People, just like objects, follow Archimedes' principle, the physical law of buoyancy. We are able to float on the surface of the water if the weight of the displaced water volume balances our weight. However, perhaps you would like to be underwater for a while, for example to play with others, to swim all the way around the pool or just to get another point of view of the world around you. While it is dangerous to hold your breath underwater for a long time, you can do it with a little preparation.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Stay Diving
Step 1. Evaluate how long you can hold your breath out of the water
Stand still or sit still. Take a few deep, full breaths at a slow pace. When you are at the peak of your inhalation, hold your breath closing the back of your throat and use a stopwatch to count the seconds. If you are happy with the result, you may feel ready to get in the water. If not, you can improve lung capacity and strength with breathing exercises and regular physical activity.
You may have heard that some people are able to hold their breath underwater for several minutes. This is possible thanks to the dive reflex, which allows mammals to hold their breath underwater for a longer period than on land. This is a survival instinct that you don't have to rely on. In addition, athletes who set freediving records train regularly to improve their endurance and do so in particular conditions.
Step 2. Practice breathing with your diaphragm
Just because you breathe constantly does not mean that you are able to do it with maximum efficiency. Abdominal breathing exercises strengthen the lungs and diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen and helps you breathe more consciously and efficiently.
- Lie down on a flat surface. Put a pillow behind your head if you like and / or under your knees if you have low back pain.
- Place one hand on the chest, above the heart, and the other just below the rib cage.
- Breathe slowly through your nose. The hand on the belly should rise, but the one on the chest should remain stationary.
- Contract your abdominal muscles and slowly exhale for six seconds through pursed lips; again, the hand on the chest should not move.
- Repeat this sequence for 5-10 minutes, a few times a day. As the movement becomes easier and more automatic, you can place a book, a bag of rice or sand (available at yoga equipment stores) on your abdomen to increase the strength of the diaphragm.
Step 3. Engage in cardiovascular activities regularly
It is an exercise that increases the heart rate. Better cardio-respiratory function and more efficient use of oxygen are just some of the benefits you can get from a consistent fitness routine. To maintain good overall health, adults should do 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity on most days of the week.
- Running, cycling, swimming, aerobics classes and even dancing are all aerobic exercises. Try several to find the one you like; if you enjoy physical activity, you are more likely to stick to the commitment.
- Plan a workout routine. In this way, physical activity becomes a habit. Try doing it at different times of the day and evening to figure out which time is most comfortable for you.
- Just a little exercise, such as a 5-10 minute walk, can improve physical health. Aim for a total of 30 minutes of exercise per day.
Step 4. Check if you are allowed to hold your breath for a long time in the pool you frequent
Many public swimming pools prohibit this practice due to the risk of hypoxia (lack of oxygen), which impairs brain function, causes you to lose consciousness and cause death.
Part 2 of 3: Go to the Bottom of the Pool
Step 1. Choose a place to go to the bottom
You can fully immerse yourself in an area where the water is deeper than your height or where it can cover your head when you are sitting (or lying down, as happens in small inflatable pools). The most important factor to consider when choosing your dive site is to observe the surrounding environment. Always be prepared to hold your breath underwater with great caution, especially in a crowded public swimming pool, where people are busy with different activities and don't pay attention to others.
- If you want to reach the bottom of the pool, you may think that a spot near the walls is the safest. However, you have to bear in mind that people enter the water from all sides. It may be better to choose a relatively isolated area, away from people accessing the pool and large groups of friends. You also need to stay away from drains which can exert a very intense suction force, cause injury and even death. Have a friend nearby to monitor the situation while you are underwater.
- If you are swimming underwater, monitor the movement of people and remember that other swimmers don't necessarily pay attention to you. In theory, you should mentally define a free course in front of you to the other side of the pool, a path that remains clear until you complete the course.
Step 2. Take a vertical position in the water with your feet down
If you are in the shallow water area, you can probably stand upright; if you are in deep water (more than your height), the body naturally assumes a vertical position, since usually the lower part is heavier than the upper one.
Step 3. Take a few slow, deep breaths to fill your lungs with oxygen
Not hyperventilating, taking rapid, sequential breaths before diving is considered "dangerous behavior" because it can cause hypoxic fainting, which in turn damages the brain, causes you to faint and even die.
Step 4. Get into a crouched position
Bring your knees to your chest and keep them close by hugging them. In this way, you reduce the surface of the body in relation to the space you occupy in the water, you can then go down to a greater depth and stay there more easily.
Objects and bodies sink if they have a higher density than water. The density of an object depends on its mass and volume, i.e. the space it occupies. By curling up, you do not reduce the space you occupy, but distribute it in such a way that the contact surface between the water and the body is smaller; as a result, the upward thrust is exerted on a smaller area and the body tends to sink more easily
Step 5. Go to the bottom
Slowly push air bubbles out of your nose. You can also expel them from your mouth, they will be bigger but you won't sink any faster. Let your body go deep and when your feet touch the pool floor, sit comfortably, such as with your legs crossed or knees bent in front of you.
Step 6. Resurface
When you are ready or need to breathe, look up to make sure there are no obstacles on the surface. Whether standing or sitting, push your feet firmly onto the pool floor and straighten your arms to jump or swim upward.
Part 3 of 3: Swim Underwater the Full Length of the Pool
Step 1. Take several slow, deep breaths to fill your lungs with oxygen
Remember that you must avoid hyperventilation, that is, rapid and shallow breaths; this behavior is dangerous because it causes your body to lose oxygen more quickly, leading to hypoxic fainting and even death.
Step 2. Immerse your head and body in a slender posture
As soon as you are below the surface of the water, stand horizontally parallel to the bottom of the pool. Keep your eyes and gaze in a neutral position towards the floor, bringing your arms above your head and pressing a little on your ears.
Step 3. Use your feet to push hard on the pool wall
Keep your torso and arms in a hydrodynamic position, bend your knees and place both soles of your feet against the wall. Press firmly to propel yourself forward and gain momentum.
Step 4. Use a dolphin kick to step into the water
This lower limb movement is considered the most powerful for swimming underwater. Keep your legs and feet together by bending your knees slightly. Kick with both legs in sync, ending the movement with the limbs slightly higher than the body. Repeat until you reach the other side of the pool, emerging from time to time if you need some air.
The power generated by the dolphin kick is obtained thanks to a whip motion. Concentrate on fully extending your legs to develop maximum strength
Step 5. Keep your hands and arms in front of you as you swim
The tapered position is the most effective for penetrating the water as quickly as possible and allows you to sense the obstacles in front of you.
Step 6. Come out of the water
When your hands touch the other wall of the pool, use them to push yourself and rise to the surface.
