Breath-hold diving: performance and safety.
Breath-hold diving was probably first conducted shortly after humans ventured into the water realm. Early efforts likely centred on exploration, hunting and gathering. The fundamentals of breath-hold diving have not changed since these earliest efforts but the performance records have undergone an almost unbelievable evolution. Single breath-hold durations (inspiring air) of 9:15 min:s and 8:00 min:s and maximal vertical transits of 214 metres' sea water (msw) and 160 msw for males and females, respectively, are daunting. Competitive performance requires genetic predisposition, motivation and training in both fundamentals and a variety of advanced techniques. The record of safety within the competitive arena is impressive but care must be taken to ensure that the appropriate practices and procedures are communicated to all levels of enthusiast. Current performance records, strategies to optimize performance, and recommendations for safe breath-hold activity are presented.
Research Associate at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology, Duke University Medical Center and a member of the Research Department of Divers Alert Network, Duke University Medical Center, PO Box 3823, Durham, NC 27710, USA, Phone: +1-(0)919-684-2948, ext 225, Fax: +1-(0)919-493-3040, E-mail: neal.pollock@duke.edu.
Neal W
NW
Pollock