Gasping for breath after crash?! Breathing how to?

[FLandOBX]

Since no one else has said it, here it is. Aerobic conditioning is important. If you're out of shape, you get winded easily. If your issue is breathing pattern, not conditioning, then others may have better answers. But if you're getting winded from kiteboarding, then you're out of shape and need to get serious about aerobic conditioning (run, bike, swim, etc.).

[downunder]

Hi Peter,
I also hold the breath when I jump, so for sure if I crash with holding, it's a challenge under water

I wish it's about holding for at least 30 secs.

It's unconscious what doing now, might need to work on that as John says.

Argh, OBX, now we talking! Thanks for that, I did not think of it at all. It might be true. I kite almost every day, and go really hard. But, if I try to run, God, not sure how that would go Might get a cardiac arrest :0(

[Bille]

...
I kite almost every day, and go really hard. But, if I try to run, God, not sure how that would go Might get a cardiac arrest :0(

Your gonna Hate me ; after Ya do this :

Climbing stairs , or walking up a hill a few times , with some, (a little)
weight on your back. It's much better on your lower back , and knees
than running ; and the results can be felt immediately.


Bille

[edt]

When you are just sitting around doing nothing it's easy to randomly hold your breath for 30 seconds. But when you get held under by a crash or wave 8 seconds is an eternity. What's the difference? Being stressed. If you can just completely relax underwater it's easy to hold your breath. Panic is what eats up your air.

Easier said than done though!

[knotwindy]

Well, yes and no.
What you say is true but there is a bit more to it. If you are holding your breath while riding you are almost out of breath before you crash so to compare it to sitting around doing nothing you would have to hold your breath for a minute 3 lor 4 times and then try and hold your breath. 30 seconds is going to seem a lot longer so breathing regularly while you are riding is still part of the answer.
Although nobody should have to tell you breathing is really important. Or to ‘practice’ not holding your breath while being active. Try skiing while holding your breath and see how far you get.
Are we really talking about how to breath? How old are we?

[zerogee_ca]

My guess is that you're not breathing properly to start with, probably holding your breath during (relatively) long periods of concentration. To break this habit you should consciously focus on regular breathing throughout your sessions - after a while it will become second nature.

This.

I have to remind myself to breath sometimes when I am linking a bunch of cutbacks on the same wave.

[foilonfoil]

Might be worthwhile to have your lungs checked out by DR with some sort of stress test... I have not encountered anyone who has the problem you describe.

[GJibb]

I focused on Triathlon training a few years ago and found that the more I was swimming the more comfortable I felt crashing and getting stuck under insanely unpredictably spaced wave sets at my local spot.
Basically when I was a beginner kitesurfing I would swallow a ton of gross water and almost drown repeatedly each session.
After I learned how to swim (more than any typical average person in a pool with zero experience) my level of comfort under water for extended periods of time getting bashed all over the place skyrocketed.

[TomW]

Look at what big wave surfers are doing. Aerobic training, lifting, and running with rocks under water. Swim training is a great way to increase your aerobic fitness, learn how hard it is to actually swim long distances and not panic or over exert yourself as you attempt to swim a longer distance. Swim sessions in open water are also better than pools.

Swimming teaches breathing techniques. If you've never had a swim lesson, you should join an adult freeswim ( crawl) course and get some coaching. It's amazing how little most people know about correct swim technique.

[FLandOBX]

Swimming teaches breathing techniques. If you've never had a swim lesson, you should join an adult freeswim ( crawl) course and get some coaching. It's amazing how little most people know about correct swim technique.

+1. When I was a kid competing on a local swim team, my coach (incorrectly) told me that the keys to swimming were a super fast windmill motion with the arms combined with furious kicking. Years later while training for triathlons, I joined a masters swim team and took some swim lessons and learned that the key to swimming well is balance in the water. Most people fight the water and get winded quickly, but learning to balance correctly in the water enables us to swim faster, longer and more relaxed.

More to the point of the OP's question, swimming is a great aerobic exercise for developing strong breathing techniques. For people with asthma and other breathing challenges, a swimming program will often reduce symptoms. It's a great low impact, lifelong exercise, and it'll improve not only your kiteboarding, but also your quality of life. IMHO.