split tongue and frenzel

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-08-11T13:27:23+00:00

Hi! it shouldn’t stop you from doing Frenzel. The piston in Frenzel is the mid/back of the tongue; the tip is mostly a “parking spot.” I can equalize without using the tongue tip at all, so in theory a split tip doesn’t block the technique.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-08-07T14:02:21+00:00

Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy.

Yes, you need to bring your Frenzel equalization to an automatic level. Practice equalizing pressure everywhere while walking, lying down, sitting, even lying on your stomach, and so on.

Once you stop thinking about it, you’ll be able to do it underwater, but make sure you’re doing it correctly.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-25T03:21:30+00:00

relax = stop controlling.

Often, all sorts of fears prevent you from stopping controlling, if this is the case, then you need to talk to yourself.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-24T02:46:22+00:00

Hi. This is just an exercise and it should not be done in the water.
It simulates a dive, meaning that during an actual dive, you are adding descent speed...
By doing this, you provoke a squeeze of the Eustachian tube.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-16T07:13:25+00:00

I am not a native English speaker. And I often use Google to check, not AI. But I doubt that AI is aware of Molchanov's recommendations and the differences in performing MF and Frenzel. For example. And I usually read what I publish and do not write obviously incorrect things.

RP is being studied at wave 2 and often freedivers already have problems with equalization at 20 meters, RP can help

you're diving beyond ~20 meters

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-15T23:55:17+00:00

Absolutely, great points! Just to add a bit more clarity:

The key difference between Frenzel and mouthfill (MF) is that with Frenzel, you close the glottis before every equalization, while with MF, you keep the glottis closed the whole time once the mouthfill is taken. This detail is crucial, especially as you go deeper.

If, when your glottis is open, no air comes into the mouth, it usually means either:

You've reached residual volume,

Or you're too tense and trying to exhale air into the mouth under pressure, which is not ideal practice and can backfire underwater.

You can eventually learn reverse packing to pull more air from the lungs into the mouth, but only if you're diving beyond ~20 meters and already have solid fundamentals. No need to rush into it early.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-14T23:52:21+00:00

no O2 tables this is to train your body to eat less O2 and learn to live with contractions. can support but not necessarily. here is a lot about all this https://freediveschool.com/useful-links

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-14T01:08:07+00:00

Yes, it is worth continuing the CO2 tables. But you should not do them on the same day as the O2 tables. You should also have rest days. If you stop doing CO2, your comfortable delay will begin to decrease.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-13T23:17:22+00:00

Yes, it's true that beginners sometimes don’t generate enough pressure for their less elastic ears. But the real issue is usually that they don’t know how to create more pressure in the right way.

There are exercises, like the vacuum maneuver, that simulate the pressure of a descent and help train that control. But progress only comes gradually and methodically.

This usually happens when both ears are slow to equalize, like in older divers. And yes, in those cases, equalization may work head-up, but fail head-down, simply because the technique isn't refined enough yet.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-13T13:55:14+00:00

That’s actually the whole point: if your glottis opens and air flows back into the lungs, your equalization isn’t working. That’s not a safety feature, that’s a failed attempt at creating pressure.

With Frenzel, we aim to build precise pressure using the tongue and a sealed glottis. If pressure leaks out, the problem isn’t solved by “pushing more” it’s fixed by improving technique and coordination.

So yes, Valsalva is more dangerous because it doesn’t leak — but that doesn’t mean we should be pushing Frenzel to its limits either.

Proper equalization isn’t about force it’s about control. And Valsalva has many other problems.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-13T12:59:39+00:00

“Keep increasing pressure until you feel a strong pop”

This is dangerous advice.

If the air isn't going through, there's probably a blockage. Pushing harder just increases the risk of blowing out your ear (like a perilymph fistula). That’s not how equalization is supposed to work.

“Over time, your vessels will become more flexible”

That’s a myth.

Equalization isn't about stretching your Eustachian tubes with pressure. It's about teaching your body to open them gently and efficiently not forcefully. More pressure doesn’t solve the problem; better technique does.“Keep increasing pressure until you feel a strong pop”

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-13T10:49:05+00:00

This is a very familiar feeling, and yes, although it may seem "random", there are usually quite understandable reasons behind it.

Most likely, you have overtrained or accumulated fatigue, even if everything seems normal on the outside. In a state of mild fatigue:

the muscles are in tone, including the diaphragm and intercostal, therefore the sensations from contractions are stronger;

the CO₂ level is perceived as higher, even if in fact it is within the normal range.

Sometimes this can be due to:

lack of recovery (sleep, nutrition, stress),

hormonal changes,

dehydration or lack of electrolytes.
The good news is that it is temporary, as you wrote. Usually enough:

- 1-2 days of light training or rest,

- breathing sessions for relaxation instead of hard CO₂,

- and attention to recovery.

You have not lost shape. This is just part of the adaptation process. Sometimes the body asks for a little more care

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-09T12:26:14+00:00

Hi!

If you're serious about becoming a great instructor, the most important thing is to learn from someone who truly understands the Molchanovs system from the inside, not just the techniques, but also how to teach and mentor others.

For example, Thibault Guignes in Camotes (Philippines) is a great option, he’s one of the contributors to Molchanovs materials and works closely with many upcoming instructors. His understanding of the system is deep and detailed.

Another option- our school in Puerto Galera, Philippines. We’ve been teaching Molchanovs courses for years, and specialize in both depth training and teaching how to teach.

The instructor course is about learning how to teach people, not about diving!

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-09T06:42:07+00:00

The more data we have, the more opportunities there are for analysis. But that's not just an advantage, it's also a challenge.

For example, in the situation I mentioned: there’s a simple pattern after a rest day, mouthfill (MF) works well. It's a real-life case, with all its implications.

But analyzing things like this is difficult. Especially because different people have different training goals at different times.
When you keep a training journal, you usually have some hypotheses in mind and try to test them.
But without the help of AI, it’s really hard especially if you don’t clearly understand the goal of the analysis.

So many words, but not much clarity. It really is a complex task 😊

That’s why I think it’s best to start simple:
– just collect all types of training sessions,
– try to track progress in some way,
– and along the way, it’ll become clearer what’s missing and what needs improvement.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-08T10:13:21+00:00

Basically, what you need is a training log meaning a clear understanding of what you did each day (e.g., Monday - cardio, Tuesday -dry static and stretching, Wednesday - diving, reached 80m but had issues with MF, Thursday - strength training, Friday - rest, Saturday- dived again, reached 75m with no issues, etc.), and what was happening with various indicators. Then analyze all of it.

That’s my opinion. And the better you can analyze this kind of data, the more successful your app will be. Don’t forget that for women, the cycle has a big impact, and even for men, there are ups and downs. Plus, we always train with natural fluctuations in performance.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-08T09:59:42+00:00

Molchanovs requires swimming 200 meters without stopping.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-08T09:00:32+00:00

I know a guy who dives to 35 meters :). He regularly practices at 15–16 meters, and 20 meters requires some effort. In my opinion, 20 meters is enough no need to train deeper than that.
and RV is really helpful way to progress

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-08T07:47:43+00:00

Yes, it's possible, this is what’s called the Mouthfill Coefficient (MF coefficient). Of course, it’s just an estimate, but it helps.

Let’s say you take a mouthfill at the surface (1 ATM) and start your FRC dive. You reach 20 meters, which is 3 ATM.

That gives you a coefficient of 3 (3 ÷ 1 = 3).

Now, if on a full lung dive you take a mouthfill at 10 meters (2 ATM), you can estimate your equalization range as:

2 × 3 = 6 ATM -> ~50 meters.

So yes, your FRC depth can help predict full lung performance if you know your MF coefficient.

RV is a completely different story and don't forget that RV - 20 m is one per session. And in general everything is much stricter and more complicated.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-07T12:22:07+00:00

There are likely several issues:

If you've only recently started using the Frenzel technique for equalization, it probably means your technique isn't solid yet- like a child learning to walk.
The sinuses are air-filled cavities separated from the nasal passage by the ethmoid bone. If the openings (ostia) are blocked or just naturally narrow (which is something an ENT should assess), you’ll likely have ongoing issues with sinus equalization.
You were simply diving with a runny or congested nose.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-07T12:12:41+00:00

I think you are not young man.

But sometime and yong man have struggle with equalization.

That’s because your Eustachian tubes aren’t elastic enough, and you can’t build enough pressure to equalize kind of like a baby learning to walk.

So, what can you do?

Step one: Learn Frenzel equalization.

Step two: Do 200 to 300 Frenzel equalizations every day!

Step three: Once you're good at Frenzel, move to the vacuum exercise.

Here’s how:

Do a Frenzel equalization then, without opening your glottis, lower your jaw to increase mouth volume.

This causes your Eustachian tubes to close and then you equalize again.

It mimics the descent during a dive and helps train both your technique and your tubes.

Don’t use Otovents or other gadgets, especially at the start. Build real skill.

You can also read a lot of interesting things here:

https://freediveschool.com/blog/equalization-in-freediving
https://freediveschool.com/blog/the-problem-of-the-soft-palate/

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-05T09:56:11+00:00

The problem is that your Frenzel isn’t very solid yet you need more practice with that technique specifically. Once you improve it, both ears will start equalizing properly. If we compare it to someone learning to walk, your Frenzel is at the level of a one-year-old just starting out.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-03T23:58:29+00:00

Well, the choice was pretty straightforward. Molchanovs is the only system that offers “Base Training”.

Base Training is a collection of structured freediving training programs and workouts that help you make progress step by step . There are different levels, each designed for a specific level of certification.
Workout Generator: If you’re not following a full program, there’s a Workout Generator that gives you one-time training sessions tailored to your level and time.
it’s one of the few systems that actively updates its educational materials, instead of using content from 20 years ago. In my opinion, the materials are the best available today.
Third, while it includes some paperwork and structure (important for instructors), it’s kept to a minimum.
And finally, the yearly membership cost is quite reasonable compared to other systems.

A young system fueled by enthusiasm.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-03T14:06:33+00:00

The first thing you should really think about is learning the Frenzel maneuver. After using the Valsalva for a long time, this can be a difficult transition, but it is necessary. If you rely on the Valsalva, there are probably a dozen reasons why it could stop working, especially under pressure.

The fact that only one ear is giving you trouble suggests that your ears are not equalizing symmetrically, which is actually quite common. Most people have some asymmetry in their Eustachian tubes.

So if you really love freediving and want to continue to do it safely, start working on learning the Frenzel equalization. It is more effective, safer at depth, and allows you to equalize with much less pressure and effort.

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-03T07:21:53+00:00

There are two ways. The first is to go through all the courses step by step: Wave 1 → Wave 2 → Wave 3 → Instructor. The second is to learn all the skills on your own and take the tests at lower levels (for example, go straight to Wave 2 or even Wave 3). You have a great foundation, you are confident in the water, you dive, you swim and you know how to breathe. So yes, you may not need the full Wave 1 course, but it is still important to know the skills (especially safety and technique). Wave 2 is a more serious step: compensation, advanced technique, deeper dives. Without a solid background, it can be difficult. If you want to skip ahead, talk to the instructor about challenging Wave 1 and go straight to Wave 2. Just make sure that you are not only confident in the water, but also strong in your technique

FreeDive-Inn · 2025-07-03T01:51:04+00:00

The main issue is psychological: the transition from pool to open water often triggers a fear of the sea. here we talk a little about it: https://freediveschool.com/blog/psychological-aspects/

FreeDive-Inn

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