Pause breathing to control buoyancy

[jimmy71]

Wait. You are telling me that you can preferentially control your breathing to a specific lung?

I just wanted to add a couple things to stuff already mentioned. When I was first taught about barotrauma I always thought in the back of my mind that I would be able to feel if/when that was happening and and exhale. As I have taking more A&P classes I have come to realize that the lungs do not have the innervation to feel this happening. You body never expected something like this to happen and thus has not evolved mechanisms to detect/prevent it.

I will also say that if you are using your breathing as one of your primary sources of buoyancy control at depth, you can easily build up CO2. While this is unlikely to cause you to black out on OC, it can easily cause a very bad headache after the dive.

I use my breathing on every dive to assist my buoyancy. This may be in the form of skip breathing, breath holding or deeply inhaling. This does not replace my BCD but it is the fastest way to compensate. If i find myself shallower than I want to be from inattention or other issues, the first thing I do is a full exhale and hold while I work to sort out what needs to be sorted out. I recently did my first rebreather dive and your breathing does not effect buoyancy. You quickly realize how much you us your breathing for buoyancy purposes when it no longer works!

 

[Blackwood]

You can also practice and vary the shape of your lung so more of the air goes towards the front, rear, left or right. This allows you to rotate left, right, up or down without using other body movements.

... come again?

 

[windapp]

Exactly what muscle do you use to vary the shape of your lung?

 

[fdog]

You can also practice and vary the shape of your lung so more of the air goes towards the front, rear, left or right. This allows you to rotate left, right, up or down without using other body movements.

While I'm not going so far as to call BS (I learned how to do lots of stuff I thought was BS when I took a freediving class, eh?), this certainly is an assertion pretty far from the mainstream...


However, it sure is a skill I'd love to have if it's teachable!


All the best, James

 

[jimmy71]

well i looked around on the web about yoga breathing and i see stuff about one nostral breathing but nothing about preferentialy inflating a lung. Not satying they do not claim to be able to do it, but they use terms I am unwilling to spend the time to look up.

My right lung does hold more air than my left. Maybe that is why my trim is always off!

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Since the lung is not a muscle, you cannot control how it inflates, but using your muscles, you can expand one lung more than the other, and with other muscles, you can push part of your ribcage in more than others to alter the shape internally. Nobody is going to be doing cartwheels or spin in loops while being motionless. But the technique is there.

 

[finbob]

This thread is very helpful, thank you! May I ask about 'normal' breathing underwater. I find that I am usually the first to surface any advice? Thanks!

 

[scubadiveilat]

Excellent points out there! In simplicity "practice makes perfect" that's why a new diver on their first class may go threw a 12ltr tank in 30min. While an experienced diver may last for an hour or longer. While diving enjoy it, keep relaxed Breath deep and slow. Never hold your breath. Exhale as slowly as possible. This is a good skill to master. Have fun and dive frequently.....

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I understand the need to impress on new divers that they should not HOLD their breath. I really think teaching the simple mechanics of breathing would go a long way to reducing air consumption caused by what nearly amounts to hyperventilation caused by the fear of breaking that rule!

It is not difficult to ask the divers to spend some time watching the way people around them breathe and take note of their own breathing on land. There is a natural pause between inhalation and exhalation we are not either inhaling or exhaling at all times. The natural pause occurs with an open/relaxed glottis (open airway) which TS&M has so beautifully explained earlier in the thread.

When a diver doesn't understand the breathing process how can they "breathe normally" as they are told to do. New divers are already task loaded and stressed which are often triggers to hyperventilation. Add to that the fear that they will sustain an injury unless they are either inhaling or exhaling at all times you tip the scales more towards hyperventilation. Of course the result of hyperventilation on land is scary and escalates the problem further. Hyperventilation causes further feelings of suffocation and fear.. it is even worst under water!

With all these factors it is not surprising that new divers go through a lot of air! IMHO too many people go on about SAC rates. The only reason the you need to know your SAC rate is so you can plan your dive which include tank size and fill pressures! My reason for posting here has nothing to do with SAC but everything to do with wanting to minimize the stress placed on new divers by in some cases near paranoia created about breath holding!

sorry climbing off now

 

[Blackwood]

I understand the need to impress on new divers that they should not HOLD their breath. I really think teaching the simple mechanics of breathing would go a long way to reducing air consumption caused by what nearly amounts to hyperventilation caused by the fear of breaking that rule!

Absolutely. Hell, I've talked to a number of new divers who believe they must continuously exhale during ascent rather that breathe normally. Is it any wonder people get headaches?