Hello, underwater lovers!
What you’re about to read is a doorway—a glimpse into the ocean of thoughts, lessons, and wild experiences that make up The Depth Collector series.
This isn’t a polished pitch or a neatly packaged summary. It’s straight from the pages of The Depth Collector Book One, raw and real—just like freediving. Here’s a glimpse into pages 219 to 225.
So, grab your nose clip, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into the 8 key muscles for maximizing thoracic volume—and how to stretch them.
The Depth Collector Book One
Page 219 to 225
Breathing Muscles Stretching
That's a pivotal element of your dry training, which will also significantly benefit your daily life. At the end of the second book, you'll discover an entire chapter dedicated to the art of breathing. Indeed, it's an art, and it's precisely why freediving can be such a transformative experience—it fundamentally improves the way you breathe. But let's stay focused for the moment. First, let's demystify breathing mechanics to help you understand what we aim to accomplish with our daily stretching routines.
To keep it straightforward, when you breathe in during your everyday activities, two primary groups of muscles come into play:
The diaphragm contracts and flattens, increasing the thoracic cavity's superior/inferior dimension.
The external intercostal muscles contract to elevate the ribs and sternum, enlarging the thoracic cavity's anterior/posterior dimension.
This contraction of the inspiratory muscles expands the thoracic cavity volume. The lungs, which are sealed to the ribcage, are pulled outward, expanding simultaneously.
According to Boyle's law, an increase in lung volume leads to decreased pressure within the lungs. Since the external environmental pressure now exceeds the pressure within the lungs, air is drawn into the lungs. Fundamentally, breathing involves equalizing the pressure within our lungs to match the external environmental pressure.
Why does this matter to us as freedivers? The key lies in the flexibility of your breathing muscles. The more flexible these muscles are, the greater the expansion of your ribcage. And the more your ribcage can expand, the more air you can inhale during your final breath before diving. You see the connection, right?
However, flexible breathing muscles aren't enough; they must also be strong enough to expand the ribcage fully. We'll explore this aspect shortly. It's important to note that a normal inhalation differs from a forced one, primarily because the latter requires additional muscles to enlarge the thoracic cavity maximally.
These additional muscles, referred to as 'accessory muscles' in anatomical texts, are far from secondary for us freedivers. Each must be properly stretched to enhance our vital capacity significantly.
8 Key Muscles for Maximizing Thoracic Volume
There are 8 key muscles actively involved in maximizing thoracic volume to allow for the greatest possible air intake.
Diaphragm
The primary breathing muscle that plays a crucial role in increasing thoracic volume.
Intercostal muscles (external)
These muscles expand the chest upward and outward.
Scalenes
These muscles work together to elevate the upper ribs and the sternum, contributing to the expansion of the upper thoracic cavity.
Sternocleidomastoid
This muscle elevates the sternum, further opening up the chest area to allow more air to be inhaled.
Pectoralis major and minor
These muscles pull the ribs up and out, thereby increasing the anterior-posterior diameter of the thoracic cavity.
Serratus anterior
They elevate the ribs, which is particularly effective when the scapulae are fixed, contributing to the expansion of the ribcage.
Latissimus dorsi
This muscle elevates the lower ribs, which helps in increasing the overall volume of the thoracic cavity.
Now that we've identified the specific muscles to focus on, we can develop an optimal stretching routine. But first, we must address a pivotal question in the world of stretching: How long should you hold a stretch for it to be effective? Is it 5 seconds? 30 seconds? A few minutes? Understanding this is crucial because you'll be investing time in these stretches, and we must be sure that this time isn't spent on activities that offer no real benefits. I certainly wouldn't want that.
The duration you need to hold a stretch varies depending on your current flexibility. Stretching is about teaching a muscle to adapt to a new position. Suppose you already have a total lung capacity of 8 liters. In that case, you don't need to hold stretches for too long, as your routine would primarily remind your body of its ability to reach that position easily. However, if your flexibility is limited, you'll need to maintain the stretch for longer than 30 seconds—possibly for 1 minute, 2 minutes, or even 3 to 4 minutes.
As with many aspects of freediving, the key is to tune into how you feel rather than adhering to a specific number. How is your body responding to the stretches? If you experience significant pain in a position, you're likely pushing too hard and should reduce the intensity. Find a sweet spot where the stretch is challenging yet achievable and remain there, gradually increasing the duration as you continue training. Jumping into your full range of motion for 5 minutes right from the start isn't the most clever 'move.'
Stretching challenges the muscles, which is precisely how you become more flexible. A 5-second stretch simply won't cut it. At a minimum, you should aim to hold each stretch for at least 1 minute, and if it feels right, you can progressively increase the duration from there.
Alright, I know what you're thinking: "Hey Anthony, how can I take a full breath, hold it, and stretch for 3 minutes? That's an eternity." Well, that's an excellent question, especially since most stretching routines online suggest performing stretches on a breath-hold (whether with full or empty lungs), which explains why those stretches are kept short and, in my opinion, aren't as effective. The solution is surprisingly straightforward: just breathe. Yeah, you probably didn't see that coming, right?
Stretching on full lungs is beneficial because it stretches the muscles while they're contracted. But that's just half the job. You also need to stretch these target muscles in a relaxed position. This is a key principle of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), an amazing stretching technique to improve your range of motion.
So, here's how I perform all my stretches:
I begin with a full, deep breath, dedicating a moment to visualize my alveoli filling with air. This initial step sets the tone for a focused and meditative stretching session.
I hold my breath, transition into my chosen stretch position, and maintain it for 30 seconds. During this period, I concentrate fully on the muscles I am working on. I slightly adjust the position to enhance the stretch's effectiveness and target the muscles more precisely.
After the initial 30 seconds, I start breathing normally. I gradually deepen the stretch over the next 60 seconds as I relax. This gradual increase in depth, while maintaining a relaxed state, effectively leverages the CR method, encouraging the muscles to stretch further in a relaxed state.
Considering the eight muscles involved in the final breath, along with the warm-up and the advanced diaphragm stretching, my entire routine spans roughly 30 minutes. I commit to this full session three times a week. I truly enjoy this practice and am convinced of its substantial benefits. It has notably enhanced my flexibility and lung capacity over time.
To be continued…
If what you’ve just read sparked your curiosity, know this—it’s just a ripple on the surface. The Depth Collector series plunges deep into this pillar, uncovering layers of insights, lessons, and practical tools to refine your freediving journey.
And it doesn’t stop here. The series explores all eight foundational pillars, packed with everything from mental hacks to sport nutrition, breathing techniques, training plans, and more.
Read more about the other pillars on the blog or grab your copy here.
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