Episode Details

Interview with Dr. Jaap Verbaas Today's episode is an interview with the Author of Longer and Deeper, a cross training guide for freediving and spearfishing. Dr. Jaap Verbaas is a crash test dummy of the highest calibre. I geek out way too much and we talk about hypoxic squats, essential tools and mindset for improving your freediving performance and even diets that can help. Standout highlights (for me) are Jaap's experimental mindset and his demonstration of how to plan, measure, experiment and learn from each experiment. If you are engaged in any from of freediving training then you will find plenty of value in this interview and the Longer and Deeper book. Listen & subscribe to the Noob Spearo Podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castbox | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean Interview Time Stamps Background 6:00 Where are you based, what do you do and how did you get started freediving? 7:00 Freedivewire.com - what is it and what compelled you to become a freediving writer? 9:25 What reediving/spearfishing hurdles did you personally face and how did you overcome them? Jaap talks about equalizing issues at depth. 15:40 Canadian Spearfishing. Where do you spearfish? Chasing flounder in cold water with a Polespear 18:40 What's your go-to fish dish 19:30 Longer and Deeper: Overview of the book and key concepts I read the book and really enjoyed it - all of it. I think a huge part of why its such a good book is your Experimental Mindset: Where did you acquire this habit? Are you a Tim Ferris fan? (I noticed the slow carb diet and lots of your methodology is similar) How did you adopt this theorize, plan, measure, adapt methodology? Is this a skill or orientation that all of us should adopt? Muscle mass: when does it become counter-productive for freediving Hacks for improving freediving performance Blood quality and cardio: exploring the relationship Myoglobin: the oxygen holding cells in your muscles. Theories about training to increase it Hypoxic Squats: desaturating the oxygen in your muscles. Measuring the change Hypoxic Squats: How to do them and the device you need to measure your oxygen saturation (oximeter - check this one out) Spleenic contraction? Can you see it on an oxygen saturation graph when your body is steadily depleting? 40:10 Perfect Dive/Shit Dive comparison - great concept (this is awesome for looking at the separate metabolic phases of a dive that you can specifically target when training) Can you walk me through a good spearfishing dive right now? I'm hunting reef fish in 18m/60ft and to get the fish curious enough I need to hold some bottom time. (I'd love to get into the dive phase concept - are there 4 phases in a spearfishing dive?) Ok now the converse...what does a shit dive look like? The physiological demands on the diver at each stage and how symptoms can point to what you may need to target in your own training regimen "The goal of training is to adapt the body to specific conditions. In freediving, the goal is to adapt the body to underwater conditions. These conditions include; Increased pressure Reduced Oxygen Increased Carbon Dioxide Specific training is possible for all 3 of these conditions" Dr. Jaap Verbaas 47:00 Can we talk about training for each of these conditions specifically for spearfishing? CO2 Tables training can be great for spearos suffering early onset contractions Mid-Distance Sprints for reducing lactate and leg soreness on the surface Blood - improving quality. Cardio training boosts blood volume and is proven to improve the quality. Swimming training is good for CO2 tolernance as well as cardiovascular training *further detailed breakdowns and training plans are specifically laid out in Part 3 of the Longer and Deeper book 54:00 EXERCISES Stretching (what about for 37 year old weapons?) Animal Walks? The crab walk - I can't do it. Hypoxic Squats. How and why (this seems to be the biggest needle mover - why?) Blood quality - Cardio - freedivers (top level can be anti) Yoga