Thanks for explaining the squeal. You’re the first I’ve found to explain why it happens to me occasionally. I think I’m just trying too hard once I get underwater and everything tenses and locks up. One more piece of the puzzle explained, thank you.
I instantly learned frenzel. I sing in a choir thus know how to control the soft palate. Although we practice breath control in singing, I am severely struggling with breath hold past 1:30min. Maybe breath control is a different regime with breath hold. Thank you Gert for the instructional vids.
Hi Gert, I'm back. This video was actually shared to me a couple of hours after it was uploaded. I wanted to write a comment right away, but I decided not to, because I wanted to try my frenzel first under water and yes no more squeaking sound 😁 Before anything else I wanted to say thank you for featuring my cry for help 😂 to aid me and other people with the same problem. I really appreciate it big time! 🤿👌🏽 So finally last weekend I was able to dive and try my newly found Frenzel under water. To my surprise it didn't worked! In my observation and I can feel it, the pressure that I'm creating to equalize when doing valsalva is just the same as my frenzel on dry land, but when under the water, it seems to me that the pressure being created when doing frenzel isn't that strong to push out my ear drums back to its neutral position. Last weekend I was able to reach 10+ meters when doing valsalva feet first and I tried my frenzel, but it failed. I can only reach 5+ meters when doing frenzel head first. I don't understand what's goin on, I hope you can help me solve my problem. I really wanted to dive deeper and enjoy freediving more. I hope to hear from you soon. Again thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it big time! 🙏🏽
No worries here man. It perfectly normal to struggle a bit with EQ in the beginning. When you can frenzel dry, that doesnt necessarily mean you can do it in the water. Is also pretty normal. There are so many factors to consider in the water that aren't present in dry training. Relaxation is key. With relaxation comes everything. Please watch my video HOW TO FREEDIVE (5 techniques for beginners) in which i explain some common mistakes. Once you learn to fully relax, EQ will come. Don't stress about it. Stress is the opposite of relaxation. Cheers ✌️
I feel that when you say relax more it has the opposite effect and causes frustration lol when people are looking for a technique to fix the issue how will relaxing more open his soft palate? Please Help!!!
Thank you so much for the comprehensive explanations. I’d like to know when I’m free-diving what do I’ve actually to do to equalise with the frenzel maneuver? Thank you so much for any useful and clear explanation
Thanks for the info Gert, I never knew about soft palette. I find that a few other factors help me equalize. Good hydration, good diet before free diving (no dairy). Also if my head stays warm it is easier to equalize. I also put Grapefruit seed oil drops in my ear before diving and that seems to help stop me from getting earaches the next day.
It seem to be pretty easy to control the in and out, it seem to be pretty similar to the swim training with snorkel. Inhale through the snorkel, exhale through the nose during swim and a large exhale through mouth with the snorkel again before next inhale.
Wait… it’s something I’ve been able to do for a while? I thought it was a magical, elusive technique…. Am I controlling my soft pallet correctly for this technique if when I breathe in through my nose and I get a rushing wind sound in my eardrums and a suction/pressure, in my ear drums, on my breath? Engaging this muscle group I’m talking about creates a … clicking sound in my ear canal, almost like closing a combination lock… 🤷♂️🙏🙏
Fantastic video! Thank youh very much I very often have a problem (severe pain above the eye) in the left frontal sinus at 5-9 meters deep and my left ear is more difficult to equalize than the right, but it doesn't hurt... Could the problem in the frontal sinus be due to the wrong application of frenzel?
@@gertleroy, so, is it possible to equalize the ears and not equalize the frontal sinuses, due to insufficient knowledge of the technique? So there is not enough air in the sinuses and it only reaches the ears? Any additional advice?😊 because two years now I've watched your videos 100 times and I've dived (spearfishing) another 100 and I can't find a solution😢
@@georgetsamantakis1423 if you EQ gently and have your soft palate in a relaxed position you don't have to worry about the sinusses. They will automatically be EQ'd as well. Of sinusses cause a problem it's often the result of bad EQ technique and not being relaxed. You should follow a coaching session with a freediving instructor diving on a line so you can fully focus on EQ.
Nice vid gert 👍 My personnal opinion is as yours « in freediving, instictive is better than comprehensive » A clue : if your nostrils oscillate/pulsate , it means frenzel functions Keep on Gert !
I'm having difficulties equalising head down, do you think it would be helpful to practice dry head down, like hanging on something or standing on my hands?
Maybe, or maybe not. Some schools /instructors go hard on balloons, i'm more cautious. My fear is that all the ballooning will make things even more complicated. So I'm not the guy that will advise people to use balloons. I would keep it as a last option if nothing else works, just to avoid over-analyzing. But if it helps for some, than that's awesome. Cheers 🙏
I found that trying to switch breathing from nose to mouth like you did, but keeping my mouth actually open made me more aware of how the soft palate moved. If i close my mouth it just feels too normal. Maybe I’m just weird, but it really helped me.
For sure! Great to see this exercise helped you in becomingore aware of the soft palate. Now look at yourself in the mirror with open mouth and try to move the soft palate. See if you can see it move.
Hi Leroy I am following your advice to be able to perform the Frenzel technique, but I am not succeeding. I can't control the movement of my throat to push my tongue up. I can make the move well to pronounce the K when my mouth is open and I feel my ears popping, but when I close it, I lose that control. I have another doubt, in the Frenzel technique, when executing the movement of the tongue as a piston, does there always occur a slight contraction of the abdomen? I need your help because I can't go over 15 meters without having to compensate with great effort, sometimes I have to reverse the position to be able to compensate and go back down, but with this I've lost a lot of energy and there's no pleasure in diving.
hi Dinarte! please watch my video HOW I LEARNT TO EQ HEADSDOWN. you might find useful info there. 1/ it's all about practise. don't frustrate. be patient. it will come. your brain has to connect the right commando to the right muscle. this can take some time since we are not used to use the tongue and or soft palate. 2/ try to keep your abdomen as still as possible. If it moves, you might be doing valsalva instead of frenzel. Now there might be a slight movement of the abdomen with frenzel, but that is due to the airshift, not due to the frenzel itself. The airshift is when you - prior to doing frenzel - bring some air from the lungs towards your mouth. AIm to not move the abdomen during frenzel. that's the while idea of frenzel, not to use the abdomen. REMARK: it's perfectly normal your EQ stops working at 15M. This needs time. If you start frustrating it only gets worse. You need to accept it takes time. Be patient. Cheers
Can not equalize after 25 meters using frenzel technique , I feel there is no more air in mouth to use to perform frenzel unless I start reverse packing and this is where I get trachea squeeze ...what should I do?
Relax more, stretch, and over time you will be able to get air from the lungs below 30. But most of all relax more. No need to forcefully get air from the lungs. Let things happen naturally.
Yeah you should def try to keep all air in. Therefore pinch the nose correctly so no air can escape through the nose. Also, probably you're using too much force which makes the air escape. EQ should be soft and gently. I know, it's a long way to master that but that's what this channel is for. Peace 🙏
This squeezing sound happens to me after 30 seconds even when i practice walking apnea and equalise, but in water i have this squeeze sound at -18 thats why i didn't register aida 3
I live near the ocean. Can I just bring floaters with 10meters rope. I want to practice. If not, tips would be appreciated. I leave in Maribago, Lapulapu Philippines.
Thank you for the tips. I will try my best to keep that in mind. I am practicing frenzel using your video. I checked freediving near me but it cost $600 dollars. I will just teach my brother using your video so he will be my buddy. He is 13. I thought him how to swim but this freediving is a top level.
@@metanoyaph5583 you are looking for disaster. this is how people die. You need to dive with SKILLED people, not your little brother. You can contact M Ocean Freediving in Ceby / Bohol they teach philippinos, or Blue Freedom Apnea in Bohol.
Try to relax the jaw and work only with the tongue or throat (larynx). Allthough lowering of the bottom jaw while you work with the tongue might also help. Cheers
@@gertleroy from the looks of it on your thumbnail, looks like it has very very low volume, is it true? Is it the smallest volume you have? Or there is another?
I have not been able to work this out is frenzel where you hold your nose and it just feels like your putting a bit of pressure on your nose or something else cos that's what I do
One more question I think I've figured out how to frenzel but can't do it underwater should it kinda feel like trying to breathe without trying to breathe and then your ears pop
Hi, what if I can move my soft palate isolately and hear pop without moving my tongue upward, without moving oral cavity. What is that, can use it in freediving?
the click (pop) you hear is probably coming from the soft palete itself. that's not an equation. unless you can do handsfree equalization which comes down to controlling certain muscles to open the eustachian tubes. you should try it on the water to know if you're equalizing or not.
the click (pop) you hear is probably coming from the soft palete itself. that's not an equation. unless you can do handsfree equalization which comes down to controlling certain muscles to open the eustachian tubes. you should try it on the water to know if you're equalizing or not.
Hi Gert, I just realized that I can't close my soft palate. As a result my nose constantly 'auto-equalizes', the mask builds up zero pressure, and thus leaks. (I can't stick a mask to my face like I used some 15y ago--it just falls off again, even when I'm actively breathing through my mouth (you hear the air escaping through the nose). Are there any exercises to practice closing the soft palate manually?
@@gertleroy Yes, that's why I'm commenting here ;) My palate doesn't seem to close on its own, even during inhalation (while taking a deep breath I stick my mask against my face but it just ends up suckign the air out through my nose again (while I'm still inhaling)). I can only seem to get it to close by swallowing, and not relaibly so :( Do you know any other exercises besides breathing to lern control the palate? Many thanks!
Do you have any ways of telling that you are frenzeling properly? I put my hand on my stomach, and when I do what I think is a frenzel equalisation, I don't feel any muscle tension. Does this 100% mean I'm doing it right, or is there something else I can look for? Thanks in advance.
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Thanks for explaining the squeal. You’re the first I’ve found to explain why it happens to me occasionally. I think I’m just trying too hard once I get underwater and everything tenses and locks up. One more piece of the puzzle explained, thank you.
Welcome ✌️
and thanks for the super thanks ! 🙂
Exactly the info I was looking for and simply put.
You just saved me a trip to an ENT.
Thanks Gert!
glad it helped and thanks Alex 🙏🙏
I instantly learned frenzel. I sing in a choir thus know how to control the soft palate. Although we practice breath control in singing, I am severely struggling with breath hold past 1:30min. Maybe breath control is a different regime with breath hold. Thank you Gert for the instructional vids.
welcome 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Gert, I'm back. This video was actually shared to me a couple of hours after it was uploaded. I wanted to write a comment right away, but I decided not to, because I wanted to try my frenzel first under water and yes no more squeaking sound 😁
Before anything else I wanted to say thank you for featuring my cry for help 😂 to aid me and other people with the same problem. I really appreciate it big time! 🤿👌🏽
So finally last weekend I was able to dive and try my newly found Frenzel under water. To my surprise it didn't worked! In my observation and I can feel it, the pressure that I'm creating to equalize when doing valsalva is just the same as my frenzel on dry land, but when under the water, it seems to me that the pressure being created when doing frenzel isn't that strong to push out my ear drums back to its neutral position. Last weekend I was able to reach 10+ meters when doing valsalva feet first and I tried my frenzel, but it failed. I can only reach 5+ meters when doing frenzel head first. I don't understand what's goin on, I hope you can help me solve my problem. I really wanted to dive deeper and enjoy freediving more. I hope to hear from you soon. Again thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it big time! 🙏🏽
No worries here man. It perfectly normal to struggle a bit with EQ in the beginning. When you can frenzel dry, that doesnt necessarily mean you can do it in the water. Is also pretty normal. There are so many factors to consider in the water that aren't present in dry training. Relaxation is key. With relaxation comes everything. Please watch my video HOW TO FREEDIVE (5 techniques for beginners) in which i explain some common mistakes. Once you learn to fully relax, EQ will come. Don't stress about it. Stress is the opposite of relaxation. Cheers ✌️
I feel that when you say relax more it has the opposite effect and causes frustration lol when people are looking for a technique to fix the issue how will relaxing more open his soft palate? Please Help!!!
13 yr old here, i dont free dive but im trying to find a way to do it, thank you for explaining this !
Thank you so much for the comprehensive explanations. I’d like to know when I’m free-diving what do I’ve actually to do to equalise with the frenzel maneuver? Thank you so much for any useful and clear explanation
please watch my Playlist equalization techniques for freediving
You are a real teacher! AND Who knows it better than me?
I do t know.. Maybe my subscribers?
Peace in every breathe. nice explanation
Peace brother ✌️
Genius! Thank you for helping me understand my 20m squeak.
welcome 🙏
Thanks for the info Gert, I never knew about soft palette. I find that a few other factors help me equalize. Good hydration, good diet before free diving (no dairy). Also if my head stays warm it is easier to equalize. I also put Grapefruit seed oil drops in my ear before diving and that seems to help stop me from getting earaches the next day.
Great Jo! These things might help for sure, but technique is still the limiting factor. 🙏
It seem to be pretty easy to control the in and out, it seem to be pretty similar to the swim training with snorkel. Inhale through the snorkel, exhale through the nose during swim and a large exhale through mouth with the snorkel again before next inhale.
it's all about creating awareness on breathing
Lmao I died when you did the squeak sound. Pretty interesting because this is the equalization method I’ve always done.
Too much pressure !
Thanks, you explained that what two my instructors can't ✌️
Glad to help 🙏
Thank you for these high quality videos!
Glad you like them!
I thought I can't hold my breath while scuba diving. This is like holding my breath underwater.
this channel is about freediving, not scuba diving
Wait… it’s something I’ve been able to do for a while? I thought it was a magical, elusive technique…. Am I controlling my soft pallet correctly for this technique if when I breathe in through my nose and I get a rushing wind sound in my eardrums and a suction/pressure, in my ear drums, on my breath? Engaging this muscle group I’m talking about creates a … clicking sound in my ear canal, almost like closing a combination lock… 🤷♂️🙏🙏
some people already know how to do this. like singers e.g. so yes it's possible
Awesome as usual. Thanks!
Thanks Radek🙏
Fantastic video! Thank youh very much
I very often have a problem (severe pain above the eye) in the left frontal sinus at 5-9 meters deep and my left ear is more difficult to equalize than the right, but it doesn't hurt... Could the problem in the frontal sinus be due to the wrong application of frenzel?
yes. the sinus issues are a result of not mastering the frenzel technique good enough. Keep om practising 🙏
@@gertleroy, so, is it possible to equalize the ears and not equalize the frontal sinuses, due to insufficient knowledge of the technique? So there is not enough air in the sinuses and it only reaches the ears?
Any additional advice?😊 because two years now I've watched your videos 100 times and I've dived (spearfishing) another 100 and I can't find a solution😢
@@georgetsamantakis1423 if you EQ gently and have your soft palate in a relaxed position you don't have to worry about the sinusses. They will automatically be EQ'd as well.
Of sinusses cause a problem it's often the result of bad EQ technique and not being relaxed. You should follow a coaching session with a freediving instructor diving on a line so you can fully focus on EQ.
Nice vid gert 👍
My personnal opinion is as yours « in freediving, instictive is better than comprehensive »
A clue : if your nostrils oscillate/pulsate , it means frenzel functions
Keep on Gert !
Yes that's how you can see the air goes to the nasal cavity! Thanks man 👍
I'm having difficulties equalising head down, do you think it would be helpful to practice dry head down, like hanging on something or standing on my hands?
search for my video HEAD DOWN EQ ✌️
@@gertleroy I will, thanks! :)
Some exercises with a balloon would be really helpful for him, too
Maybe, or maybe not. Some schools /instructors go hard on balloons, i'm more cautious. My fear is that all the ballooning will make things even more complicated. So I'm not the guy that will advise people to use balloons. I would keep it as a last option if nothing else works, just to avoid over-analyzing. But if it helps for some, than that's awesome. Cheers 🙏
I found that trying to switch breathing from nose to mouth like you did, but keeping my mouth actually open made me more aware of how the soft palate moved. If i close my mouth it just feels too normal. Maybe I’m just weird, but it really helped me.
For sure! Great to see this exercise helped you in becomingore aware of the soft palate. Now look at yourself in the mirror with open mouth and try to move the soft palate. See if you can see it move.
Hi Gert! Just wanted to ask what is that mask you’re wearing in the thumbnail?
salvimar incredible mask
Hi! What is the mask you are using in the cover photo of this video?
Salvimar incredible mask
Nice exercises
How to close my glottis when I leave my soft palate in a natural position.
Thanks from Algeria.
Practise momentary blocking or stopping of the exhalation using the throat ( vocal cords = glottis). Something like uh uh uh uh
Hi Leroy
I am following your advice to be able to perform the Frenzel technique, but I am not succeeding. I can't control the movement of my throat to push my tongue up. I can make the move well to pronounce the K when my mouth is open and I feel my ears popping, but when I close it, I lose that control.
I have another doubt, in the Frenzel technique, when executing the movement of the tongue as a piston, does there always occur a slight contraction of the abdomen? I need your help because I can't go over 15 meters without having to compensate with great effort, sometimes I have to reverse the position to be able to compensate and go back down, but with this I've lost a lot of energy and there's no pleasure in diving.
hi Dinarte! please watch my video HOW I LEARNT TO EQ HEADSDOWN. you might find useful info there.
1/ it's all about practise. don't frustrate. be patient. it will come. your brain has to connect the right commando to the right muscle. this can take some time since we are not used to use the tongue and or soft palate.
2/ try to keep your abdomen as still as possible. If it moves, you might be doing valsalva instead of frenzel. Now there might be a slight movement of the abdomen with frenzel, but that is due to the airshift, not due to the frenzel itself. The airshift is when you - prior to doing frenzel - bring some air from the lungs towards your mouth. AIm to not move the abdomen during frenzel. that's the while idea of frenzel, not to use the abdomen.
REMARK: it's perfectly normal your EQ stops working at 15M. This needs time. If you start frustrating it only gets worse. You need to accept it takes time. Be patient. Cheers
@@gertleroy Thanks for your reply. I will follow your advice. Thank you again
@@dinartefranca1001 🙏
Can not equalize after 25 meters using frenzel technique , I feel there is no more air in mouth to use to perform frenzel unless I start reverse packing and this is where I get trachea squeeze ...what should I do?
Relax more, stretch, and over time you will be able to get air from the lungs below 30. But most of all relax more. No need to forcefully get air from the lungs. Let things happen naturally.
I can't move my soft palate and how to close the glottis
off course you can. you need patience and practice. watch all videos in the Playlist EQUALIZATION FOR FREEDIVING
grazie
My only problem i have is waste air sometimes when I equalize I blow a bubble out of my mask
Yeah you should def try to keep all air in. Therefore pinch the nose correctly so no air can escape through the nose. Also, probably you're using too much force which makes the air escape. EQ should be soft and gently. I know, it's a long way to master that but that's what this channel is for. Peace 🙏
This squeezing sound happens to me after 30 seconds even when i practice walking apnea and equalise, but in water i have this squeeze sound at -18 thats why i didn't register aida 3
All comes down to relaxation. Use less force. Be more gentle. 🙏
why is it hard for me to equalize the position of the head facing down?
please watch my video HOW I LEARNT TO EQ HEAD DOWN
I live near the ocean. Can I just bring floaters with 10meters rope. I want to practice. If not, tips would be appreciated. I leave in Maribago, Lapulapu Philippines.
Never dive alone, you should always dive with a skilled buddy. Someone who can rescue you from 10m depth.
Thank you for the tips. I will try my best to keep that in mind. I am practicing frenzel using your video. I checked freediving near me but it cost $600 dollars. I will just teach my brother using your video so he will be my buddy. He is 13. I thought him how to swim but this freediving is a top level.
@@metanoyaph5583 you are looking for disaster. this is how people die. You need to dive with SKILLED people, not your little brother. You can contact M Ocean Freediving in Ceby / Bohol they teach philippinos, or Blue Freedom Apnea in Bohol.
@@gertleroy I will do my really best not to do it sir. You are amazing. Never had a youtuber who is fast to reply. I really appreciated.
I seem to do it by clenching my jaw, not sure what's going on. Don't seem to be pushing much air though.
Try to relax the jaw and work only with the tongue or throat (larynx). Allthough lowering of the bottom jaw while you work with the tongue might also help. Cheers
Hi gert, please tell me what mask you use in the thumbnail
salvimar incredible mask
@@gertleroy how do you think the mask is gert? Is it a good mask for Freediving?
Thanks for your answer gert
@@derayend6939 it is super good, but the lenses are plastic so visibility is not 100% If you're using it for line diving or pool, it's perfect
@@gertleroy from the looks of it on your thumbnail, looks like it has very very low volume, is it true? Is it the smallest volume you have? Or there is another?
@@derayend6939 smallest I've ever seen
I have not been able to work this out is frenzel where you hold your nose and it just feels like your putting a bit of pressure on your nose or something else cos that's what I do
you do valsalva. frenzel comes from the throat
@@gertleroy oh ok thank you very much
@@peanutfilms8210 🙏
One more question I think I've figured out how to frenzel but can't do it underwater should it kinda feel like trying to breathe without trying to breathe and then your ears pop
I can't equalize my airs together sometime only one equalize and the leftside cant.
Can be various reasons but probably it's technique. The more gentle and soft, the better ✌️
@@gertleroy thanks master
@@ladytiger256 🙏
I can't equlaliz under water
Don't stress. It takes time and patience
Hi, what if I can move my soft palate isolately and hear pop without moving my tongue upward, without moving oral cavity. What is that, can use it in freediving?
the click (pop) you hear is probably coming from the soft palete itself. that's not an equation. unless you can do handsfree equalization which comes down to controlling certain muscles to open the eustachian tubes. you should try it on the water to know if you're equalizing or not.
the click (pop) you hear is probably coming from the soft palete itself. that's not an equation. unless you can do handsfree equalization which comes down to controlling certain muscles to open the eustachian tubes. you should try it on the water to know if you're equalizing or not.
Hi Gert, I just realized that I can't close my soft palate. As a result my nose constantly 'auto-equalizes', the mask builds up zero pressure, and thus leaks. (I can't stick a mask to my face like I used some 15y ago--it just falls off again, even when I'm actively breathing through my mouth (you hear the air escaping through the nose). Are there any exercises to practice closing the soft palate manually?
at 5:30 in this video i explain the exercise to control soft palate.
@@gertleroy Yes, that's why I'm commenting here ;) My palate doesn't seem to close on its own, even during inhalation (while taking a deep breath I stick my mask against my face but it just ends up suckign the air out through my nose again (while I'm still inhaling)). I can only seem to get it to close by swallowing, and not relaibly so :( Do you know any other exercises besides breathing to lern control the palate? Many thanks!
Do you have any ways of telling that you are frenzeling properly? I put my hand on my stomach, and when I do what I think is a frenzel equalisation, I don't feel any muscle tension. Does this 100% mean I'm doing it right, or is there something else I can look for?
Thanks in advance.
if you can EQ with your mouth open then it's frenzel
@@gertleroy ok great. thanks