Exercise after diving

[hwahl]

I am currently working a coral restoration internship in which we often do 3-tank dives in a day, the deepest of which is 30ft. Surface intervals between dives range from 10 minutes to 90 minutes, and water temperatures during the summer range from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. With this information, I have 3 questions:

1.) If I dive conservatively (making safety stops before surfacing) and stay hydrated, is it safe for me to work out after dives? I go to a CrossFit gym at which workouts can be quite strenuous, but I can modify the exercises I’m feeling tired.

2.) If I CAN work out, should there be a certain time interval between my last dive and the start of the workout?

3.) Is it safe/more safe for me to work out in the morning before a 3-dive day instead?

My primary concern is increasing my risk of DCI. Looking forward to hearing some answers!

 

[Bigbella]

I am currently working a coral restoration internship in which we often do 3-tank dives in a day, the deepest of which is 30ft. Surface intervals between dives range from 10 minutes to 90 minutes, and water temperatures during the summer range from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. With this information, I have 3 questions:

1.) If I dive conservatively (making safety stops before surfacing) and stay hydrated, is it safe for me to work out after dives? I go to a CrossFit gym at which workouts can be quite strenuous, but I can modify the exercises I’m feeling tired.

2.) If I CAN work out, should there be a certain time interval between my last dive and the start of the workout?

3.) Is it safe/more safe for me to work out in the morning before a 3-dive day instead?

My primary concern is increasing my risk of DCI. Looking forward to hearing some answers!

I typically don't do anything particularly strenuous after repetitive dives, until I have completely outgassed; and would even be a bit cautious about any tough pre-dive workout, out of concern of possible dehydration, an additional DCS risk-factor . . .

 

[tursiops]

24h

Juggling Physical Exercise and Diving

Regular exercise will boost your diving, but timing is key. Learn exercise recommendations to help reduce the risks of future injuries.

dan.org

 

[blueskies_up_ahead]

I wondered about this as well (still a newish diver). For vacation, 2 dives a day situations (deeper though). When my instructor mentioned he works out in the evenings I asked him about it. He said it's no issue, esp. diving on Nitrox. But he slowly worked his way up (i.e. the body is used to work out). I felt silly for wondering if I could take a hot shower in the evening Sometimes I wonder if those instructions are simply from the pen of Padi lawyers. I suppose working out in the morning would be safer if you drink enough to counterbalance the loss of water through sweat.
This is not my recommendation or advice. I'm not nearly knowledgable enough. Just weighing in what I was told and hoping for better replies.

 

[MacDuyver]

I am currently working a coral restoration internship in which we often do 3-tank dives in a day, the deepest of which is 30ft. Surface intervals between dives range from 10 minutes to 90 minutes, and water temperatures during the summer range from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. With this information, I have 3 questions:

1.) If I dive conservatively (making safety stops before surfacing) and stay hydrated, is it safe for me to work out after dives? I go to a CrossFit gym at which workouts can be quite strenuous, but I can modify the exercises I’m feeling tired.

2.) If I CAN work out, should there be a certain time interval between my last dive and the start of the workout?

3.) Is it safe/more safe for me to work out in the morning before a 3-dive day instead?

My primary concern is increasing my risk of DCI. Looking forward to hearing some answers!

I usually program a day off for myself the next day. If anything, I;ll go on a walk or a light jog, maybe a bike ride with my kid at his pace.

Following day is back into my workout plan

 

[Kendall Raine]

we often do 3-tank dives in a day, the deepest of which is 30ft. Surface intervals between dives range from 10 minutes to 90 minutes, and water temperatures during the summer range from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

DAN's recommendation is no exercise 24 hours before and after diving, as the article tursiops linked describes. Also clear from the article is the one size fits all nature of the advice along with scant research on point. Your inert gas exposures are trivial (max depth <2 ata) so, while tribonucleation (micro bubble seed generation) from heavy lifting exercise is likely, the DCS implications on dives such as yours are minimal.

Personally I subscribe to the 24 hour rule pre post and have found heavy weight lifting the day after a deep dive (lots of heavy gear) can make my tendons sore and so avoid that. I also wouldn't want to have post lifting soreness be an excuse not to take post dive pain seriously.

I just think in the specific case of your shallow dives the chances of a problem are remote.

 

[blueskies_up_ahead]

Ok so where is the line between acceptable activity and exercise? Is a flat bike ride ok? A light run / swim / skating? Beach volleyball?
Those would hardly create more muscle activity than walking up the stairs to my 4th floor hotel room for example.

 

[RedSeaDiver2]

A young couple did a double boat dive and then went home and did some "exercise" in the bedroom - which resulted in them each needing two chamber treatments. So exercise after diving is a no no - in the gym... or the bedroom...

 

[kissonerga.ccr]

Ok so where is the line between acceptable activity and exercise? Is a flat bike ride ok? A light run / swim / skating? Beach volleyball?
Those would hardly create more muscle activity than walking up the stairs to my 4th floor hotel room for example.

Since everybody is different, and each dive is different, I don’t think we can find a universally applicable prescription, as in “12.5 hours after a dive, its OK to run 10k” (that’s Captain Obvious in me speaking)

The numerically obsessed of us can do what I do: I use a wrist-mounted Polar HRM under my dry suit. It says that in today‘s 60m dive, 100’ in-water time, I burned 727 kcal, that’s including the entry/exit, the more intensive bits than the dive itself, since I used a dpv for transitions. 727 kcal is ballpark what I burn in exercise on a non-diving day nowadays, so I feel no need to hit the gym or run or whatever

Now I have a scientifically substantiated excuse not to work out today!

 

[kissonerga.ccr]

A young couple did a double boat dive and then went home and did some "exercise" in the bedroom - which resulted in them each needing two chamber treatments. So exercise after diving is a no no - in the gym... or the bedroom...

Come on – training agencies should not miss a teachable moment here, they need to issue guidelines on ’low impact’ techniques…. Sell them books for $50