Aquatics Blog

Breath Holding vs Breathing Control

The Redwoods Group recently released several articles about the dangers of underwater breath holding and shallow-water blackout. 

http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/YMCAs/RiskManagement/FeaturesRMA03.asp

http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/YMCAs/RiskManagement/Lesson1.asp

http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/YMCAs/RiskManagement/Lesson2.asp

http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/YMCA/Y_AquaticAlert_HypoxicTrainingDeath_3.24.08.pdf

We are unequivocal in our recommendation - YMCAs must prohibit all prolonged, competitive, and repetitive breath holding activities. 

            Of course, some amount of breath holding is inherent in any swimming activity.  What must be cleared up is the difference between appropriate breathing control in the water and dangerous breath holding activities.

            There are two primary purposes for breathing control in swimming-improving technique and anaerobic exercise. 

In both swim instruction and competitive swimming, breathing control is an essential element of technique in the water.  Instructors teach rhythmic breathing and "bobbing" early on in swimming lessons in order to build confidence in the water, and swim coaches use rhythmic breathing in order to improve swimmer technique and reduce torso rotation during the stroke.

 Competitive swimmers also engage in anaerobic exercise that involves limited breath holding.  As with a sprinter on land, a swim sprinter naturally holds her breath while strenuously exercising in an effort to build power in fast-twitch "sprint" muscles.  Such breathing control is common and appropriate when limited to 25 meters or less or when used in combination with rhythmic breathing training-such as breathing only every 5 or 7 strokes.

            Breath holding, or hypoxic training as it is often known, differs significantly from breathing control.  As opposed to breathing control for the sake of technique or anaerobic training, hypoxic training is breath holding for breath holding's sake. 

            Hypoxia is the condition in which the brain receives diminished levels of oxygen for a prolonged period of time.  If hypoxia continues long enough for the body to use all the oxygen up, anoxia-and blackout-occurs. 

In breath holding, where the swimmer purposefully tries to hold his breath for as long as he can, either motionless underwater or while swimming lengths, there is no purpose other than to dangerously challenge the limits of the brain by depriving it of oxygen.  This challenge becomes even more dangerous when the swimmer hyperventilates beforehand because the low levels of carbon dioxide that result from hyperventilation fail to trigger the body's natural response to breath that usually occurs before anoxia.

In light of this distinction, what activities do we have to ban, and how do we quantify what amount of breath holding we prohibit?  Here are the basics:

1. No static breath holding: No "Navy SEAL training." No trying to beat David Blaine's record. Not by kids or adults. There is simply no way for a lifeguard to tell when the conscious breath holding ends and the blackout begins. Even ideas such as having the person hold their hand out of the water and wave aren't appropriate. In that scenario the lifeguard would only respond when the hand drops down-after blackout.
2. No dynamic breath holding: No "how many laps can you swim underwater?" We know that the bottom of a pool is difficult to see even with perfectly clear water, and that even with supervision, a response would only occur after blackout. Limit any underwater swimming to 25 meters-or less for younger children or inexperienced swimmers.
3. No hyperventilation: Hyperventilation should not be permitted or encouraged, either before extended breath holding or before limited breathing control. Be aware that hyperventilation may be inadvertent. For example, after a set of hard sprints, an out-of-breath swimmer may naturally hyperventilate, and will also have depleted oxygen in the bloodstream. An underwater lap immediately following a set of sprints, or repetitive single laps underwater can prove dangerous.

Beyond these basic prohibitions, breathing control and anaerobic training are appropriate so long as performed within safe parameters.  See [LINK Breathing-Control Guidelines].

All risk management measures must be practical, so please reply to this post with any questions or comments regarding breathing control in your YMCA-what's working, what's not working, what new ideas do we have, etc.?

Thanks, and keep up the safe summer!

Posted: Oct 21 2008, 07:00 AM by Admin | with 2 comment(s)