Ascending and Descending in Horizontal Trim

[CompuDude]

Yet another great article in my bookmarks. Thanks!

 

[ScubaSaipan]

Thanks, very helpful to us new divers.

 

[ptyx]

Thanks for the great article!

Just for the sake of having at least one dissenting opinion:

While an horizontal ascent makes it easier to keep team formation (or at least not bump into each other) once you've mastered all the kicks, it almost requires a backward kick.

For a beginner, and especially with a kicked ascent (noooo, don't hurt me!), it can be easier to ascend vertically and lean back slightly to keep separation than to master that kick.

That does justify learning the back kick early rather than sticking with vertical ascents, as the horizontal position has many other benefits, but I'd be curious to hear OW instructors opinion on the subject.

 

[CompuDude]

Thanks for the great article!

Just for the sake of having at least one dissenting opinion:

While an horizontal ascent makes it easier to keep team formation (or at least not bump into each other) once you've mastered all the kicks, it almost requires a backward kick.

For a beginner, and especially with a kicked ascent (noooo, don't hurt me!), it can be easier to ascend vertically and lean back slightly to keep separation than to master that kick.

That does justify learning the back kick early rather than sticking with vertical ascents, as the horizontal position has many other benefits, but I'd be curious to hear OW instructors opinion on the subject.

Who says you have to be face to face in a team formation? If you're in a line, there's no need for the back kick.

 

[laurin]

While an horizontal ascent makes it easier to keep team formation (or at least not bump into each other) once you've mastered all the kicks, it almost requires a backward kick.

You don't need to be always face to face. In a current people tend to cluster on one side of the ascent line anyway (if using one), then it's more about keeping some elbow space. I don't mind even badly vertical trim, what's really annoying on crowded ascent lines is people who constantly move around, flail with their hands and keep kicking down to hold level. Even doing the tarzan routine on the line is better...

You don't necessarily need to master back kick to maintain some space when horizontal, you can just push and showe, both divers will move apart as Newtonian physics dictate. If you have some personal space issues or want to be a bit more polite then holding out a fist for the buddy to push on works too.

For a beginner, and especially with a kicked ascent (noooo, don't hurt me!), it can be easier to ascend vertically and lean back slightly to keep separation than to master that kick.

That does justify learning the back kick early rather than sticking with vertical ascents, as the horizontal position has many other benefits, but I'd be curious to hear OW instructors opinion on the subject.

I've been able to teach passable frog and back kick during pool intro dives... If you don't tell the students beforehand that something is considered difficult and provide good, slow, structured example they'll surprise you.

Also, during our OW classes we start with horizontal descents and ascents from day 1. Most of the instructors in the club are trimix/cave divers, and we're not really training customers rather than possible future dive buddies and club members. As we don't get paid for instructing anyway, we don't mind some extra pool work... Viewing scuba diving (and especially instructing) as a franchise business with all the related issues of maximising profit and market share is IMO the primary reason why most agencies are primarily interested in minimum effort and CYA rather than diver skills and enjoyment.

The problem with these essential skills is that to teach good technique the teacher needs to master them him/herself. Unfortunately not too many [insert big agency] OW instructors can do a back or even frog kick.

Hm, that sounded cranky... Need to get some coffee.

//LN

 

[HenrikBP]

Very nice article Don. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.

As for keeping position in the team, the "fist bump" that Laurin mentions is perfectly acceptable. We all have a forward kick, so helping a team mate with a bump/push works well.

Henrik

 

[Blackwood]

For a beginner, and especially with a kicked ascent (noooo, don't hurt me!), it can be easier to ascend vertically and lean back slightly to keep separation than to master that kick.

I kicked up vertically for about my first ten dives. Then I tried a horizontal ascent using buoyancy control... just experimenting. I found it was much easier to control the ascent that way. To be sure, I couldn't have kept any semblance of team formation, but that wasn't even on my radar at the time.

 

[jeckyll]

Nice. Well balanced between illustrations and text.

I'd suggest for anyone who dives dry, being horizontal makes even more sense as it allows proper 'bubble management' ... and of course it looks cool

 

[RJP]

I'd suggest for anyone who dives dry, being horizontal makes even more sense as it allows proper 'bubble management' ... and of course it looks cool

I was on a liveaboard a few years ago when a fellow passenger offered me some advice about weight placement, as he noticed I was "having trouble getting vertical" on my safety stop.

 

[kanonfodr]

Don, not really a dissenting opinion, but I still think it is important that divers practice complete "no lift" ascents from time to time, even if just for a move from 30 feet to 20 feet. Bad things can happen and if you practice ascending and making stops without the wing to support you then that is one less thing to worry about when the smelly stuff hits the spinner.

I still prefer to make horizontal ascents and descents but I'm a fan of the Boy Scout Motto as well.

Peace,
Greg