Scientists are in a quandary: training alone cannot explain how the German Tom Sietas could not breathe for more than 22 minutes. Having not yet found an intelligible interpretation, they warn of the mortal danger of such "records".
Tom Sitas lasted 22 minutes and 22 seconds under water without air. The 35-year-old German competed with the former champion in this discipline, Brazilian Ricardo Bahi.
Those who are familiar with the process of "free" diving without scuba gear and even without a breathing tube from childhood know how, within 30-40 seconds after holding their breath, the body begins to frantically demand a breath of saving air. However, 35-year-old German Tom Sietas succeeded in the unthinkable - during the demonstration performances in China, he improved his achievement in being under water by almost 5 minutes.
Now the world achievement in holding the breath, which will be entered in the Guinness Book of Records, is equal to 22 minutes 22 seconds. The interest in the show was so great that an attempt to set a new record was broadcast live on one of the Chinese TV channels.
Among Japanese professional divers for pearls (more precisely, behind shells in which precious "beads" are hidden) for many years, the ability to stay under water for 7 minutes is considered the best achievement.
The record holder himself explains his incredible abilities by long and regular training, which led to the fact that his lung volume is 20% larger than that of ordinary people.
Tom Sietas says that he conducts special training for many years at least 1-2 times a week. At the same time, he alternates between a static holding of his breath, being under water in a stationary state, with a dynamic one - when he swims under water for several minutes, intensively working with his arms and legs. It is clear that in the latter case, the body consumes much faster even the negligible amount of oxygen that is preserved in the blood and lungs of the diver.
Citas did not eat for more than five hours before the dive in order to slow down his metabolism. Then he breathed pure oxygen from a cylinder for some time, without this it is impossible to be without air for so long. His personal record for holding a breath without using pure oxygen is 10 minutes 12 seconds.
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For the first time, the ability of this freediver to be under water without air for a very long time was noticed by his scuba diving instructor, who began to teach Tom the art of apnea. Now a German has 20% more lung capacity than an ordinary person.
Divers like Tom, and behind them scientists studying the mysterious phenomenon, have found that under normal conditions, while on land, he can hold his breath for much shorter periods of time than under water.
Researchers attribute this to a special ancient reflex, which is inherent in all mammals, including humans: under water, there is a sharp narrowing of some blood vessels and a decrease in pulse rate, which reduces oxygen consumption.
However, doctors warn that the long-term effects of such exercises can be extremely detrimental to the health of "super divers".