The First 5 Feet

[mccabejc]

Okay, I think I've finally hit upon my optimum weight configuration. And boy does it feel good. It's taken 25 dives to get it, though.

With this weight config, however, descending the first 5 or 10 feet is becoming more of a challenge. I purge my BC, exhale, and begin to descend. However, especially if I've just finished a long surface swim (I do mostly beach diving), and haven't relaxed long enough before descending, I can't hold my exhale very long before I need to take a breath. And if it's a big one, I start rising again. I've measured my ability to hold an exhale, and at most it's 15-20 seconds. That is, exhale completely, then hold it. After swimming a couple hundred yards, that time is much less.

My question: are there any breathing exercises I can do to improve my ability to hold the exhale? I suppose I could just flip over and swim down, but I'd rather get proficient at doing a nice descent. Presently I keep in pretty good shape (run 3 miles a few times a week), and I also know that it's not an issue of keeping my feet from kicking, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Diver0001]

Practice it. You're on the right track. Take some time after a long surface swim to catch your breath before you start your dive. It helps.

Also, if you must inhale then do so and relax about it. You've managed to descend every time up until now and it will only get easier.

Finally, relaxing your muscles will help you sink faster. You're looking for full-body relaxation and not just deep exhaling.

How are you decending? Feet first, head first or something else?

R..

 

[gcbryan]

Sounds simple but may very sure you're feet aren't moving and just rest for a minute before descending so that you aren't breathing too hard. You should really need exercises to improve your "exhale time".

If your feet aren't moving you will drop after you get below the first few feet by exhaling. I think you just need a relax for a moment on the surface after a long swim.

 

[JasonH20]

My question: are there any breathing exercises I can do to improve my ability to hold the exhale?

I don't know the answer, but by chance I decided to practice holding my breath last night.

I was trying to get my 2 year old to fall asleep, so was sitting in the rocking chair in his room while he drifted off in bed. I decided to make use of the time and waited for his clock's second had to reach 12 and held my breath for 1 min. Recovered for 1 min and held for 1:15. Recovered for :45 and held for 1:30. Recovered for :30 and held for 1:45. The last one was a real struggle for me.

Anyways, not sure if that was helpfull or not, but it was an interesting exercise for me nonethe less!

 

[MSilvia]

You might also try hyperventillating for three or four breaths before descent. You may find it easier to hold it longer that way.

 

[perpet1]

My question is this: Since it sounds like you are very close to neutral at the start of your dive, is there any chance that you are properly weighted at the end of your dive? :06:

Proper weighting would mean that you are overweighted at the start of a dive by the swing weight of your tank from full to empty (about 5lbs for 80ft3 give or take). This means you should be about 5lbs heavy at the start of your dive (for an 80ft3 and more for a higher capacity tank). That said, you should not have to play the games you are talking about just to get down initially.

Now if you were at the end of your dive an needed to go down for something I can see having to play these games.

Just a question,
Pete

 

[Divemastr]

A question: Do you wear a wetsuit? If so, make sure you "debubble" the suite before trying to descend. I know you were swimming out from shore, But I would go through the routine anyway. Regardless, I do like what MSilvia suggested. However, not too much as diziness may result. I would not recommend head first descents either as some disorientation may result. Definately relax first after a long surface swim. Don't rush, relax and have fun.

 

[simbrooks]

If you had just jumped off a boat i could understand there being a little air trapped in your wetsuit that might help buoy you up, but after a long swim that would most likely have had a chance to come out. There is no hurry to descend, take your time and catch your breath. The advice about movement (arms or feet/fins) is also helpful, those little movement give you upwards propulsion and hinder you from descending. Also due to your weighting you should be 6# overweight (on an AL80) with no air in your BC and even more so if you have exhaled too which should be enough to pull you down before your suit starts to compress a little. Going feet down the first few feet helps, i usually then go horizontal to help control my descent rate (drag). These things should help. But try to hold your breath for longer, even in the manner suggested by JasonH2O - i find 15-20 seconds hard to believe, that is really quite short, although i find it hard to go over 90 seconds! Movement, heart rate etc will effect you ability to hold your breath.

 

[freediver]

Relaxing your muscles, as suggested, will not affect your body composition to the point that you sink faster. It may adjust your lung volume though. If tense before hand you tend to have a higher lung volume which which will make you more buoyant.
Hyperventilation -- bad idea as it does not increase breath hold but suppresses CO2, hyperventilation is implicated in many freedive deaths and should not be practiced whether diving free or on scuba.
If you want to increase exhalation time you will need to increase overall lung capacity to have something to exhale! Breath hold can be increased a number of ways but exhale is dependent on lung capacity and rate of exhale.

 

[MSilvia]

Hyperventilation -- bad idea as it does not increase breath hold but suppresses CO2, hyperventilation is implicated in many freedive deaths and should not be practiced whether diving free or on scuba.

I understand that hyperventillation supresses CO2-triggered breathing urges, and the impact that can have on a freedive is pretty obvious. I'm failing to see how that would be a dangerous idea in this case though, as he would presumably be resuming normal breathing after reaching a depth of 15-20 feet or so.

Can you explain your reasoning?