CO2 and O2 breath-hold tables, without the mystery.
CO2 and O2 tables are structured breath-hold sessions. Static keeps them dry, previewable, and conservative so training can build rhythm instead of chasing a maximum hold.
Quick answer
A CO2 table usually keeps the hold time steady while recovery gets shorter. An O2 table usually keeps recovery generous while hold time increases gradually. Both are best treated as controlled practice, not tests of willpower.
CO2 table generator
Create a fixed-hold, decreasing-recovery table from your current dry static PB.
Open CO2 generator O2 toolO2 table generator
Create an increasing-hold, fixed-recovery table with conservative final-round caps.
Open O2 generator Progress toolProgress calculator
Compare baseline and current breath-hold times, then estimate conservative table targets.
Open calculatorCO2 tables
CO2 tables are commonly used to practice staying calm as carbon dioxide rises. The hold is repeatable, while the recovery window becomes shorter round by round.
- Best for: controlled discomfort and recovery discipline.
- Pattern: same hold, shorter recovery.
- Static approach: preview every round before the timer starts.
O2 tables
O2 tables are commonly used to practice longer holds with enough recovery between rounds. The pressure comes from the hold length, not from rushed breathing.
- Best for: patient exposure to longer dry holds.
- Pattern: longer holds, full recovery.
- Static approach: gradual steps from a comfortable baseline.
How Static uses tables
Static starts from a beginner plan and comfortable practice, not a maximum breath-hold test. Sessions are organized into Prepare, Hold, and Recover phases, with large timer states and optional cues for eyes-closed dry practice.
The goal is repeatability: finish cleanly, record honest effort, and stop early when a session feels wrong. A table that is completed calmly is more useful than a dramatic hold that teaches bad habits.
Which table should beginners use first?
Beginners should usually start with the simplest dry timer sessions and conservative CO2-style practice before touching harder O2 tables. CO2 tables can still be challenging, but the hold target stays repeatable, so it is easier to learn pacing without pushing near a maximum hold.
If you are not sure where to start, use the beginner breath-hold plan. If you only want a browser tool, run a simple dry session with the static apnea timer or generate an easy CO2 table and repeat it until recovery stays controlled.
What table results actually mean
Completing a table does not prove water safety or guarantee a longer personal best. It only says that one dry session was completed under a specific set of conditions. Sleep, stress, recovery, and breathing quality can change the next session.
Track patterns, not isolated wins. Use the log template or progress calculator to review confirmed dry progress without turning every session into a test.
Prepare · Hold · Recover
Make every round predictable.
Static uses the same session grammar across table types, so you always know what is happening before, during, and after the hold.
Dry training basics
Before a table
- Train dry only, in a safe position.
- Breathe normally; do not hyperventilate.
- Keep the session easy enough to stop without negotiation.
During a table
- Use the Stop control when discomfort becomes sharp or unusual.
- Do not force a round just because the timer allows it.
- Let recovery be calm and complete before the next hold.
After a table
- Save effort honestly: completed, hard, or stopped.
- Repeat manageable sessions before increasing difficulty.
- Take rest days. More pressure is not automatically better.
Important safety note
Underwater breath-holding carries blackout and drowning risk. Static is not for in-water training and is not a medical device. If you have medical questions, symptoms, or a history of fainting, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before breath-hold training.
For water safety education, review guidance from organizations such as Underwater Hypoxic Blackout Prevention, which emphasizes avoiding hyperventilation and never practicing breath-holding alone in water.
Train tables with a calmer structure.
Static guides dry CO2 and O2 sessions with previews, phase cues, and local progress.