2 posts shown.
Brian Ortiz68 said:I dealt with the exact same pressure issues. Honestly, swallowing was the only thing that actually worked for me—forget trying the Valsalva maneuver or pinching your nose and all that stuff. You probably have some sinus congestion or a deviated septum going on; if your Eustachian tubes and sinuses are totally blocked, no little trick is gonna fix it. For me, the worst part was during those first few feet down, because that's when the pressure shifts hit you hardest. Once you get deeper, those ratios start to level out. Like, at maybe 3 feet deep, the ratio is 1.1, but once you're down at 30 feet, it's more like 1.05.
And trying to force it while you're heading back up to the surface? Total waste of time. It just makes things worse, or at least that’s how it played out for me.
Same story here. Just won't happen. I've got a deviated septum and crappy airflow.
Until I finally went under the knife, diving felt pretty much impossible.
You should probably go see an ENT just to be safe, since there could be a bunch of different things causing it.
Mindset — basically how you look at competition, life, or just any hurdle thrown your way. It’s about having that gut feeling in every fiber of your being that you're going to come out on top, when you know deep down you'll make it happen.
Some people are just born with it. Others have to grind through some seriously brutal training sessions. Some need a string of wins just to feel a bit of confidence, and then there are those who carry heavy trauma, battling internal demons just to get through the day.
Everyone's wired differently, man. You've got to figure out for yourself what actually lights a fire under you and keeps your head straight. Honestly, I think self-awareness...just really getting who you are...would help lift you up and shift your whole perspective.
Find your "why"... find your purpose. Like others have mentioned here, some folks live for the win...that adrenaline rush...testing their own limits...or maybe they just genuinely love the game or the job they do.
Even the most average person can reach the stars if they are properly motivated.
If you aren't driven, if you don't have the will to put in the hours and the energy required to win and actually change who you are, nothing else really matters.