No-limits apnea explained

No-limit apnea is an AIDA International freediving discipline of competitive freediving, also known as competitive apnea, in which the freediver descends and ascends with the method of his or her choice.^[1] Often, a heavy metal bar or "sled" grasped by the diver descends fixed to a line, reaching great depths. The most common ascension assistance is via inflatable lifting bags or vests with inflatable compartments, which surface rapidly. The dives may be performed head-first or feet-first.

This form of diving is considered extremely dangerous by diving professionals.^[2] No-limit apnea has claimed the lives of several divers.^{[3] [4]}

Challenges

The three main differences between free diving disciplines that involve diving to depth and those that occur at the surface are that you can not interrupt the dive, there are periods where work is performed and the diver is impacted by direct effects of pressure.^[5]

Records

The current no-limit world record holder is Herbert Nitsch with a depth of 214m (702feet) set on 9 June 2007, in Spetses, Greece,^[6] however, in a subsequent dive on 6 June 2012 in Santorini, Greece to break his own record, he went down to 253.2m (830.7feet) and suffered severe decompression sickness immediately afterwards^[7] and subsequently retired from competitive events.

External links

• Types of Diving
• AIDA International: International Association for Development of Freediving
• Current Freediving World Records

Notes and References

1. McKie, N . Freediving in cyberspace. . Journal of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. . 2004 . 34 . 101–3 . https://archive.today/20131005155859/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/8947 . usurped . October 5, 2013 . 2013-10-05.
2. News: A limit on 'No-Limits' freediving. 2021-06-21. gulfnews.com. 2023-08-20.
3. News: A free-diver's death : Tragic plunge to the limits. Clarey. Christopher. 2002-10-19. The New York Times. 2019-08-18. Tribune. International Herald. en-US. 0362-4331.
4. Web site: French free-diver Loic Leferme dies in training accident. www.hindustantimes.com. 12 April 2007. 2019-08-18.
5. Schagatay E . Predicting performance in competitive apnea diving. Part III: deep diving . Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine . 41 . 4 . 216–28 . December 2011 . 22183699 . https://archive.today/20140210211128/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/10371 . usurped . February 10, 2014 . 2014-02-10.
6. Web site: AIDA | Symbol of Freediving .
7. Web site: Herbert Nitsch receiving treatment after failed Record Attempt | DeeperBlue.com . www.deeperblue.com . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105083822/http://www.deeperblue.com/herbert-nitsch-receiving-treatment-after-failed-record-attempt . 5 November 2012 . dead.