Breathing Pattern and Bouyancy Control
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crpntr133
lost, even with a compass
I wouldn't consider myself as a more experienced diver but I breath about the same as Kim with a bit of Knotical thrown in. I pause more than I dawdle. I have been complimented on my bouyancy. Now I need to get horizontal and I will be happy.
crpntr133:
Drop your head down and try to look backwards under your body. If you can see what's behind you like that - you are horizontal!
It will give you a clearer idea of what horizontal feels like. If you really can't get into that position then you need to look at how your weights are distributed - maybe you need to shift the center of gravity a bit. (probably upwards)
crpntr133
lost, even with a compass
I am not horizontal even when I am finning, at least not like I want to be. Since I am using gear that I am still getting use to it is taking a bit of time. I also have dropped 4lbs off and that has made a big difference. My next move is to move the trim weight to the upper tank band.
Kim and Knotical combine for a very nice description that is well worth practicing.
I would like to suggest a way to get in some practice.
When you are coming to the end of a dive, you will normally be doing a safety stop. Not much to do there, and unless you are lucky enough to be doing it on a shallow reef, there isn't usually much to see.
Use that time for practice. Focus on your depth gauge or computer. Let your body absolutely relax--no body movement--essentially do the hover drill from your OW class. Try to control your depth 100% by breath control, as described by Kim and Knotical. Your skills will improve quickly, without having to devote any extra time to it.
I would like to suggest a way to get in some practice.
When you are coming to the end of a dive, you will normally be doing a safety stop. Not much to do there, and unless you are lucky enough to be doing it on a shallow reef, there isn't usually much to see.
Use that time for practice. Focus on your depth gauge or computer. Let your body absolutely relax--no body movement--essentially do the hover drill from your OW class. Try to control your depth 100% by breath control, as described by Kim and Knotical. Your skills will improve quickly, without having to devote any extra time to it.
Robert Phillips
Contributor
If you consider laying on the bottom or holding onto rocks for control flawless bouyancy, then all the photographers I see underwater do tooScubaFreak:
Kriterian
Guest
Robert Phillips:If you consider laying on the bottom or holding onto rocks for control flawless bouyancy, then all the photographers I see underwater do too
Let them grab a fistfull of fire coral, or get a stingray barb in the "o-ring" and that'll stop 'em.
Well I will agree that with my chin on my chest I should not be looking at the bottom. If with my chin on my chest all I can see is blue water then I will know I an not swimming in a Head Up possition to keep off the bottom. It does not however mean I am horizontal. I could be too light and swimming in a head down position to maintain my depth, or horizontal. Best judge of how you are is you dive buddy.Kim:Drop your head down and try to look backwards under your body. If you can see what's behind you like that - you are horizontal!
I'm presuming that you have some other visual reference apart from water - like a reef. If you are swimming in the water column or in very low visibility it would not be so useful. If you are swimming a few feet above a reef and look back - you can normally see what's level or not.
I agree that your buddy can see it even better, and even signal trim positions to you if you are too far out, however I have always found this to be a quick and easy check and I often do it if my buddy is behind me, to keep tabs on them.
I agree that your buddy can see it even better, and even signal trim positions to you if you are too far out, however I have always found this to be a quick and easy check and I often do it if my buddy is behind me, to keep tabs on them.
Battery
Registered
Kim:Well there are a lot more experienced divers than I, but I'll give it a shot!
First of all I establish my bouyancy at a half filled lungfull of air. What this means is that if I inhale - I start to go up a little, and if I exhale I'll sink a little. Then I try to establish a sine wave pattern of in and out around that (you know a sine wave - those wavy lines along a central line in the middle?) I try to make both the inhale phase and the exhale phase equal - counting it out helps me there - for me a count of 4 in and 4 out works quite well, but everyone is probably a little different. Now if I see that I need to rise a little - say because I'm following a coral contour - then I'll shift the center slightly upwards, i.e take a slightly deeper breath and breath slightly shallower out. If I need to drop a little then I'll breath completely out and slightly less than a full lung in.
If I really need to change my depth faster than this (but only talking about a couple of meters up or down) I will add a slight, and I mean slight, pause at the top or bottom of the cycle as required.
If I followed the pattern that this DM told you I'd probably sink too much myself. I'm not saying he's wrong, but I think which part of the breath cycle is your true neutral point comes into play here. Like I said - I like mine in the middle. It sounds like he likes his more towards his full exhale point. Possibly he uses slightly less weight on his belt because of this.
This should help me, Thanks!
I think Im going to try some of these out in a pool tonight
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