or so in the beginning. Now I can hold on step 5 for about 2:26-2:38. This has really helped me on bigger days.

please buy my latest book "How Not to Shit in your Wetsuit - 10ft at 18 seconds" ...

It's when you hit hard and get the wind knocked out of you that it's sketchy in my opinion. That's only my observation from surfing medium stuff. I can only imagine the bigger stuff.

honestly after using earplugs i was able to hold my breath twice as long while being held under. ive wiped out on 10ft waves without earplugs and let me tell you. i was more frantic because the sound around you is very loud. this made it that much harder to concentrate and stay calm. while using ear plugs ive been more happy to take a wipeout because i have them. they keep you calm inside the washing machines belly. being able to concetrate in a chaotic place made me less stressed out and panicky. thus making me more than happy to be held under. being able to relax is key and is more possible with the right equipment. this makes me happy because i can keep smoking bud at the same rate =D and no training!!!!=P