If you’re an outgoing person and have a passion for the sea, then you’ve probably tried spearfishing or freediving at least once. Or if not, I guess you might have witnessed one.
Spearfishing is one of the oldest forms of fishing and it can vary depending on the location. But here’s the gist: from the name itself, spearfishing is an activity that usually involves hunting fish from seas and rivers with a spear.
It can be accomplished through freediving—diving without any gear—or scuba-diving, which means you’ll get to stay under longer.
If you’re interested in giving spearfishing a go, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself because it can be very strenuous. You might also be considering drinking energy drinks to get a boost before your dive.
However, energy drinks before spearfishing isn’t really a good idea. Caffeine quickens your pulse, and you’ll need to hold your breath a long time when spearfishing. Catch my drift?
In this article, I’ll discuss spearfishing and how energy drinks can have an impact on your performance. If you’re curious to know more, read on!
Spearfishing Benefits To The Body
Spearfishing is an adventurous way to fish. You don’t just sit by the bank waiting for a catch, although usual fishing also has lots of benefits in the body.
Spearfishing strengthens different areas in your body too. These are the different benefits you can get from this activity:
Improved Lung Function
As I’ve said, you have to work on holding your oxygen during spearfishing. Diving increases your lung capacity, and you can also get the same result if you train at high altitudes.
Freediving requires us to hold our breathing to its maximum capacity, which many non-divers do not know how to do. Freedivers are able to increase their lung capacity and strength with practice and focused exercises.
Here are the elements that could help your lungs get stronger:
| Nutrients | Functions |
| Water | Water is the best detoxifier. To keep your lungs from irritation or possible inflammation, you have to take at least 8 glasses of water every day. |
| Vitamin C | Vitamin C improves lung health. You can get Vitamin C from leafy veggies and fruits such as watermelon, papaya, and grapefruit juice. |
| Vitamin A | This nutrient is essential to repair your lung tissues and regenerate cells in your body. |
Some studies claim holding your breath for a minute is still safe. If you have it way longer, it can decrease the oxygen supply to your brain and might cause brain damage.
Improved Fitness
Spearfishing and freediving require lots of action and can improve your cardiovascular health and stamina. Of course, this activity is no joke, so spearfishers have to train hard for quite some time to prepare their bodies.
While training, you can grab an energy drink with energy-boosting nutrients for a performance boost. Luckily, sugar is present in most of these beverages.
Sugar is used not only for its sweet property but also for a boost source. Aside from this, it will also improve your mood to keep you throughout the day.
However, taking an energy drink with lots of sugar on it may not be a good idea. The AHA recommends a daily intake of only 36g of sugar for men and 25g for women.
Consuming more than these amounts might make you suffer the following:
- Diabetes
- Skin Aging
- Weight Gain
- Obesity
- High Blood Pressure
- Kidney Disease
- Muscle and Nerve damage
- High cholesterol
- Liver Disease
- Tooth Decay
On the other hand, some studies show vitamin D can also improve your muscle strength and flexibility. In the same way, B-complex vitamins also help cells convert energy so that your muscle cells are powered and ready to make repairs. It also assists your body in metabolizing amino acids and protein.
Spearfishing Effects on Your Mental Health
You might be busy with work or studies, and these can be pretty draining. Outdoor activities like spearfishing and freediving offer a quick break from a busy schedule. In fact, this study found out that those who engaged in sports had low depressive symptoms.
Aside from that, this study supports that being out in the ocean changes the mind and creates reconnection to nature. This means freediving can benefit your mental health and not just your fitness.
Can You Lose Weight By Freediving?
A hundred percent. Freediving is a good workout, which means it can help you shed pounds. Spearfishing and freediving might be just the most enjoyable activity to lose some weight.
According to this article, freediving can help you burn calories very fast. Research suggests that a 175-pound diver can burn around 20 calories per minute by freediving.
Is Caffeine Bad For Spearfishing?
Caffeine is commonly used to ready your body for any physical activity. Unfortunately, it can possibly elevate your heart rate and quicken your pulse.
That’s why it is not a great idea to consume caffeine before any activity like spearfishing that requires you to hold your breath.
Consuming too much caffeine irresponsibly can lead to problems like shortness of breath and lightheadedness and can result in sudden cardiac arrest or death. This is why, if you notice your pulse rate is quickening you should calm yourself and do some breathing techniques.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t consume any caffeinated product before freediving. If you’re about to consume caffeine before any other activity, you should keep your caffeine intake as indicated by the FDA.
If you consume more than the suggested limit of caffeine intake, you might suffer the following:
- Restlessness and shakiness
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Rapid or abnormal heart rhythm
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
You can also check this article for more detailed information concerning caffeine intake.
Best Energy Drinks For Other Activities
As I mentioned earlier, energy drinks are great for a lot of activities (except spearfishing). Here are the energy drinks that I think are the best companions when you’re taking part in other activities or even during your workouts:
Zipfizz
This powdered energy drink will also boost your mental capacity, which will surely result in a good performance. Of course, it can also keep you alert and awake.
It has a low 100mg of caffeine that’s enough to energize you. It also contains Calcium, a mineral that can strengthen your bones.
Zipfizz also has a lot of antioxidant properties. You can have it for only $1 per serving. It’s super convenient to carry, and it has lots of flavors too.
Rowdy
This nootropic energy drink will power you up with 160mg of caffeine, 90 calories, and 18g of sugar.
Rowdy energy drinks also contain B-vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. You can enjoy all of these for just $3 per drink.
Take what’s enough for your body, and don’t try to go overboard to avoid caffeine addiction and sugar crashes.
28 Black
28 Black energy drink is rich in vitamin C and vitamin B. This energy drink’s essential nutrients can help you a lot if you’re active in sports.
However, the only downside I see in this drink is that it is taurine-free, an essential nutrient for performance.
But on the brighter side, it is gluten-free and lactose-free, making it a suitable beverage for a lot of people. To know more about gluten-free energy drinks, you can read this article.
REIZE (My Bet)
Personally, REIZE is the best energy drink I can recommend for any activity.
This energy drink contains only 50mg of caffeine which is my preferred amount. Why? Because you can do many things with just 50mg without risking side effects.
Aside from that, it is sugar-free, and its taurine content is known to aid your sports performance. It is also convenient to carry because it is in powdered form. Ginseng and B-vitamins are also thrown into the mix, giving you even more benefits.
My favorite thing about REIZE though, is that it comes in handy sachets that you can take with you anywhere! I also get to control my intake much more because I can just add more or less water, or even just use half the sachet if I want to minimize my caffeine boost for the day. Really convenient, I have to say.
You can get REIZE for just around $1 per sachet! You can even have your orders shipped directly to your door.
Give REIZE a try and discover the benefits yourself!
Other Notable Mentions:
Final Say
In conclusion, energy drinks aren’t good companions when it comes to spearfishing because of the risk of caffeine increasing your pulse.
However, energy drinks are acceptable throughout the training period. It’s important to be in shape first if you want to start spearfishing, and it’s even better if you already have some experience under your belt.
Anyway, spearfishing can be a tough sport when you’re getting started. But, with proper knowledge and enough preparation, you can definitely do great.
Hopefully, you can choose the right energy drink for you as you prepare for your adventure at sea!