Oxygen consumption tests

The oxygen content in air is 21%. If you at any given moment during your normal life would breath out a gasanalyzer would not show more than 14%. If you would breath out fully and than take a full breath the oxygen in your lung would reach 16 or maybe 17% (big conclusion to draw from this).

By hyperventilating for 30 seconds (20 quick breaths) you can reach 18 or 19%. Which is of course good. Or is it? Lets compare a three preparations: 1) 30 sec hyperventilate of 20 quick breaths. 2) 2 min preparation with less ventilation (10 breaths total). 3) Ventilation and a short static before the walk. After that a 1 minute apneawalk. What would be the O2 content in the lungs after these different preparations?

Gas analyzer test - O2% person 1 person 2 person 3 person 4 person 5 person 6 person 7
Hyperventilation + 1min apneawalk 8,3 12,1 13,2
Ventilation + 1 min apneawalk 9,8 11,7 11,2
Ventilation+30sec static+ 1 min apneawalk 10,2 10,5 12,2

Comment. A one minute walk might be too short to reach a Dive response level, where oxygen consumption will be reduced. Dive response is stronger the more CO2 you have in your body.

TESTS
07
 Walking apnea
- no ventilation before (no breakfast)		 Walking apnea - hyperventilation
before (no breakfast)
Name
Total WA time
Lowest SpO2
 BreathOut O2
Lowest Heart rate
 First contraction
Lowest SpO2
 BreathOut O2
Lowets Heart rate
 First contraction
Daniel
1.45
78 %
9.2
59 HR
1.20
64 %
5.7
58 HR
1.13
Sebastian Naslund
2.30
82 %
9.8
40 HR
1.05
%
-
HR
-
Ewa
2.15
88 %
7.0
- HR
1.15
55 %
6.6
65 HR
1.17
Simon
1.40
74 %
9.8
74 HR
0.50
57 %
5.9
56 HR
1.23
Leif
1.50
81 %
-
81 HR
0.50
58 %
6.2
42 HR
1.31
Josefin
2.00
77 %
9.7
112 HR
1.05
44 %
5.5
49 HR
1.50
Anders L
2.20
78 %
8.7
47 HR
1.00
76 %
-
55
1.34
Staffan
1.20
79 %
9.3
- HR
0.50
67 %
7.2
48
1.04
Elsa
1.40
85%
78
65%
95

TESTS
dec-08
 Morning CO2 check,
no breakfast.
First significant contraction		 2 minute
walking apnea
- no ventilation before
(no breakfast)		 2 minute
walking apnea - hyperventilation
before (no breakfast)		 Lowest O2
during 5 min breathhold		 Lowest O2
during 3 min walking apnea		 Spirometri
VC / VC with pack		 Max Breath hold during course
Name
Time
Lowest O2
Lowest Heart rate
Lowest O2
Lowest Heart rate
Lowest O2
Lowest O2
 Litre
Christian Ernest
68 % swim
44 HR
60% swim
58 HR
76 %
66 %
swim
6/7.1
6.15
Sebastian Naslund
1.47
%
HR
%
HR
85 %
75/74/73/72/75%
swimstrokes (HR42)
6.3/7.1
-
Erik Sundstrom
85 %
60 HR
87 %
65 HR
60 %
-
7.3/8.1
6.15
Sofia Tapani
1.20
83%
71
5.4/5.7
5.10 (58%)
Karin Fågelberg
2.00
83%
79
5.27 (41%)
Anders Ekdahl
86 %
-
77 %
56 HR
-
-
5.8
6
Martin Ekdahl
87 %
-
84 %
42 HR
51 %
-
6.1
6
Peter Eklund
80 %
57 HR
81 %
49 HR
-
-
7
5
Mattias Lindstrom
90 % (slowwalk)
52 HR
90 %
55
-
-
4.9
4
Alex
no feel cont
78 %
79 HR
62 % swim
48
-
-
4.9
4

* SWIM = swimmovements, breaststrokes.

Other test (5 minute serie)

Finger oximeter - Name (2008)
Lowest O2 during
5 min breathhold - dry
Lowest HR

Contraction at
Sebastian Naslund 1
88 %
44
  
Sebastian Naslund 2
80 %
41
  
Sebastian Naslund 3
91 %
-
  
Sebastian Naslund 4
85 %
-
  
Sebastian Naslund 5
91 % (82% at 6 min)
41/34
  
Sebastian Naslund 6
78 % in Water
-
  
Sebastian Naslund 7
79%
41
  
Sebastian Naslund 8 84 % 50  
Sebastian Naslund 9 85 % 47  
Sebastian Naslund 10 (hypervent) 79%(68% at 6 (41HR)) 50  
Sebastian Naslund 11 84% (80% at 5.30) 57 3.45
Sebastian Naslund 12 (no breath up) 82% 44 3.00
Sebastian Naslund 13 87% 52 3.35
Sebastian Naslund 14 82% 48  
Sebastian Naslund 15-17 91, 92, 88% (at retreat) -  
Sebastian Naslund 18 87, 86% -  
Sebastian Naslund 19 78% (ear) 2.40
Sebastian Naslund 20 82% (87% finger) 3
Sebastian Naslund 21 88% finger 37 4
Average
 
 

5 minute breath-up, 20 breaths, empty stomach, one warm-up with a few contractions. Generally contractions at 3.15-3.45. All SpO2 measurements from MEDAIR IPX2 OXY finger - value taken at its lowest point usually 25 seconds after breath hold.
Finger oximeter - Name (2008)
Lowest O2 during
5 min breathhold - dry
Lowest HR

Contraction at
Henrik Söderling 57% -  
Sofia tapani 58% -  
Karin Fågelberg
 64%
 
Name (2009)
Lowest O2 during
7 min breathhold - dry
Lowest HR

Contraction at
Sebastian Naslund 1
61 %
-
 -
Sebastian Naslund 2
70 % (88 at 5, 84 at 6)
35
 4
Sebastian Naslund 3
65 % (92 at 5, 85 at 6)
33
 3.45
 
 
 
  

O2 tables
Among some expert freedivers doing maxattempts is the regular training. But a perfect breathhold asks for perfect preparation and that might involve changing your behaviour a day or more in advance. It might also get boring.
A O2 table is divised to train tolerance to low levels of O2 (mentally and physically). The idea is usually to do many breathholds of increasing time. If it is too easy - it is not training. The examples below will aswell produce high CO2 levels, but that is not the purpose. Example:

Example 1:
Rest/Ventilate Breathhold
2 1.30
2 2.00
2 2.30
2 3.00
2 3.30
2 4.00
2 4.30
Example 2:
Rest/Ventilate Breathhold
2 2.30
2 3
2 3.30
2 4.00
2 4.30
2 5
2 go for max?
Of course heavy ventilation will delay contractions and enable you to reach lower O2 values. And as always it is life threatening to do these exercises in water without professional spotting. And low O2 will release a lot of free radicals in your body, that might lead to illness.

Of course walking apnea is another very efficient way of reaching low O2 levels.

Produce your own tables