Why no WARM UP when diving?

[manni-yunk]

Hi Manni-yuk,
Yes, it got a bit off-topic but I wanted to address the "venous bubble" issue since it was brought up. I'll try to answer your question a little better. First, can you give me your definition of "warm-up"? If you compete in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu it might be a little different than mine.

True.

A "tournament" warm up is intense. So nothing like that!

I would say just enough to get the blood flowing, allow for vessel dilation, maybe a few minutes of jump rope, push ups, jumping jacks - you know - everything that will make you look like an idiot on a boat:

Nothing crazy - just enough to limit the chances of pulling a muscle and adding the other advantages of warming up that I posted in the first post of this thread.


Ive noticed that if I jog before practice - at first within the first 2-3 minutes, I get out of breath quickly, then recover, then I can go for a LONG time without getting winded. Ive know that this is one of the reasons fighters, athletes, etc - do such a vigurous warm up. They want to train or compete in this "recovered" phase. I was thinking that with a quick warm up - would start a diver off in this recovered phase in case the dive becomes strenuous. PLus - past that first phase means a diver would be less likely to overbreath his reg since they wont get out of breath as easily.


Im not sure about all this- Im on the fence as to any advantages here.

And as I stated - I know vacation divers and Florida divers are in warm water and relaxed and looking at pretty reefs. My diving is nothing like that - Cold water - yes I try to relax - but we are digging, spearfishing, looking for artifacts, reaching into holes for lobster (or whatever else is hiding!).



Ive read about the incidence of Heart attacks being significantly higher in the morning but as we get active and past the first 4 hours of the day - the risk throughout the day drops significantly.

I dont know if that relates - but Im still thinking about it.


Realistically - do I see myself doing any of this on my boat - NO. My crowd is tough and would treat me like Woody harrleson in White men cant jump. But still - just thinking about the theoretical advantages....if any.

 

[W8less]

I used to warm up but then I got a pee valve.

On a more serious note. I have been heart rate monitoring and logging data for the past several years. Oddly enough the greatest increase in heart rate occurs while lugging gear to the boat/beach and suiting up. Once in the water, an average dive gets barely into the "Base Aerobic" or walking zone. Suiting up can double your resting heart rate.

The increased heart rate and the pulling/stretching involved in suiting up serves as a warm up. I always do shoulder stretches before a dive to make sure that I can effectively reach my valves. I also do hamstring stretches while suiting up to ensure that I can reach my feet, my only experiences with entanglement (unseen fishing line) have been legs and feet.

 

[diver 85]

To the OP---you mean a 'WARM UP' as in swimming behind the dive boat the last half mile or so to the dive site??....

 

[Gilldiver]

Throwing and pulling the hook back up 3 or 4 times should do it. A 20# grapnell, with 20' of chain and 150'+ of rope starts to weight a good bit after the 2nd throw.

 

[manni-yunk]

To the OP---you mean a 'WARM UP' as in swimming behind the dive boat the last half mile or so to the dive site??....

Well thats part of my point. Theoretically - I think it would be beneficial. Realistically - a warm up could not happen - Its not convenient to do and no real wya to do it.

 

[manni-yunk]

Throwing and pulling the hook back up 3 or 4 times should do it. A 20# grapnell, with 20' of chain and 150'+ of rope starts to weight a good bit after the 2nd throw.

Haha - luckily the bertram is mine, so I dont pull the anchor. Im at the wheel.

Heck, I dont even have to untie.


I do tie in - but I cant think of the last time that I was the last one out to untie.

 

[manni-yunk]

I used to warm up but then I got a pee valve.

On a more serious note. I have been heart rate monitoring and logging data for the past several years. Oddly enough the greatest increase in heart rate occurs while lugging gear to the boat/beach and suiting up. Once in the water, an average dive gets barely into the "Base Aerobic" or walking zone. Suiting up can double your resting heart rate.

The increased heart rate and the pulling/stretching involved in suiting up serves as a warm up. I always do shoulder stretches before a dive to make sure that I can effectively reach my valves. I also do hamstring stretches while suiting up to ensure that I can reach my feet, my only experiences with entanglement (unseen fishing line) have been legs and feet.

Good post.

Our dives probably arent "average" - but I get your point.

 

[diver 85]

Well thats part of my point. Theoretically - I think it would be beneficial. Realistically - a warm up could not happen - Its not convenient to do and no real wya to do it.

Man, that's way too much work...wait till you hit 60---you'll like the 'easier' things in life then.......

 

[diver 85]

Throwing and pulling the hook back up 3 or 4 times should do it. A 20# grapnell, with 20' of chain and 150'+ of rope starts to weight a good bit after the 2nd throw.

Hey, I'm going to smaller & thinner rode these days---just cuz what you're talking about....

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I would say just enough to get the blood flowing, allow for vessel dilation, maybe a few minutes of jump rope, push ups, jumping jacks - you know - everything that will make you look like an idiot on a boat:

You said it, not me

Seriously, though, from a scientific standpoint, there doesn't appear to be any evidence that you'll do yourself harm.

And as I stated - I know vacation divers and Florida divers are in warm water and relaxed and looking at pretty reefs. My diving is nothing like that - Cold water - yes I try to relax - but we are digging, spearfishing, looking for artifacts, reaching into holes for lobster (or whatever else is hiding!).

From a practical standpoint, a lot of my diving experience has been military and commercial, where the level of exertion can be considerably higher than in recreational diving (even chasing bugs and prying up artifacts). I've never seen or heard anyone advocate a pre-dive warmup like the one you're talking about. I've also never seen an athletic injury in a diver that I could equate to not warming up sufficiently. So, I think what you're talking about may be a bit more than you'd need to prepare yourself for the physical demands of a dive, but if you're happy with it, go for it!

Ive read about the incidence of Heart attacks being significantly higher in the morning but as we get active and past the first 4 hours of the day - the risk throughout the day drops significantly.

That's thought to be related to the decreased blood flow at rest/during sleep - less blood flow means more opportunity for clots to form around plaques in the coronary arteries.

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
DDM