How is it possible to dive to depths of 120m, without oxygen?

Question

When I was on an easyjet flight I read about a woman who could dive to depths of 120m in the inflight magazine, without oxygen. I cannot understand how this is possibe. I've heard that it is possible to train your body to only do a few heartbeats a minute but it still defies belief. Also surely they would get the bends on the way back or do they not go back, please could someone explain how this can be done.

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure that it is possible so yes.

Answer 2

The record is actually deeper than 120. 149 I believe for a free dive, deeper for weighted sled.

The bends for a free diver is never an issue. To get the bends, requires the diver to take a breath from a compressed gas cylinder while at depth. Free divers don't take a breath when submerged so they haven't taken any compressed gas on that has a chance to expand in their blood stream or soft tissues when they ascend. The breath they took in just before submerging is from the surface, which is at 1 atmosphere of pressure. The gas dissolved in their blood stream and tissues gets compressed as they descend and expands back to the same original volume on the return up. Nothing gets bigger than it was and so no bends.

What free divers can get is called shallow water black out on the return to the surface.  

Answer 3

Anthing's possible. :)

Answer 4

i dont think that's true.