Not serious but a pain

[Xela-Tess]

some advice please. i have just started Diving (wish i had taken it up 20 years ago!) and did my ow and aow back to back ok some people dont agree with this, but two weeks of diving was fantastic. my problem is that i seem to go through a tank quicker than any one else, how do i reduce my consumption, (i know Breath less!) is it better to breathe deeper but slower or shallower but quicker, hope you understand what i mean.

 

[SCUBACrazy]

There's probably a million threads about this subject on the board so you can do a search for even more info. All it boils down to is repetition and experience. The more often you dive the better your consumption, and skills, will get. Just one more reason to dive more often huh? :banana:

Dive On!

 

[Cudabait]

Seems like you've covered a lot of training in a short period of time. Congratulations. Using more air than others at this stage is not that unusual. Also newness combined with cold water may cause your use to be a little higher. Probbably as your comfort level increases your air consumption will decrease.

Regards,

 

[voop]

The key to your air consumption issue is simply not to worry. It's perfectly normal to "suck like a hoover" when you start diving and then, as you gain confidence, experience and develope more efficient underwater behaviors, your air consumption comes down.

For example, most new divers fin a lot, have to "work consciously" on their bouyancy and have to fin (to some degree) to not sink/float. With experience, as neutral bouyancy skills develop, and air consumption drops almost dramatically.

So to get a lower air consumption, the best reccomendation is "go dive" as much as you can

Don't "hold your breath", skip-breath or any such thing. It may cause a build-up of CO2, which isn't good for the body.

 

[Xela-Tess]

thought the answer would be something like that, Oh well looks as if i will have do some more diving then, its a hard life Ha HA thanks

 

[Rhuland]

Do not breath quickly and shallow. This will build up CO2 and cause you to feel you cannot get enough air from your regulator. Part of the reason you are using more air than you care to is for several reasons. One being that you are breathing quick and shallow now. If and when you relax underwater you will find yourself breathing deep and slow. This maximizes use of the O2 you breathe in and exhales the most CO2.

Good Luck!

 

[caymaniac]

Yes, I understand what you mean, this happened to me over 20 years ago and I wished I had started when I was 16 instead of 29!
You have to dive more, so that you become more comfortable under water, one of the first things you have to do in a dive is, after the initial shock of going from one environment to another wears off, think...relax, relax, relax, control your breathing. You have to become aware that you are sucking down the tank too fast. After quite a number of dives this reaction will become automatic.
The next thing you have to work on is your bouyancy, do NOT use too much weight. You need to find a limit (of weights) that will provide you a most streamlined effect. Too much weight makes you use up your tank fast.
I guarantee that these two things will eventually make a hugh difference in air consumption.

Diving is fun,
Caymaniac

 

[Xela-Tess]

i know i breath deep and slowly, someone did mention about "skip Breathing" i wasnt sure about that 'cose every book says dont hold your breath. in a few weeks i am off to Tenerife to live so there will be loads of chances to dive, and a lot warmer than the UK, thanks for your advice! hope you dont mind me asking questions, but without questions you never learn

 

[GQMedic]

Improving air consumption is an easy venture. Dive MORE! You'll become more comfortable in the water, you'll develope better finning technique, you'll learn how to REALLY relax at depth, streamline yourself, lose some of that lead your packing on and over a period of time, which is different for every diver, your air consumption rate will change.

You'll find you will be better aware of your buoyancy, this will improve air consumption significantly as well. As you dive more and more, all these skills, as well as your level of comfort will come together nicely, the best workout for diving is diving, how cool is that? Improving your diving by simply diving more and making those little adjustments to yourself and your equipment and you have fun in the process. It's a win / win process!

Enjoy!

 

[Boogie711]

Skip breathing = bad.

Don't do it. Breath nice and slow, but don't skip breath.

Air is cheap. Your lungs aren't.