The Advantages Of The Alchemy Freediving Neck Weight
Being properly weighted is one of the essentials in freediving and has a huge effect on our dives, as we want to make our dive as pleasant and as efficient as possible. Buoyancy is affected by lots of factors. Body composition, the volume of air in our lungs, water density, depth, and equipment. It is always a bit of work to set it up properly in the way which works the best for us. We need to do it every time we change something and in most cases when we change the suit. We don't want to use too many weights because the suit gets compressed by the pressure at greater depth, we just get too heavy and this makes our ascent too difficult. On the other hand, we don't want to be too light because it could be disturbing in the first few meters when we have to overcome positive buoyancy. It could affect our relaxation and we might build up some tension which can result in some problems, such as mistakes in equalization. Neck Weight VS Belt But that's not all. We also want to place the weights in the most efficient position on our bodies. And here we have 2 options, weight belt with weights or neck weight. It is very obvious that using the neck weight is better and has some benefits. The weight is under our lungs on the descent, it's pulling us down and making all the dive down easier, especially during the freefall. Having too many kilos on the belt is not very comfortable. It can cause the belt to move which is very disturbing and of course, the weights are creating a drag. The Problem With Other Neck Weights I've always played with homemade neck weights made from tires but I never really got to the point when I was able to say it was comfortable. When I made it too tight it was not comfortable around my throat, especially when I charged mouthfill. And when it was too lose it just moved and pushed on my chin and the moving itself was very disturbing. Of course, there are lots of freedivers who don't have these problems but I'm personally just too sensitive for that and it gets very annoying for me. I also bought the neck weight specially made for deep diving, it was better, but still, it was a bit moving and it pressed a bit my collarbones on the surface. The Advantages Of The Alchemy Freediving Neck Weight And then I tried Alchemy neck weight and it just changed it all. I was able to test it before it was officially released in AIDA WCH in Limassol where I took part as a safety diver. I remember that for the first few days I kept touching it and checking if it was still there because I just didn't feel it. It didn't move, it didn't press, and it didn't cause any uncomfortable feelings. It was just there and doing its job. The first one I chose was 45 cm long and 1,4 kg heavy. I chose a little bit longer one than the circumference of my neck because I was just afraid I could lose it, that it could just fall down. It was great and I thought it was the perfect one. But a few weeks later when I was sure it really stays there I tried the shorter version (40cm in length). And that is the neck weight I've been using since then every time I freedive. It is not really all around my neck, there is a space in between tips and I don't have any weight right on my throat. It doesn't move at all and the silicon feels like sticking to the smooth skin wetsuit. And I really don't notice it at all. With my 3mm wetsuit and this 1,23 kg heavy neck weight I can use just 2 little 0,5 kg weights on my belt making me neutrally buoyant at 17 meters which is a depth I like. In warmer waters and in combination with a 1,5 mm thick suit I don't need to use the belt at all. I can adjust the neck weight and bend it in the shape I want. It is very flexible and I can really play with that. What I do is that I bend the tips a little bit more inwards, then place it around my neck and just squeeze it as much as I want. I can float on the surface face up without feeling any pressure on the throat and I really don't have to worry if it stays there. I know it stays and I won't lose it. I usually don't feel any movements during duck diving and if so, it is just very little. It just gets placed in the right position by itself. Then, during the mouthfill charging, I don't get annoyed by it at all. I can take a big one and the neck weight just stays in position and does not press any parts of my neck. I can dive down and just focus on the presence and tasks I have to do. I'm usually diving with bifins or with monofin, which are my favorite disciplines. I'm quite a lot flexible in my shoulders so I'm diving in an arrow position with arms above my head. I'm even freefalling to about 50 meters like that, and of course, going all the way up this way. It doesn't limit me at all. The neck weight is tiny and well-shaped. I always use it for my training and even when I teach. I was a bit worried for the first time when students demonstrated the rescue and I remember I removed it at depth and just held it in my hand. Then I forgot to do it one day and realized it after the rescue, but the neck weight was there, and again, it just didn't move. Honestly, for me, this neck weight was the biggest surprise and the most amazing piece of equipment I tried lately. I really really like it. I can take it with me anywhere and it doesn't matter if I go snorkeling, teaching freediving or training. With the wetsuit, fins, nose clip, and lanyard, this neck weight is a part of my essential equipment and I do not want to freedive without it anymore. It becomes a part of my body under the water. Meet The Alchemy Neck Weight
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04/07/2022
Battling The Fear Of Open Water
Fear of water is the most potent predictor of freedivers. As a result, it is critical to identify what is affecting your confidence and develop effective teaching tactics that best serve your approach to open water. There is an obvious need for a tool that may assist in identifying your fear of open water. If you are afraid of diving or deep waters, this article will help you overcome your fear. The most exciting aspect of freediving is the unique relationship you will have with the open water environment. A Complex Issue Fear of deep water is a complex issue to discuss for some individuals, and many new freedivers deal with it. This is because fear is a personal and typical response when your body interacts with an uncontrollable environment. Each freediver has their unique experience, and everyone has anxieties and concerns while trying out open water freediving for the first time. Fear and anxiety are natural human emotions. Fear is not bad; it has helped us live and prospers in a world full of hazards and uncertainty. Fear, on the other hand, may be crippling at times. It may prevent us from improving and enhancing our freediving abilities. You're already taking brave measures toward overcoming your fear if you're reading this. Learning how to shift your perspective regarding the object of your fear is the first step toward conquering it. Managing your expectations is a simple yet effective practice for dealing with difficult situations. In fact, we do this on a daily basis to avoid engaging in harmful behaviors. But, again, it's a precaution against potential discomfort. Be careful, however, that expectations are not necessarily founded on fact but rather on an interpretation of the truth based on previous experiences. When you learn anything new, it's crucial to see yourself using it. Most likely, only humans are capable of visualization. It gives us a preview of the experience we might expect in the future. You're entering an unknown environment, and if you give this some further thinking, you could feel apprehensive about dealing with the issue. Even skilled freedivers experience fear and distress. Freediving competitions show that when deep divers drop a line to a depth one meter above their best, it can result in worry, anxiety, and stress, which can result in early turns, equalization problems, muscular tension, and other problems. In fact, this issue is not different for beginner freedivers. Challenging No matter how long we have been freediving, we all have challenging times. However, excitement and fear are only two sides of the same coin. They essentially feel the same in our bodies in terms of how they feel. Our interpretation of the sensations makes the difference. Fear is helpful because it alerts us to possible threats and helps us determine how comfortable we are in a situation. Safety may suffer if fear is disregarded or ignored. We need to develop our confidence as freedivers. The major danger is panicking in the water, which might injure us. If we want to freedive safely, we must learn to manage our own fear. Not only does this improve our freediving skills, but it may also be a significant accomplishment and, for some people, an experienced event. The more dives you take, the more experienced you get - you simply start to trust yourself, realizing that all your freediving behavior becomes instinctual and fairly normal. Each time you overcome your fear, it fades away, and you've acquired experience and confidence before you know it. The question is how to overcome the fear of open-water freediving. Fear To Freedom According to many freedivers, freediving is a mental sport. Exercising at an athletic level in other sports that do not include water is insufficient, and individuals must grasp that freediving is about confronting their cognitive thinking. I struggled at first to reach the bottom of a 5m swimming pool because the panic feeling in my thoughts was taking control of my body. It started because of my lack of confidence in the water and because I was exploring somewhere new. Despite this issue, I was not afraid of swimming in an indoor environment such as a swimming pool, provided it was not a 5m deep pool. In a shallow swim pool, I saw that I could see the walls well, that people surrounded me, and that I could touch the bottom. Thus my brain regarded it as a safe environment. After realizing this was due to a lack of confidence, I attempted to go spearfishing because the likelihood of overthinking about being in deep water would be low, allowing me to dive at least 10m deep. But, this was not the case, and I panicked again, failing to reach the 4m depth. My initial method was to become acquainted with a swimming pool, i.e., learn to swim. I could only swim 25m, so I determined to learn how to swim properly. After a few classes, I saw a difference in my technique and decided to go for longer swims. I began increasing my swimming distance from 25m to 100m, with the objective of reaching 1100m (50 laps). When I was able to achieve long-distance swimming, my confidence in the water increased. So I decided to go spearfishing again, and I discovered that I didn't mind being in open water because I could swim to shore if necessary. However, after discovering that I couldn't equalize my ears after 5m, several friends advised me to attend a freediving course, which I did. I have no doubt that being a confident swimmer will assist you in overcoming your fear of open water, and a freediving course is very beneficial. The second step I took was to take a freediving course to learn more about it, including the physiology and risks involved. After learning the fundamentals of physiology and freediving in a swimming pool, it was time to explore the open water again. During my open water course, I saw that I was even more confident. Therefore I had no issue diving to 20m. So far, what I've observed is that being a strong swimmer and the risks freediving entails contributed to my confidence. So basically, everything needed was confidence so that I could trust myself while being in this type of environment. I had assumed that my fear had gone by this point, but it had been misinterpreted. At 27 meters deep, when I had resolved to go further, I panicked once again, so I turned around and thought about why I had panicked. The answer was simple, my mind was ready to go deeper, but my body was not prepared. I thought I needed more practice and repeat my dives accordingly, so my body could get used to it. Having said that, this was not the only thing I found from my lessons learned. I learned that freediving involves two critical components, the mind, and the body. I believed I acquired the self-confidence and expertise necessary to explore the depth, but I was wrong since freediving is a slow sport progression. I realized that I needed more practice, knowledge, and skills. I made the decision to take a step back and relearn freediving. What Helped Me Be a confident swimmer in indoors and open waters. Understand what vulnerability and the impact it has on our brain (being vulnerable is not being weak)Understand the risks of an open water environment. Take a freediving course and take physiology seriously to understand what is happening to your body. Join a freediving club to learn new skills and share experiences. Use my fears during visualization (meditation) so you could visualize each stage of my dive, and find the trigger of it. Meditating focuses on how to face your fear. Take slow progression in freediving. Be in the water as much as possible. The steps above helped me achieve the following: Be a Brazilian national record holder in two disciplines. Move from beginner freediver to instructor level in just 18 months. Progress from 4m depth to 50m. Swim an open water marathon (10K). The number one of the UK in finswimming in my category (Apnea 25m and 50m). A strong believer in ‘You can’. Looking For A Neck Weight? Watch This!
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04/07/2022
Spearfishing The Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are an autonomous Spanish region in the Atlantic Ocean, 62 miles west of Morocco. They provide the grounds for great spearfishing adventures, alongside large pelagic predators. Watch Alchemy partner Ariel Quintana harvest a few of them. Dive In Meet The Alchemy SThe World's Most Intelligent Carbon Fins For Spearfishing
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04/07/2022
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