a question for the masses

What a great place.


Hello everyone! This is such a great site and a positive place for people to learn and discuss our sport. Thanks to the experienced divers for sharing their wisdom with us new guys.

My wife and I are in the process of becoming OW certified. We have finished the classroom and pool requirements and are scheduled to do our open water work the last weekend this month. (We’re from Wisconsin so we hope the ice is off the lake by then).

Now, if I may impose on you for your input. We were back in the pool last weekend honing our skills and we had a problem with the fin pivot. My wife can’t keep her fins on the bottom. She will start out correctly, but her feet rise up and her head goes down. She looks like a fishing bobber. In fact, if it were called ‘the head pivot’, she would ace the skill. When I help her keep her fins on the bottom she can breathe fine and has good control on her buoyancy. Our instructor and the assistants say “keep trying, she’ll get it”. The instructors have been wonderful and attentive and very safety conscious, but my wife is becoming frustrated.

Is there something someone could recommend?

Should we discuss some type of ankle weights with the instructor?

Any help will be appreciated greatly. As my wife is my buddy we want to keep Honey happy.

Aquaviper

The male center of gravity is above the waist. The females center of gravity is below the waist. When my female students have this problem, I have them try ankle weights.

You can usually pick up some at your friendly LDS. Ankle weights are shot weights in a small strip of neoprene that clips around the ankles. They come in various weights. Try them and see if they help. She will most likely be using them for her everyday diving as well as the certification dives.

I have also used them around the neck of my tank to be able to take some weight off of my belt.

Hope this helps.

Ken

I had basically the same experience. The ankle weights helped. They also moved 3 pounds of weight to a different location which helped my overall trim.

Also have your wife try beathing a bit differently. When I would try to fin pivot the instructor would tell us to breath naturally. I found I had to take several short choppy breathes until I started to pivot and then I could breath normally. Don't breath this way all the time, only for the excercise and for the fisrt few breathes, but until she gets to feeling more natural. . . it worked for me. -Ms. Starfish

Ankle weights are the answer. I have "floating" feet - even when I use a full foot fin. I use them and the problem goes away.

As for the fin pivot - I'm like Starfish, I found I had to take less shallow breaths initially. Now I can do pivots (and bouyancy/hoovering) with slow breaths.

The ankle weights

as before mentioned helps overall weight balance and trim allowing for a perfect fin pivot

Your instructor and assistants may be very attentive and safety concious, but "keep trying" is a poor recommendation for a student when the solution is widely known.

My $.02 worth.

DSAO

I don't know what kind of fins your wife is using, but they may also be positively bouyant, which just adds to the problem. Some fins are positive...they float, some are neutral, and some are negative and actually pull your feet down. Negative fins don't have to be heavy...the black Twin-Jets by Scubapro are negativly bouyant, but don't feel heavy (unlike the old Jet-fins), but the grey and blue Twin-Jets are positively bouyant.

I know that the Pulse fins by AquaLung are positive...other than that, I'm not sure. But, that might help solve the problem for you. Of course, if you have already bought the fins (and not using rental gear), and are happy with them otherwise, then ankle weights are cheaper than a new pair of fins!

Hello aquaviper, welcome to the scubasource family! Looks like you've already received some great answers. I agree with the ankle weight solution as well, it's bound to help her tremendously. Enjoy, and please feel free to ask away!


Sea you in the Deep Blue!

You have my vote for ankle weights, too. If you ever dive in the ocean or any salty body of water, the negative bouyancy may increase even more. I would go with the weights. I use them myself. They come in various weights, too, so you can balance yourself accordingly. Good luck, and welcome.

Ankle Weights solved that problem for my wife.But they created a new one. Her legs cramp more easily now because of the added weight while finning. I suppose it's nothing a little exercise wouldn't fix.

Tavi