Very helpful video, there is no freediving academy here in Venezuela, but your videos helped me to have more control on the muscles involved in equalization I'll practice more on these preparing for my comeback to this amazing sport. So I'm in mode: Doing what I can do with the tools that I have right now. Thank you so much for these videos, they are gold for me.
Thank you very much man. Your videos are so helpful and easy to understand! I'm a relatively new freediver and I already knew how to equalize with frenzel (T and K locks) when I'm in the water, and how to equalize with mouthfill, but that only on dry because I never dove to depths greater than 20m so i didn't need mouthfill. I was always wondering what freedivers do when they lose air in their cheeks, and now i know because of your great video(s) and your passion to share your knowledge. Moutfill (equalizing with cheeks) >>> T lock >>> when you are left with less air, push it in the back of your mouth and continue T lock >>> and in the end use your K lock when you're left with last bits of air. I have a long road to go before i can use all of this because I know it can take me to great depths, and firstly I need to work more on my relaxation, hypoxia threshold, flexibility, etc... I hope you'll continue to make these great videos because I'm sure there are lots of us who are really thankful for all of your work. Keep up the good work! All the best m8, cheers! Nikola
Wow, thank you for such a lovely message. I saw it first thing this morning and it was a great start to my day :). I wish you all the best in this beautiful sport.
Wow, I’ve learned so much from your video. You have covered everything thank so much! PS I’m shocked that someone gave you thumbs down on this Video maybe it was scuba diver!
Harry thanks so much for your help and passion brother! I have watched all your videos over the last few days and have made some good changes to training. You've got an intelligent, well thought out, comprehensive and caring approach to it all. Legend
I'm not a diver but I had an earache once and I saw people who use these techniques to "clean" their ears... I did something that put a huge pressure on my throat I pulled through my nose and safety and released something As soon as i did this technique frenzel stopped having the pressure in my throat after i really think i solved my problem
Merci beaucoup harry vos videos sont vraiment géniales et claires et très utiles ! I voluntary write in french just to show you that it s one more difficulty for me because i have first to understand your words and then your meaning... anyway i feel your passion i love your way to explain and i can feel your interest to be understood ! Thanks so much brother !
Thanks for the comment. I am planning on putting out some videos on how to plan your training around Late April early March when I begin to plan my own training. But I will try to get some content out before then. So you don't expect a lot of pool training content, my expertise is in the depth disciplines. So any pool training I speak about will be pool training for depth. Have a great day
Hi and thank you for this video. When you do the exercise with the balloon at around @9:20 it seems to me that when you close/open the nose, your epiglottis is moving as well (more so the first times). shouldn't it stay closed? Thanks.
What you are seeing is the base of the tongue (larynx), the Glotts (not epiglottis) cannot be seen from the outside. It is good to train isolation of this though, I have focused more on that when teaching since these videos
Once you have inflated the balloon, bring your attention to the inside of your mouth and back of your throat. It probably feels like the back of your tongue is shoved against the back of your throat. Try to release that lock/relax your tongue and let everything come "down". Once it is "down" the air should come out of your nose
Thank you Harry for this quick and efficient reply, I did the trick, just relax the tongue and focus in the back of the mouth. But I can't control the soft palate without the balloon, when I do the frenzel and I let the air escape from my nose I can't equalize any more even if I fill my cheeks coz the soft palate is closed I think, any hint please ?
If you are frenzeling you shouldn't let air out of your nose, keep it closed the entire time. Then do the exact same tongue/throat trick you did with the balloon until you feel the EQ
I really appreciate your help, I need to voluntarily control the soft palate, I have to train for that, this is the hardest part of the frenzel technique I think. thanks a lot Harry !!
Great video! Thank you! You say that for all kinds of equalization the soft palate should be opened. Is it also true for hands free equalization (BTV/VTO)?
Thanks for the comment, So BTV can be tricky, some people may find simulating swallowing helps to equalise BTV which will close the soft palate, but if you have a greater control over your Eustachian tubes you don't need to do that and can leave your soft pallet open. I for instance can go from the surface to the end of my mouthfill using BTV and without closing my soft pallet. Happy diving
Thanks for the videos. Quick question though: I think that I mostly use the K position. Would you recommend that I switch to using the T position primarily and as I reach failure depth that I then switch back to the K position to reduce the space in the mouth? I'm heading off on a dive trip tomorrow for the weekend and I'll have a play around.
hay, there are pros and cons to both locks for frenzel. You will need to refill the k lock more often than the t, but if that is not effecting your relaxation, then I would say to stick to what is most comfortable for you.
Great video thanks! When doing frenzel with air top up (no mouth fill), is their a depth limit, or is the air top up possible at any depth ? Can the top up damage lung ? Thanks !
It's a very individual thing, but everyone will have their limit, just the same as mouthfill. In the end mouthfill is the easiest and safest way to go deep.
Hi there it been a while since you posted this. I can close my epiglottis but I'm not (yet) able to open my soft pallet while the balloon is in my mouth.. How can I train this? I can do the snoring. Thanks!!
usually it is the back of the tongue up against the soft palette, try breathing in the nose and out of the mouth, notice the movement of the tongue, for the balloon, the tongue should be in the same position as when you breath out of the mouth. Good luck
Love your videos Harry. I just want to confirm one thing. If I'm doing the Frenzel equalisation, and my nostrils "puff out" a little, that means my soft palette must be open. Is that correct?
hello Bartosz Perzynski, i recommend doing a frenzel and holding the pressure. you should notice the sound of wind blowing or similar. this is the sound when your eustations are open. try to recreate that sound without using frenzel and practice all the time.
I'm a newbie and I never got hold of the frenzel equalization. I mean I know all the theory but I still can't make it work. Doing your balloon test I realized that I hold my breath by closing the soft palate and not the epiglottis. Is that my problem for nat managing frenzel?
Often before I tried to dive for the first time I had the habit to do as if I would be about to yawn but with my mouth shut to have my ears to pop (gently but still doing it as for in a plane or such) would it be considered as if I am doing a kind of frenzel equalisation ? thanks btw for the video you are good at passing info to us readers
it sounds like BTV voluntary opening of the eustation tubes. if you work on it and practice you will be able to equalise without holding your nose which is very handy.
