# How long can you hold your breath for?



## conn9 (Aug 29, 2012)

Just a quick poll wondering how long you can hold your breath for. I just got 1:30.12 (Edit: 2:30 hyperventilating beforehand), but I suspect that's below average as I have asthma. As the poll options have quite a large range, post your record below if you want. I guess hyperventilating is allowed, just realise it has its dangers, but you can post your records of with and without hyperventilating below. I've found that qqtimer or other cube timers are a good way to measure it.


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## Stefan (Aug 29, 2012)

I should read the whole first post before voting. Or the poll should contain all necessary information.
Voted 2 mins - 3 mins, but without hyperventilating I can only do 1 min 30 secs - 2 minutes.

While we're at it, I'd like to mention that hyperventilation before diving is dangerous:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout


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## conn9 (Aug 29, 2012)

Yeah, I probably should have included it in the poll title. I guess you can't deem hyperventilating as cheating, so I'll go ahead and edit that away. Sorry for the misunderstanding. And since only the 2 of us have voted so far and I've changed the 'rules', it doesn't matter. And those options near the 5 minute mark would be very rare without hyperventilating I think.



Stefan said:


> While we're at it, I'd like to mention that hyperventilation before diving is dangerous:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout


Meaning you can black out before even realising you need to take a breath? Wow. Also, does that make hyperventilating while not submerged in water safe, or is the practice in general dangerous?


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## ThomasJE (Aug 29, 2012)

Around 40 seconds. Although I did read that you can double this time by regularly practicing.


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## Stefan (Aug 29, 2012)

conn9 said:


> does that make *hyperventilating while not submerged* in water safe, or is the practice in general dangerous?



In contrast to what, hyperventilating while submerged in water? Really bad idea 

But I assume you mean still staying out of water after hyperventilation. I'm not sure, but I think that you can similarly become unconscious and that you'll probably automatically start breathing again then. But of course if you're driving or standing or so, becoming unconscious then can still be dangerous.


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## conn9 (Aug 29, 2012)

Stefan said:


> In contrast to what, hyperventilating while submerged in water? Really bad idea
> 
> But I assume you mean still staying out of water after hyperventilation. I'm not sure, but I think that you can similarly become unconscious and that you'll probably automatically start breathing again then. But of course if you're driving or standing or so, becoming unconscious then can still be dangerous.


Hehe yeah I meant holding your breath after hyperventilating, not being submerged in anything, aka just at home in your room.

Edit: just got 1:53.55 after hyperventilating  I'm happy, but I know I could've done 2 minutes. If only timer updating was on, then I could have known I was close and pushed on. Oh well, my fault for not changing it.


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## Mike Hughey (Aug 29, 2012)

1:45.25.

Since then, I tried again, and got 1:40.xx the second time. It seems I have horrible 4x4x4 solves while holding my breath.

Interestingly, I have trouble doing better than about 1:15 when not solving. The solving apparently takes my mind off the fact that I'm holding my breath, and I'm able to hold it longer. (I think it's purely psychological.)


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## shelley (Aug 29, 2012)

Interesting. I would have thought that you would be able to hold your breath longer if you were sitting or lying still since your oxygen needs are lower.


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## SpeedSolve (Aug 29, 2012)

3-4 minutes. I'm a trombonist.


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## IamWEB (Aug 30, 2012)

I'll vote 1-1:30.
[stuff]I can just barely manage ~1:05ish 4x4x4 solves w/o a breath... and I remember getting sup-1s in the past while sitting mostly still.[/stuff]


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## mdolszak (Aug 30, 2012)

If by hyperventilating you mean taking two or three fast, deep breaths before timing, then I just got 2:02.40 while hyperventilating.


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## conn9 (Aug 30, 2012)

I just took 4 or 5 deep breaths before timing, and got 2:30.39. I had just woken up, so hadn't moved for 8 hours before trying it, and stayed lying down the whole time. Still feels like I'm cheating though by hyperventilating :/


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## A Leman (Aug 30, 2012)

4:38.36 without hyperventilating.I'm a distance runner and used to be a swimmer.


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## Ranzha (Sep 6, 2012)

When I practised, I'd get between 3:45 and 4:30. Never hyperventilated, attempts always done in complete silence while lying still, eyes closed. I'd have to warm up to it, though, from 1:00 up, increasing by 15 seconds each time.
Haven't practised in a couple years. Just timed a 3:06.68.


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