How long can you hold your breath for?

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How long can you hold your breat?

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Don't remember the last time...

Why is it though it burns like the dickens if I open my eyes up while underwater? I cannot do that for the life of me...hope I never have to be a lifeguard...I couldn't do it for the reason I can't see where I'm going underwater
 
The longest I've gone is nearly two minutes. I don't kow the exact time, I do know that I had the biggest headache afterward. :ouch:
 
I haven't done it awhile, but I used to be pretty good at it. It was a fun game when I was a lid to swim across the pool back and forth under water as many times as you could.

Nothing better then trying to drown yourself.
 
Elijah
Don't remember the last time...

Why is it though it burns like the dickens if I open my eyes up while underwater? I cannot do that for the life of me...hope I never have to be a lifeguard...I couldn't do it for the reason I can't see where I'm going underwater
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The chlorine? I wear goggles anyway.
 
I'd like to mention, just for the record, that this thread title would be a little better without the "for" on the end.
 
One little test behind my monitor and I was suprised I didn't even feel like breathing the first 30 seconds. Then at 45 seconds my stomach begin to go in and out a bit and I managed another 30 seconds after that:dopey:

1.16+

And it was just in front of my TFT screen:) And I had amonia (is that how you call it) quickly after I was born. My eyes are pretty wattery now though, after pushing myself to 1.16:crazy:
 
Wow, hyperventilating really works. I tried it just then, didn't time myself, but I went for a fair while and I didn't even feel out of breath…

ferrari_chris, you mention dangers, could you elaborate?
 
Yep, hyperventilating does help.
 
Just did it again and I did 2'15. Hyperventilating really helps a lot.
 
Blake
...ferrari_chris, you mention dangers, could you elaborate?
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Your body needs CO2 (Carbon-Dioxide) to operate. Every cell does. The amount is approximately 7% of cell volume.

By hyperventilating you flood your red blood cells, and consequently your other body cells, with O2 (Oxygen). This reduces the amount of CO2 in your cells. They cannot function and they shutdown.

Remember, a lot of your bloodflow goes to your brain (the reason for that big vein in your neck) and these cells are extremely suseptible to changes in O2/CO2 levels.

Some quotes:

Hyperventilation simply means an increase in the function of the lungs above the normal recommended amount.
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... over-breathing lowers the level of CO2 in the organism ...
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... a definite concentration of CO2 (7% approx.) is an absolutely essential condition of each human cell in order for it to sustain all the normal pathways of the biochemical processes.
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The following defensive mechanisms are an attempt to guard against this loss of CO2, in the lungs.
  • Spasms of the bronchi and the blood vessels.
  • Lowering of the arterial pressure (hypotension), thereby decreasing the release of CO2 from the organism.
Bronchial and blood vessel spasms also decrease the amounts of oxygen reaching the cells of the brain, the heart, the kidneys and other organs.
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The lowering of CO2 in the nerve cells heightens the threshold of their excitability ... Concurrent with this, the breathing centre in the brain is further stimulated thereby causing a further loss of CO 2
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As mentioned before, if the level of CO2, falls below 3% ... the whole of the organism dies.
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Quotations taken from http://www.buteykovideo.com/method_theory.htm. It's a medical site dealing with the symptoms/effects/cures of over-breathing. They're talking about a slight over-breathing all day, every day (like taking a deep breath every time you breathe). While this isn't exactly what we're dealing with here the effect on CO2 is the same, and many of the symptoms are relevant.

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!
 
Between 30 and 35 seconds, I have to come up for air every few minutes.
 
Here's an article from Australia's Dr. Karl on the dangers of hyperventilation (and how he almost died on national television):

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1392360.htm

Basically, the body uses the concentration of CO2 in the blood to determine when to breathe. By hyperventilating and driving all the CO2 out of the blood, you can "forget" how to breathe.
 
1'10 was my personal best, but I was 16 at the time.
 
VTRacing
Here's an article from Australia's Dr. Karl on the dangers of hyperventilation (and how he almost died on national television):

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1392360.htm

Basically, the body uses the concentration of CO2 in the blood to determine when to breathe. By hyperventilating and driving all the CO2 out of the blood, you can "forget" how to breathe.
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:scared: Wow, scary.
 
VTRacing
Here's an article from Australia's Dr. Karl on the dangers of hyperventilation (and how he almost died on national television):

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1392360.htm

Basically, the body uses the concentration of CO2 in the blood to determine when to breathe. By hyperventilating and driving all the CO2 out of the blood, you can "forget" how to breathe.
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Been there, done that... fortunately, that forgotten skill was only forgotten for about 30 seconds. Quite scary though.
 
27 days, apparently.

Chuck Norris, of course, doesn't hold his breath. He simply allows air into his lungs occasionally in order that his alveoli can roundhouse kick it into submission.
 
Hot Damn... I just did 3:00 even, with probably a good 15-20 seconds left if needed. That was with hyperventilating, though.
Keeping in mind, that was my first try. Sitting in my computer chair.
 
i can do it like 1 minute
 
Randymcchickenf
ok heres a question, how far can you swim underwater? i mean completly underwater, not just face submerged. Ive managed the length of my local swimming pool, 25m. Anyone beaten that?
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I did 2 laps of a 20m pool. Thats my record

BTW my 1:48 was done without hyperventilating. I took some deep breathes in and out for a while, but i did not breath really fast and hyperventalate.
 
I've done a lenth at Grand central they had the pool at 30m at the time, I've never attepted a second lenth.
 
2:56... :lol:@ Famine.

What things people do for entertainment...
shakehead.gif
 
I think I'm starting to feel the effects of passive smoking and my stature :lol:

53 seconds. :lol:
 
VTRacing
Here's an article from Australia's Dr. Karl on the dangers of hyperventilation (and how he almost died on national television):

http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1392360.htm

Basically, the body uses the concentration of CO2 in the blood to determine when to breathe. By hyperventilating and driving all the CO2 out of the blood, you can "forget" how to breathe.
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:eek:

You know I find that really scary?
 
i can hold mine until i pass out and die can you guys do that? no didnt think so! :lol:
 
road kill
i can hold mine until i pass out and die ...
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I wish you'd demonstrate that for us.

I really do.
 
I believe it is physically impossible to do that, because when you pass out, you lose control of holding your breath, and your body continues breathing again.

But prove me wrong road kill, I dare you....

wuss...
 
Casio
I believe it is physically impossible to do that, because when you pass out, you lose control of holding your breath, and your body continues breathing again.

But prove me wrong road kill, I dare you....

wuss...
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yea see i was right...:grumpy:
 
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