"Anyone that has grown up around a pool has done this."
Eric Morrison, director for Piedmont Medical Center EMS, is talking about a challenge where swimmers see who can stay underwater the longest.
"Most of the time it's fine," Morrison said.
However, when something goes wrong, the problem can lead to shallow water blackout; a person passes out underwater due to a lack of oxygen.
"A lot of times, they will hyperventilate," Morrison added. "They will take a couple deep breaths, and they think that's actually giving them more oxygen."
The game puts your life up against the clock. Days ago, a Georgia sheriff reported a 23-year-old died after participating in a bachelor party contest to see who could hold their breath the longest. He never resurfaced, and his friends didn't realize he was drowning.
"It just happens so fast people don't realize," Morrison told NBC Charlotte.
It's referred to as quiet drowning. Someone could lose consciousness in as little as 30 seconds.
Morrison said the situation at the bachelor party isn't an isolated incident.
"It could be your teenage child at swim practice."
Back in the day, drills to practice holding your breath were thought to benefit a swimmer. Now it's proven to be more dangerous.
NBC Charlotte contacted YMCA of Greater Charlotte who sent us this statement regarding breath-holding games.
Learning to hold your breath is an essential skill when learning to swim. However, certain types of breath holding can be deadly. The YMCA prohibits breath holding activities such as static apnea – a practice where a person holds his or her breath in a motionless position. Static apnea is a particular concern because the swimmer’s lack of movement provides no feedback to the lifeguard as to whether or not the swimmer is ok. YMCA lifeguards are trained to react to any person who remains motionless under water for more than 10 seconds. Prolonged breath holding is not permitted at the Y at any time, with or without supervision.
Mecklenburg County, as a whole, enforces the same ban at all public pools.