Training - Running

Running
Running has a vital role in preparing the body for freediving. In order to bring the body to the point when its ready for breath hold practice, you must run on daily basis during a period of 60 days - in which you gradually increase the duration of the run from 30 to 60 minutes. At the end of the 60 day period the body is ready for a hypoxic and acidosis tolerance training period which will last 120 days - at the end of this period, the training cycle ends and a new one begins - another period of 60 days of running. The following article will examine different training methods used to improve the freedivers body tolerance to hypoxia and acidosis.

A) Running While Controlling Breath
Run slowly, breath as slowly as possible, maintain the same number of steps for each phase of the breath (inhale and exhale). The duration of the exhale must be twice as long as the inhale. For example: 10 steps exhaling - 5 steps inhaling.

Goals
1) Try to prolong the total duration of the run while maintaining a fixed number of steps for each phase of the breathing cycle.

2) Try to raise the number of steps for each phase of breathing cycle while maintaining a fixed duration for the run.

B) Running While Controlling Breath With Breath Holds
Run slowly, breath as slowly as possible and perform breathing cycles of, for example, 8 steps exhaling, 2 steps breath holding, 4 steps exhaling, 2 steps breath holding.

Goals
1) Try to prolong the total duration of the run while maintaining a fixed number of steps for each phase of the breathing cycle.

2) Try to raise the number of steps for each phase of breathing cycle while maintaining a fixed duration for the run.

C) Running While Breath Holding With A Short Recovery
Run slowly and perform a cycle of, for example, 10 steps breath holding, 5 steps breathing normally. Repeat the cycle 20 times.

Goals
1) Raise the number of breath holds for each training session.

2) Raise the number of steps for each breath hold.

D) Running While Breath Holding With A Long Recovery
Run slowly and perform a cycle of, for example, 50 steps breath holding, full recovery. Repeat the cycle 10 times.

Goals
Raise the distance to be covered during each breath hold.

E) Sprinting While Breath Holding
Run as fast as possible while holding your breath while maintaining a constant pace during the entire run. allow your body to fully recover after each run.

Goals
Prolong the duration of the run while maintaining a constant pace.

F) Prolonging Distance While Breath Holding With A Fixed Recovery
Run slowly and perform a cycle of, for example, 2 steps breath holding, 10 steps breathing normally, 4 steps breath holding, 10 steps breathing normally, 6 steps breath holding, 10 steps breathing normally... 20 steps breath holding, 10 steps breathing normally.

Goals
1) Prolong the maximum distance to be covered while holding your breath.

2) Reduce the number of steps for recovery between breath holds.

Building A Training Session
We suggest the following sets of exercises to be performed in rotation:

Set #1
10 min warmup run, 20 min exercise A, 15 min exercise C, 15 min exercise D; Stretching.

Set #2
10 min warmup run, 20 min exercise B, 15 min exercise F, 15 min exercise E; Stretching.

Set #3
10 min warmup run, 20 min exercise A, 15 min exercise F, 15 min exercise D; Stretching.

Set #4
10 min warmup run, 20 min exercise B, 15 min exercise C, 15 min exercise E; Stretching.

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