Oh no its ME!!!! I'm the dive ruining HOOVER!!!!

[Web Monkey]

You can't conciously control your air consumption, simply by willing it, since it's driven by your body's oxygen requirements.

You can, however relax, which will help, and improve your buoyancy and trim, which will also help.

OTOH, it's just air, and there are no prizes for saving air. If your dives are too short, you can always get a bigger tank.

Terry

after having read most of the posts here, and the articles mentioned in a few of them, I am wondering if, and what kind of, breathing exercises you could do (when NOT diving) to improve your overall breathing techniques? Any tips or links on this one? Or would that mean to start doing yoga or something like that?

best,
job

 

[jopperdepopper]

I'm not wanting to 'control' it, maybe just become more aware of the whole breathing process. Probably just needs time, attention and experience.
But I figure breathing & relaxing are closely related, one helps the other. A few deep slow breaths help you to relax. I hear of freedivers doing yoga exercises for relaxation. Would be nice to be able to exercise on the surface, and learn to relax through breathing.
BTW: I'm talking about surface breathing. NOT looking for 'tricks and techniques' for underwater!

Job

 

[wystiria]

Something else that hasn't been mentioned that has helped my husband is doing more cardio work outs. My husband is 6'1" and roughly 250. He is one solid muscle since he works out so much. Anyway he goes thru more than twice the air I do - 5'5" 150lbs. anyway along with what everyone has said, relax, work on bouyancy, less motion, etc. he has added more cardio to his work out and it has helped him a lot!. He is still sucking lots of air but his goal for January is to reduce his consumption by 30% and with breathing skills (yoga breathing helps since it teaches you to focus on breathing, full inhale- long exhale) and cardio I think he will make it.

Besides if you are like all the rest of us any motivation to head out for a walk or run or hike etc. is helpful