How To Do Easy & Effective CO2 Training For Pool Freediving: Reverse Apnea Tables

Nathan describes 'Reverse Apnea Tables', which are an EASIER and more EFFECTIVE way of training your CO2 and 'apnea-stamina' in the pool.
They are designed according to an 'ascending' recovery strategy, meaning that recovery time gets progressively longer as the table goes on. This helps you reach effective CO2 levels earlier into the table, but also prevents the table from becoming impossibly difficult at the end.
In short: You spend more time training and less time waiting or suffering with a 'reverse' table... Compared to a 'classic' table where the begging is spent waiting for CO2 to rise at all, and the end is often painful with a sudden spike in difficulty.
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If you want to know more about how we incorportate these tables into our training, check out Sarah's 1st Pool Training Vlog here: • On the Sofa: Sarah's P...
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[@yoramzekri179]

Good job! I used to do inverse pyramid table. Starting with a classic one until minimum recovery and then keep going with reverse table the other way :)

[@buceoApulmon]

Interesting . Thanks for uploading.

[@tae9eon]

Thanks for the good training

[@monnoo8221]

yeah, makes sense. In resistance training this principle is called "drop sets"

[@NadjaNiemann]

Interesting. Just reversed my table. Let's see how that goes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise!

[@LaLtheGaL]

Hi Nathan, thanks for all your helpful videos. Where I live, pools can be super dicey on allowing any kind of training like this. I was wondering if you have any videos on "hypercapnic" pool training (that can be done without active buddy supervising)? I tried searching your videos, but did not see any.

[@jpemonides]

Interesting, I will try and of course let you know in a couple of months

[@leihuang9459]

Is this work bro

[@JohnDoe-id5ih]

Bro?

[@jpemonides]

@@JohnDoe-id5ih I can say that it has worked for me so now I am working more on my relaxation 😃

[@newd34]

Just wondering how you compared co2 levels between both methods? EtCo2?

[@alexfinn7989]

You do a great job on your videos. I am training for a competition right now and noticing that some days my ability to handle contractions (and breath hold time) is greatly reduced. Is this because my body is tired/still recovering so it is using more O2? Any suggestions on how to balance pushing to get better and over training? Thanks. I am not doing much dynamic/table work, just working on deep dives/equalization.

[@trainfreediving2772]

Hey Alex.. Thanks for the feedback. In short. I think that 'random' ups and downs are normally caused by training too-hard or too--often. It's how your nervous system (or subconscious) communicates that you need a little break. My strategy is to use 'deload' weeks. The way I do this is a bit advanced by planning (purposely) to slightly over-train on certain days (normally every 3 weeks) and then take a very-very light week. The more basic method would be to, once you start having these 'off days', assume that you are slightly over-trained, and then plan to have 2-3 extremely easy sessions. They allow the nervous system (sub conscious) to recover and get back to normal feeling diving.

[@NativeExplorer]

This makes sense. However, you don’t really train the body for high level of CO2. You only stay in the comfortable/manageable zone.

[@nathanvinski6009]

That's the point. You don't need (actually you shouldnt have) HIGH levels of CO2.. to make adaptations in the long run (systematically increased CO2 tolerance).. you need to expose yourself to ELEVATED levels of CO2. A table designed up to the point of urge to breathe elevates your levels to "physiologically acceptable" degrees which is what allows for long term adaptation. You can see the same physiology in building endurance or strength

[@ferrangrau8392]

could these Dynamic tables be used in a dry static setting instead of traditional time set and recovery time set?

[@trainfreediving2772]

Yeah, the concept can be "converted" into other combinations of STA or dry apnea walking.. Conceptually, the idea is to get a feeling of increased CO2 early in your set, and then add recovery to maintain that feeling for all the breath-holds..

[@jodecaesteker3971]

And here I am again... 🙃 Wow. This is good. I understand it way better now. I should have watched this video first before commenting on the videos of your girlfriend who is a far FAR better freediver than I am. Guess I did some reversed watching and commenting. 🙃 Hence the reversed understanding: coming from no understanding on the first given comment, then onto doubts on the second and then on the third comment here: almost full understanding. Still, between understanding and doing... 😱 It does seem highly intimidating. I'm afraid to have ANY contractions as you'll know by reading my other comments on your training vlogs. I'm so so SO far away from having no contractions in 50m swims. Maybe, just MAYBE I can do 25m without them. But what exactly do you mean if you say "if you can do 50m without contractions"? Do you mean 50m without any warmup and just jump in and do it? Then I'm even further away from that. I can do 50m but with warm ups and probably some mild hyperventilation. And still getting MASSIVE contractions in the second half. 🙄🤮🥺

[@balamut5]

For a moment I thought 8 laps of 25 metres, then recovery, then another 8 laps, etc. :) thought impressive, then nah…

[@awarenessfreediving4743]

Is there any more "scientific" evidence that prove that we reach the "appropriate"CO2 levels, and improve performance

[@trainfreediving2772]

Since making that video, if I look only at my 1:1 online coaching, I've had about 45 people who have specifically needed / wanted to deley their urge to breathe as the primary focus for their trianing cycle. Using this style of training (not just this exercise, but the concept of getting CO2 up to around the first contraction level and holding it there though the table without getting to strong urge to breathe / hard contractions).. 43 of them increased their time / distance / depth to 1st contraction by at least 10-20% within the first 8-10 weeks of training.. and then building on that if they've continued for more training cycles. (The most recent case was a guy who's first contraction came just before 40m Dyn, after 4.5 months, he's up to 1st contraction between 75-78). The 2 that didn't, often "broke" the program and went into push-zone on a regular basis (1/2 of their sessions). That's without commenting on people who've also significantly delayed their contractions by using these types of exercises without my direct hands on programming / coaching.. -- Other than that (actually measuring CO2 levels, and the effects it has on the blood), nothing "scientific".. But we know that endurance, flexibility, stamina, lactic threshold, mitochondria, etc.. Are build fastest by training around the point where you START to stress the system. NOT by going to the LIMIT of the system..