Dry Compensation for Advanced Level Apnea (1/2)

This document is a continuation of: « Freediving Compensation, Beginner Level Dryland Training Part 2/2: Frenzel »

We saw that among the possible compensation methods (beginner level):

-forget Vasalva

-BTV was a possible solution but not accessible to everyone

-Frenzel is the preferred solution for a beginner

-there is no point in looking into the Mouthfill (=Frenzel Fattah) until you are comfortable at 30-35m

Next step: Now that you're approaching 35m, it's time to consider mouthfilling.

Required accessories:

-Dry trainer or Otovent (see previous document if you don't know)

-mirror (or phone camera)

Principle

Le mouthfill ("mouth filler" in English), also called " Frenzel Fattah » is, as its name indicates, an evolution of the Frenzel method by Dr. Fattah, in order to reach greater depths.

The principle is the same, with a greater amount of air in the mouthThis allows you to make your last charge less deep (generally around 15m and at the lowest around 30m for experts) and to keep it until the bottom (more than 100m for the best)

In other words, the second difference between Frenzel and mouthfill, apart from the quantity of air recovered at each charge, and that thewe will do much less charging (but almost as many compensations!): A small charge on the surface, a second small one a few meters away and a last one (the “real” charge) around 15m. Another solution is obviously to do a frenzel from 0 to 15m then a single charge in mouthfill…

Why learn Frenzel when you're starting out, and not mouthfill directly?

-because the mouthfill is more difficult to manage (greater pressure in the mouth). The slightest problem that is not properly controlled (aquacity, finning, stress) will cause the charge to be lost, and we will be too deep to do another one.

-because everything we learn for Frenzel will also be useful for mouthfill, and Frenzel is enough to go more than 30m

-and incidentally because the mouthfill risks making you progress too quickly and go lower than you know how to manage.

The locks

There are 3 possible positions for locking the tongue: T, K, H. For Frenzel, only one lock is sufficient (usually the T lock).

For the Mouthfill, you can very well, at first, be satisfied with a single lock (T). But a succession of three locks allows you to make some additional compensations with the same volume in the mouth, and therefore gain a few meters.

Exercise 1: Say "PE-PE-PE-PE TE-TE-TE-TE-TE-TE KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ RHÉ-RHÉ-RHÉ" several times and identify the tongue movements and where it goes. Don't cheat! Try to find it yourself without reading the solution below. You can try to guess either by feeling, or by looking at yourself in front of a mirror...

Solution :

– PÉ-PÉ-PÉ-PÉ: the tongue is at rest, in a low position. It does not move (it is the lips that make the noise by expelling the air

-TEE-TEE-TEE-TEE-TEE: the tip of the tongue will hit the upper teeth

– KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ-KÉ: the tip of the tongue will hit the lower teeth

– RHÉ-RHÉ-RHÉ-RHÉ: the tip of the tongue remains in the center. In fact, it goes against the back of the mouth

These 4 sounds correspond respectively to: The neutral position of the tongue (P), the lock T, the lock K (or KA for the English), the lock H (or GA or RHÉ).

Exercise 2:

-Pinch your nose with your fingers

-empty your lungs (partially or completely) and close the glottis (see lesson 1: “How to control your glottis”).

-with your mouth open, make very small Frenzels while looking at yourself in a mirror, making small jolts with your tongue in the T, K, H position: in all 3 cases you should notice a small bump on each side of the nose. This means that the pressure is increasing in the nose.

Note: Make sure your rib cage is relaxed, and not moving.

Exercise 2B: Do a Frenzel again, increasing gradually pressure. You should eventually feel a "pop" in your ears. Do not increase the pressure any further. It shouldn't be painful.

Repeat this exercise several times. Over the weeks, it should become a "reflex" act.

The M charge

While the "classic" Frenzel is done with an N load (or a reverse carp), the mouthfill is done with an M load. The principle is the same, but moves the air from the lungs to the cheeks by pronouncing not "NEEEEE" but "MEUHHH" (like the cow) or "HEUMMMM" (a bit like the OHMMM in yoga).

While doing this:

-gradually raise your head, as if you were looking at the sky

-progressively move your jaw forward and down (while keeping your mouth closed)

-keep your tongue relaxed, resting at the back of your mouth, with the tip resting against your lower teeth (without leaning on them)

Note : while the N load slightly hollows the cheeks, the M load inflates them like a hamster.

Exercise 3: Pinch your nose and try to do moderate loads at first, then increasingly stronger (without exceeding the pressure you use in Frenzel). This should not be painful.

Note : After a certain increase in pressure in the mouth, you may feel a "pop" in your ears: the mouthfill generates a higher pressure, and if done correctly, it will be enough to achieve initial compensation.

Exercise 4: You will need a dry trainer or autovent. Consider choosing a balloon very flexible. If you buy directly from the Otovent brand, do not use the balloons supplied with it because they are much too stiff (they are not originally intended for freedivers but for separate medical use). If the balloon is new, it is best to inflate it 5-6 times before starting, in order to relax it. Place the balloon on the nozzle, then:

-Place the tip over one nostril with the balloon deflated. The contact on the nostril must be airtight.

-block the other nostril with a finger

-Take a partial or full breath

-inflate the balloon a little using a Frenzel (T, K or H lock). The balloon straightens up and then inflates a little.

-Release your tongue, the ball comes back down

-Redo your lock: it goes back up

-Etc.

Exercise 4B: Do the same thing, but preceded by an M load. Keep the ball upright for at least 10s with the load (cheeks inflated)

Remarks :

-If the balloon is too stiff, you may not be able to inflate it. If it hurts, don't insist!

-The advantage of this exercise compared to the previous one is that it allows you to "quantify" the effectiveness of each lock (T, K, H): The more the balloon inflates, the more effective the lock is (even if the difference is not always very visible!). In addition, waiting 10s makes you work on duration: the balloon must remain a constant size, without going back and forth.

Exercise 4C (optional because difficult to master at first)

-Still with a Dry Trainer, do a Frenzel in T lock. The ball straightens.

-Maintain the lock, tongue on the upper teeth, and gradually lower the tongue onto the lower teeth (lock K).

-Then bring the tongue back, into the H position.

The complete mouthfill

Exercise 5:

-pinch your nose slightly, but let some air escape

-do a full M charge and keep your head up and jaw relaxed: it is possible that some air will escape

-gently lower your head (chin towards the top of your chest): you should feel the pressure increase again in your mouth, until a little air escapes again

-force on the cheeks: new air outlet

-Do a series of T locks: each lock will release a little air

-When, by dint of losing air, you can no longer increase the pressure sufficiently, move on to another lock (K then H) and try to find the correct tongue position

Note : The ideal for this exercise is to do it with a dry bubbler. But we will see that in the next document.

By the way, why the letters N and M for charges?

It's anecdotal, but here's a little game to finish:

Exercise 6:

-Inflate the dry trainer balloon by mouth, pinch it, place it on one nostril (the other being locked with a finger)

-open your mouth without letting the air escape (the soft palate is therefore locked).

-Now spell the alphabet slowly without letting any air escape.

-see what happens to the letters N and M…

Solution : It is impossible to spell the letters N and M without letting air escape: these letters require a soft palate in a neutral position. This explains, among other things, why a full M charge will make a "pop" in your ears (QED!)

For further exploration...

Once you've mastered all this on dry land, all you have to do is practice at sea.

Please note: the mouthfill is not worked at 40m but from 0 to 20-25m in mid-lung (FRC) with a load on the surface and one towards 5-6m. Once the mouthfill is mastered, we can test it in FRC with a single mouthfill on the surface, in order to know to what theoretical depth it could take us

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the rules mentioned in the Frenzel file:

Rule 1: NEVER ALONE! This does not mean that a friend is watching you from the other end of the beach, but that he is with you, in the water, attentive to what you are doing, and that he is able to go down too if necessary.

Rule 2: We work on technique (therefore quality), and not duration. Especially since it is important to be relaxed. We are therefore looking at apnea times that are quite short compared to what you would be able to achieve.

Rule 3: we control our descentThe best way is to descend along a vertical cable, pulling yourself along with your hands (this is called "free diving"). So, without finning. That's good, all freediving clubs have a cable! The advantage is that at the slightest problem, you can stop your progress and avoid hurting yourself.

Rule 4: compensation must always be done gently. Never force! If a compensation does not pass, we stop immediately, we possibly stay on the spot for 5-10 seconds to try to make a compensation pass (by changing the technique: head position, jaw position etc, but not by forcing), then in all cases we go back up.

Rule 5: we do not go beyond the last compensation. We are here to progress in technique, not to break a record...

Go further in dry compensation

In our next article, we will see how to fine-tune your mouthfill, keep it consistent and practice dry handling unforeseen events (increasing pressure, skipping a compensation, etc.) using a dry bubbler:

Freediving Compensation, Advanced Dryland Training Part 2/2: Going Even Further

1. Pierre BOUTEILLON for Deepway
2. https://deepway.fr
3. contact@deepway.fr