Exercises to Gain Stamina for Diving?

[leapfrog]

If I could do that I wouldn't need to work out.

C'mon, you're a young man! What do you find to be more difficult? BTW, if you don't work out you wouldn't be able to do it!

 

[Boxcar Overkill]

My recommendation:


Swim 500 yards (457 m) in 14 minutes or less, using sidestroke or breaststroke. Once achieved, try to get your time down to under 11 minutes.

Perform 42 push-ups within 2 minutes, with the chest touching the ground on each repetition.

Perform 50 sit-ups within 2 minutes.

Perform 6 pull-ups with palms facing out. (No kipping or swinging is allowed and the chin must clear the top of the bar on each repetition.)

Run 1.5 miles (2.414 km) in 12 minutes and 45 seconds.

Do 20 splits (ten right leg, ten left leg, alternate) with minimum 10lb weights in each hand. Gradually pick up greater weights.

Once you have done this routine, let me know and I'll give you more if you want.

Hope this helps. Nice to see a guy who wants to keep fit for diving.

This is my new fitness challenge then.

I'm so out of shape, I'll need to drop about 20 pounds. It may take me a few months, but I'm going to try it.

 

[nathano]

Fitness For Divers | Global Underwater Explorers

I would recommend the book "Fitness for Divers" by Cameron Martz.

Its available on the GUE (Global Underwater Explorers) website.

Pretty much you want to work cardio. It'll help you improve your SAC rate, and provide you the "endurance" your are looking for.

IMHO the best way to get better at diving is to dive as frequently as possible. If that isn't an option the next best thing is to do some cardio that you enjoy. Be it running/biking/swimming/whatever. Pretty much get outside, and sweat and get your heart pumping and you will be going in the right direction.

The book provides you alot of really detailed workouts and streches and stuff specific to diving.

Edit:
Below is a table from Jarrod Jablonski's book:

Swimming
•Minimum fitness: Swim 400 yards continuously
•Medium fitness: Swim 1600 yards continuously
•Advanced fitness: Swim 5000 yards continuously

Running
•Minimum fitness: Run 30 minutes continuously
•Medium fitness: Run 60 minutes continuously
•Advanced fitness: Run 26.2 miles (a.k.a. a marathon)

Cycling
•Minimum fitness: Cycle 45 minutes continuously
•Medium fitness: Cycle 3 hours continuously
•Advanced fitness: Cycle 100 miles (a century)

Jumping rope
•Minimum fitness: Jump 5 minutes continuously
•Medium fitness: Jump 15 minutes continuously
•Advanced fitness: Jump 45 minutes continuously

Material taken from “Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving” © 2001 Jarrod Jablonski, Global Underwater Explorers.

His book is available on GUE's website too.

-Nathan

 

[tom_guy]

My recommendation:


Swim 500 yards (457 m) in 14 minutes or less, using sidestroke or breaststroke. Once achieved, try to get your time down to under 11 minutes.

Perform 42 push-ups within 2 minutes, with the chest touching the ground on each repetition.

Perform 50 sit-ups within 2 minutes.

Perform 6 pull-ups with palms facing out. (No kipping or swinging is allowed and the chin must clear the top of the bar on each repetition.)

Run 1.5 miles (2.414 km) in 12 minutes and 45 seconds.

Do 20 splits (ten right leg, ten left leg, alternate) with minimum 10lb weights in each hand. Gradually pick up greater weights.

Once you have done this routine, let me know and I'll give you more if you want.

Hope this helps. Nice to see a guy who wants to keep fit for diving.

What's a split? Is that like a lunge?

 

[trucker girl]

For finning, there is an easy exercise you can do at home. Get one of those stretch bands or tubes, and find a spot where you can stand on a stool or anything that gets one foot about 12" off the ground. Put one end of the band/tube on your free foot and anchor the other end. Stand on the step with the band being just tight (no slack) while your leg is 6"-12" behind you. Then point your toes down and just stretch it forward (like you are finning) about the same distance. You will have resistance going forward, then resist the pull on the way back. Do as many as you can while keeping your leg straight and your toes pointed down. Then switch legs and repeat. Turn around and do it with the tension as you pull back.

What? No video demonstration?

 

[tom_guy]

I still have to fiqure out what a split is before I even think about that one!!!

 

[ArcticDiver]

...

For finning, there is an easy exercise you can do at home. Get one of those stretch bands or tubes, and find a spot where you can stand on a stool or anything that gets one foot about 12" off the ground. Put one end of the band/tube on your free foot and anchor the other end. Stand on the step with the band being just tight (no slack) while your leg is 6"-12" behind you. Then point your toes down and just stretch it forward (like you are finning) about the same distance. You will have resistance going forward, then resist the pull on the way back. Do as many as you can while keeping your leg straight and your toes pointed down. Then switch legs and repeat. Turn around and do it with the tension as you pull back.

...

In other words Leg Curls and Leg Extensions. You can do a very similar thing with any convenient weight around the house while you are watching the tube, etc. Just put a weight on your foot while sitting in a chair. Raise and lower the weight by extending and bending your leg but don't ever let the weight hit the floor. Then lay down and do the same thing while lying prone.

Lots of ways to get the job done. Some are expensive, some are cheap. Some need lots of equipment, some don't. But, the real key is to do something, almost anything to get the body moving and developing. That will put you light years ahead of most of the population.

 

[scubafit]

Check out "Taking it to the Gym - Are You ScubaFit?" at Exercise Information and Discussion for Scuba Divers This is a specific workout routine for interval training by combining resistance exercises and cardio. Most interval training is fast and slow cardio, but with this workout you time your resistance exercise sequences as well. I have been teaching this method since 1996. I think you will like it. Sorry the photos for the resistance training are not on site yet, but will be soon. Also, notice that the unique resistance training exercises combine muscle combinations synergistically to emulate the movements and muscle combinations in scuba diving. This workout can be done at the gym or at home. I would like to hear more about your specific goals if you're willing to share. Also, notice this is a reply to a posting in April of 2008. How's the workout going so far?

 

[tom_guy]

Check out "Taking it to the Gym - Are You ScubaFit?" at Exercise Information and Discussion for Scuba Divers This is a specific workout routine for interval training by combining resistance exercises and cardio. Most interval training is fast and slow cardio, but with this workout you time your resistance exercise sequences as well. I have been teaching this method since 1996. I think you will like it. Sorry the photos for the resistance training are not on site yet, but will be soon. Also, notice that the unique resistance training exercises combine muscle combinations synergistically to emulate the movements and muscle combinations in scuba diving. This workout can be done at the gym or at home. I would like to hear more about your specific goals if you're willing to share. Also, notice this is a reply to a posting in April of 2008. How's the workout going so far?

The theory behind the workout looks good, and I'm always up for a challenge!!! But, I'm unsure of what some of the exrecises are? Particularly Dolphins, Ball reach, push press & plank, and Pullover. Do you regulate your heart rate through speed or weight? i.e. where weights are involved is a lighter weight @ high reps used in favour of heavy weight low reps?

 

[scubafit]

Good questions. I will get photographs of the exercises up for you asap. Resistance training is always about "Time and Tension" and finding the right balance between the two to: 1) match your current fitness level (so you can progress to the next level) and 2) meet your specific goals. For Interval Training, the longer duration of the set requires that we reduce the weight. Initially, you may have to continue to lower the weight throughout the exercise. Your body will adapt over a period of a few weeks and you will increase gradually again. If you are performing one of the functional exercises without added weight, and you cannot complete a full minute yet, within a few weeks you will also adapt and get stronger. Sometimes our own body weight is enough. During the resistance training sets, your heart rate will increase at the end of each interval and should recover quicker as you continue to train. Use your target heart rate calculations and don't go over your max - 70% if possible. If you have to take a break to bring the heart rate down in the beginning, that's o.k. Better to work safely with with a solid foundation and feel good about the workout. Hope this helps.