how can i hold my breath under water?

Answer 1

HYPER VENTILATING (BREATHING FAST ) TO START PUTS MORE OXYGEN INTO THE BLOOD STREAM THIS IN TUN TELLS THE BRAIN YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BREATH YET THEN PRACTISE
TANYA STREETER THE WORLD FREE DIVER CAN HOLD HER BREATH FOR 6 MINUTES

Answer 2

Why do you want to?

Okay, assuming you have some good reason for wanting to learn this (going snorkelling on holiday?), here is some advice:

If you didn't know this already—your body does not store oxygen (O2) for longer than it takes for your blood to get from your lungs to the tissues which need it. This means that when you take a breath and hold it, your body's O2 supply is pretty much limited to what you took in on the last couple of breaths.

Also, while you're holding your breath, your body is using up that O2 reserve and at the same time producing carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 stimulates the urge to breathe once it reaches a certain level in your blood (although you can train yourself to resist this urge with practice). So your goals as a breath-holder are to reduce your metabolic requirement for O2 as much as possible, so that only vital functions are being supported, and ensure that CO2 buildup is as slow as possible.

Therefore, the the two main things you need to remember are:
- relaxation is key: the more relaxed you are in the water, the slower your heart will beat, and the slower it will use up your blood O2 reserve
- you should breathe deeply before you start a breathhold: (1) this will help you to relax (2) it will get as much O2 into your blood as possible (3) it will flush out CO2, extending the time until CO2 buildup reaches the level to stimulate breathing

!!! VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY RULE !!!
NEVER take more than 3 or 4 deep breaths before you start a breathhold. Although more breaths ("hyperventilation") will extend your breathhold time, it can reduce your blood CO2 to dangerously LOW levels, while not actually giving you any 'extra' O2. This means that your O2 level drops below the level required to sustain consciousness BEFORE you feel the need to breathe, and you pass out without warning.
!!! PEOPLE HAVE DROWNED BECAUSE OF THIS !!!

A few extra tips that will help while you're in-water:
- you shouldn't make unnecessary movements: the more movements you make, the more O2 your muscles need, and the more CO2 they produce (NB muscles will also work without O2— anaerobically—but this only happens after the O2's gone, and can't be sustained for very long because the process produces lactic acid instead of CO2, and lactic acid buildup causes pain and cramps)
- if you have to move, use big, slow movements: this reduces the water's resistance to your movement, and therefore also both your O2 demand and CO2 production rate
- you shouldn't practice breathholding right after a big meal: while you still have food in your stomach, it will be moving and working to mix and digest the contents, and that means it's using up your precious O2
- get a waterproof sports watch and a pair of cheap goggles, and use the stopwatch function to time your breath-holds: push as far as you feel comfortable, then aim to do 5 more seconds next time
- practice with someone else—someone you trust: that way, if you do get into trouble, you've got someone looking out for you

One last word:
It is not the lifeguard's job to watch you exclusively—he has a whole pool full of people to look after. Also, lifeguards get really nervous when they see people floating facedown in the pool—so please don't practice on your own during public sessions. If the pool gets cleared to rescue you, you won't be popular!

Good luck and have fun

Answer 3

To hold your breath longer whilst under puff your cheeks out then re-inhale then let some out and repeat. This can be done a few times because we breathe in more air than we actually need. That's why we can do CPR to save somebody.

Answer 4

Breathe in before you go under, breathe out as slow as possible whilst under, then it's a case of how long can you last before you need to breathe in again.

Answer 5

The more relaxed you are, the longer you'll be able to hold your breath. When you are at a point where you feel uncomfortable, breathe out very slowly. This will give you another 6-7 seconds. Once you start feeling like you're dying, swallow, this will give you another 2-3 seconds...after that you're completely out of air and I doubt u'll be able to reach to the surface in time =D

Answer 6

do you mean you want to hold you breath longer?
that takes weeks of practice!! but if you dont know how to hold your breath you close your mouth and dont try to breath thru your nose.

Answer 7

The same way you hold it above water

Answer 8

You need to let out bubbles as you go. If swimming you can let them all out just before you breath or let them out gradually as you go.

Answer 9

easy use a plastic bag to breathe into keep it in ur hand presto ur holding ur breath

Answer 10

try breathing under water---- and you will soon learn