I've always wanted to increase my breath-hold time so I can stay calmer and not feel like I have to scratch for the surface on the bigger hold downs. If the breath-hold training is constantly putting you in a state of oxygen deprivation as you push your limits further and further though, I'm concerned about negative side effects (like large scale killing of brain cells).

Can anyone relate any personal side effects they've encountered or any research that addresses this?

Also interested in any positive health effects that result from the training (outside of the obvious ability to deal with bigger surf).

I'm really not sure about the first part of your post,but definitely something to ponder and research.I've noticed two things since working on breath hold exercises, did wonders for my anxiety and I'm now able to take much larger bong rips. Don't think the latter is helping my breathhold ability though

lold ^.

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sneedeker

If you are learning proper breathing techniques, you're not just training your body to not breathe as long but You are training your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles to actually becoming more efficient in using the oxygen you do take in. If you are efficiently training them to do so, you shouldn't have adverse health effects. Obviously this isn't a matter of just holding your breath, it requires a lot of mental training as well. Simply holding your breath without the mental training will tell your body there's a problem which will actually increase your anxiety and need for oxygen and increase your heart rate. I would suggest doing a lot of research before simply just trying to hold your breath.

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Instagram.com/Mels_Big_Racks

It's probably worth getting a cardiac checkup before dabbling too heavily in something like this. Immersion, and carbon dioxide buildup can do wacky things to heart rhythms.

If you have Long QT Syndrome or a genetic predisposition toward it, that can evolve into a "Torsades de pointes" arrythmia that may cause blackout or fatal ventricular fibrillation.

Makes me wonder if something like that precipitated Jay Moriarty's drowning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caEDDwCynps

Ice helps too.

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Specializing in sarcasm and condescending rhetoric since 1971.

Before 05, when I started my company, I'd go to Costa 2 weeks after Easter for the deals. A month before I'd go to a tanning saloon to get a base tan. While laying there, I'd practice holding my breath. I could go almost 3 minutes. I mentioned it to a surf mate who said that it was different when you're in white water. So I'd start thrashing about while tanning. I always wanted to go to Matapalo, hearing that it's a machine made wave, each like the other. 1st time there the waves looked fun, couple feet over head. My 2cnd wave there, came from way out, obscured by the previous wave, and I was under the lip when I saw it. I attempted a duck dive but the lip hit me on the back, pushing me to bottom, and yanking my trunks off. I didn't panic because of my practicing. I popped up, and sure enough there was an identical wave doing the same thing to me. Again and again until it let me go. There was a guy on the beach that watched me gear up and paddle out. He said "I couldn't believe you went out. I had to thank him for the heads up.