Your number one tip to increase your time underwater.

[turnerjd]

Best thing to do is cardio fitness.

30 minutes each morning spent on a rowing machine and my SAC has never been better, even though over the last 6 years I rarely dived (until 2 months ago that is).

Then get in the pool and do ~1/2 mile (1Km for the metric people) every week.

Nothing beats general fitness for reducing SAC.

Jon T

 

[Pro Scuba Courses]

Most importantly make sure you are not overweighted so that you reduce your drag in the water, relax and practice your breath control - breathing should be deep and slow to make sure you don't build up carbon dioxide in your body causing you to breath faster. As everyone else has said it comes with time and practice - have fun building that experience!

 

[DevonDiver]

Weighting - Buoyancy - Trim

The 'Holy Triangle' of scuba diving.

Work on these and everything else falls into place.

My article series covers this in detail: Scuba Buoyancy Masterclass 1of9 - Buoyancy Control for Scuba Divers -Scuba Tech Philippines

 

[turnerjd]

another thing that nobody has mentioned.......

If you smoke, stop! It might not decrease your SAC immediately, but over a period of a few months it will have a noticible effect.

All the underwater techniques mentioned here will be of help if the diver is an overweight, unfit, smoker, but will not cure the underlying reason for a high SAC.

Of course, I'm not saying that this is true of the OP, however, it is good to remember...........

JonT

 

[bletso]

Slow down is very good advice, but getting trim to the point that when you aren't kicking you stay horizontal will help just as much. The vertical swim technique is swimming with the brakes applied.

Dale

 

[Frosty]

don't worry about it.FOR NOW if you want more bottom time use a bigger tank.
Literally just relax and enjoy.

 

[lv2dive]

My personal experience is that whenever I STOP focusing on breathing, and manage to breath more normally (as in, close to how I breath on the surface), then I have much better results. Just something to consider. Of course if I find myself working hard in current, then I focus on slowing down as much as possible, and especially trying to exhale slowly, so as to build up as little CO2 as possible, but I am thinking we are talking about normal diving conditions here.

 

[rhwestfall]

All good points. Weighting can be a key element, so if you can, make sure that is addresses.

As to the rest, I liken it to when I took up traditional archery. My mentor liked to say, "You are doing great, and in 10,000 more shots you will be even better". Point is: Get some time in the water. At <24 dives, you aren't even "warmed up". Been there, done that.

Keep diving, and just get comfortable with it. Have fun, and don't focus on breathing - that alone can likely cause issues. Breathing is natural, the rest of the stuff is learned.

 

[raoulsttexas]

All good suggestions!

For me personally, I realized that I was breathing on the top of my lungs exclusively because I was too "nervous" about not getting that next breath. So, on the next dive (shore dive), I submerged into 5'(!) of water and sat on my butt. I then exhaled FULLY for the first time on reg. I had to learn that my gear that was so preciously selected and maintained DOES actually work and will give me that next breath.

After that, I went from ~14-16lbs of lead to 8-10. I surfaced with more air than my wife (who apparently puts air into her tank during a dive rather than takes it out). And I literally never thought about breathing again.

A long slow exhalation will keep your overall breathing slower and your body will feel like your getting more overall respiratory circulation.

Just my 02....

 

[DennisS]

[h=1]Your number one tip to increase your time underwater.[/h]
Get your weight correct
Go Slow
#1 Get a 130 cuft tank