Air Consumption

[REVAN]

So, out of curiosity, how much of a benefit do you think an expert chewer gains regarding digestion vs an average chewer?

I don't know about that, but an expert breather can easily be 30% or more efficient than an average breather. You asked the wrong question for relevance to this thread.

 

[Coztick]

Google the Buteyko breathing exercises.
Interesting stuff. Counter intuitive but sounds well researched. Premise being that we all breathe too much.
Who knew?

 

[Skeptic14]

I don't know about that, but an expert breather can easily be 30% or more efficient than an average breather.

You should get in the habit of providing a legitimate citation to accompany quantitative assessments otherwise how are people to know you've haven't just pulled something right out of your nether regions.

I'm eager to read the study you are citing.

 

[Michael Demmons]

I'm pretty good with air. On a shallow dive of 15-20 meters, I can easily stay down for 80-90 minutes. My advice for getting the most out of your tank:

1. If you smoke, quit.
2. If you're out of shape, get in shape.

Those are the two big ones, I think. Also, take it easy the night before you dive. Being hungover is a way to burn through air.

For me, the biggest change in my air consumption came when I get my buoyancy down pat. I practice it a LOT. For example, if I'm not particularly enjoying a dive or part of a dive, I practice hovering just over the bottom using breathing only. I know exactly how much weight I need when I dive - whether I'm wearing a 3, 5, or 7mm suit or not wearing one at all. If you're overweight and have to compensate by inflating your BCD, you're creating drag - i.e., making yourself work harder.

Another big thing: Stop kicking. You're working the biggest muscles in your body and burning oxygen.

 

[Coztick]

You should get in the habit of providing a legitimate citation to accompany quantitative assessments otherwise how are people to know you've haven't just pulled something right out of your nether regions.

I'm eager to read the study you are citing.

How about massive gains over 5 days...

 

[Skeptic14]

Buteyko method - Wikipedia

"There is no good medical evidence that the Buteyko method confers any health benefits.[1]"

"There are few high quality studies such as randomized controlled trials looking at the efficacy of treating asthma with "breathing retraining" methods in general, which include the Buteyko method, yoga training and other relaxation techniques.[8] Many of the studies that have evaluated breathing retraining have significant methodological flaws, including small sample sizes,[9] possible patient selection bias as well as heterogeneity in design that makes coming to a firm conclusion difficult.[10] These studies are also hampered by the difficulty in proper blinding and placebo control which could introduce more bias into these studies.[9]"

I think the best part is that some advocates of the buteyko method think it might cure diabetes too...

So not only is there no evidence this "breathing technique" does anything to help asthma patients, I definitely see no reason to conclude it can produce 30% gains for divers...

 

[Coztick]

This attitude brought to you by Western medicine driven by pharmaceutical therapy.

 

[seeker242]

So not only is there no evidence this "breathing technique" does anything to help asthma patients, I definitely see no reason to conclude it can produce 30% gains for divers...

The Buteyko method, along with other diaphragmatic breathing techniques, are well known as effective in reducing anxiety and inducing relaxation. It's also well known that a relaxed diver consumes less gas than a tense diver. A very relaxed diver would consume even less! Whether or not it helps asthma patients is largely irrelevant.

 

[Dan Bower]

I have just been reading the below and now im confused i was always told to breath from the top 3rd of your lungs yet this is telling you different unless im understanding it wrong lol

Breathe Deeply
Any oxygen taken from your tank but not absorbed into your bloodstream is wasted. That's the case when you take short, shallow breaths. A large part of the air you take in fills your throat and bronchia, but doesn't reach your lungs before it is expelled again. You have to take another shallow breath sooner because you didn't get much benefit from the first one, and a lot of air is wasted.

Instead, try to inhale deeply, filling your lungs completely with each breath. A deeper breath brings air to more of your lungs' tiny "air sacs" (the alveoli) where gas exchange takes place. It also adds more fresh air to the volume of "dead air" that remains in your lungs, throat and mouth from the previous breath, so the mix is richer. When more alveoli are more fully inflated with fresher air, gas exchange is more efficient: More oxygen is extracted from the incoming air and more carbon dioxide is released. Although each breath uses more air, you will take fewer breaths, and the net effect will be that less air is used. Short, shallow breaths are more frequent and less efficient.

Exhale fully too, so you expel as much carbon dioxide as possible. Anything not exhaled is carbon-dioxide-heavy "dead" air. On your next inhale, that dead air--instead of fresh air--partially fills your lungs. The urge to take the next breath is triggered not by lack of oxygen but by excess of carbon dioxide, so you find yourself inhaling again sooner. On the other hand, a deep exhale extends the time before you feel the need for another breath.

 

[lowviz]

I have just been reading the below and now im confused i was always told to breath from the top 3rd of your lungs ...//...

Try to find a copy of TDI's "A Guide to Advanced Nitrox". Pages 19-21 cover this pretty well. You breathe a bit differently on open circuit vs. closed circuit, but you always continue to clear your entire lung volume of carbon dioxide.