Breath holding needs more explanation, research.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)

The authors of "Dying for Air" (February 2005) did not spend any time researching apnea physiology. As a formally trained freediver with almost 20 years of training/diving experience, I was appalled this article was published. Are the authors really suggesting a ban of Olympic fin swimming training? Seems like there are purist/exclusionary attitudes oozing here.

AIDA International or CAFA (freedivecanada.com) have individuals who are actually capable of publishing factual information on the subject of apnea/breath-hold diving/freediving. One example of the lack of research: "shallow water blackout" can only occur when coming up from depth. I could go on, but do not consider myself an expert on diving physiology.

Now, this article did get me thinking that lifeguards do need to receive training on how to deal with hypoxia. Pool facilities will improve their risk management by having better trained individuals. Kids are always seeing who can hold their breath longer and freediving is getting more popular every year.

I always train with a buddy whether in the pool, lake or ocean and have revived multiple partners who blacked out from hypoxia and shallow water blackout. Research by Canadian and European physiologists on the effects of hypoxia and hypoxic blackout is online (CAFA or AIDA International). The aquatics industry may as well get onboard now, because the apneaists are coming.

Aaron Parker

Founding Member

United States Apnea Association