Correct breathing pattern

[ChimChim75]

Will making adjustments to a 2nd stage air flow valve significantly affect air use as well? If so, is it better to have more or less resistance?

[LeadTurn_SD]

Originally Posted by ChimChim75

Will making adjustments to a 2nd stage air flow valve significantly affect air use as well? If so, is it better to have more or less resistance?

1.) It is not better to have more resistance at the 2nd stage (or anywhere) in order to try to reduce air use. Your body "needs what it needs", and trying to artificially reduce its need for air will cause other problems, including (you guessed it) increased need for air

2.) Anything that decreases the work of breathing is a good thing. Will adjusting the flow at the 2nd stage significantly decrease air use? Nope. Probably not for most regulators. The reasons and cures for most "air-hoggery" are well outlined in the previous posts.

[InTheDrink]

Two things:

1. Get comfy. Spend time underwater, sitting on the bottom if necessary, so that being underwater doesn't rise your heart rate. Get comfy.

2. I've found that music helps me a lot. Listen to low/medium tempo songs you love and play them over in your head. It helps with the breathing part.

But first and foremost get comfy. It's when heart rates increase that things become more difficult to deal with in my, novice, opinion. Most things you're trying to do underwater aren't difficult if you were on land. The difference is being underwater. Ergo get comfy there first and the rest will become lots easier. 0.02.

J

[InTheDrink]

Sorry #3
Go as slow as you can with everything. Diving is the opposite of swimming. Slow everything. There's no rush, you see more when you look around. And the more you focus on what's around the less you focus on breathing and it starts being natural. When I am anxious I focus on some thing or activity and my breathing returns to normal. But point #1 is most important for me. Get comfy.