Obese Divers...

[Bob Vincent]

I have seen numerous threads on this subject......and that being said, as a BBD (Big Beautiful Diver, Fat Diver, Obese Diver, Fluffy Diver---what ever you want to call me), YES I can dive, YES I dive well, and YES I am instructor. Are there more health risks for me?? Perhaps, but then again Im 53 now and not a 21 year old kid. I regularly work for a shop here in Key Largo...and make 2-4 dives a day--5 or 6 days a week.

One of the reasons diving is such a wonderful sport, is that once we are in the water---the playing field levels out! Look at the person doing the diving--not their size!

Pat

You go girl ... tell it like it is. Theres a big difference being heavy fat whatever they like calling large people. Then there is the truely unfit. Know the difference. It's been some years ago but I had a class of young college sport jocks. The swim out to the bouy they were all panting. One remarked to me he was amazed I wasn't breathing hard and being over weight (270ish 5ft 7 with a 44 to 46 waist and a 54 inch chest. But I didn't tell them I was bench pressing 100lbs over my weight and leg pressing over 1400lbs and doing abs with 200lbs) But they all wondered why. Of course I didn't tell them when diving you use muscles and a movement thats different and the more you do it the better you get.

So, lets not think just because a diver is large he is not a good diver are fit to dive ... big mistake ... huge mistake!

And I know MsParamedic, and YES SHE CAN DIVE!

[String]

IIRC if you have a BMI of > 30 you wont pass the commercial diving medical in the UK so cant be a paid instructor regardless of anything else.

[Fionab]

IIRC if you have a BMI of > 30 you wont pass the commercial diving medical in the UK so cant be a paid instructor regardless of anything else.

That's OK then I don't need one as I don't get paid

[String]

That's OK then I don't need one as I don't get paid

Yep, BSAC (through a club) you can resemble something that escaped from sea world but provided you fill in and/or lie on the self certify form you're free to teach.

BSAC through a school or PADI or any other agency where payment in real terms or in kind is received is commercial diving so needs the HSE medical though.

[dumpsterDiver]

IIRC if you have a BMI of > 30 you wont pass the commercial diving medical in the UK so cant be a paid instructor regardless of anything else.

Here in Florida the law is similar, a BMI over 30 and you aren't supposed to wear a speedo on the beach..

[dustcap]

a vast difference between being overweight out of shape and overweight fit. I was on a dive trip with a guy who to look at him 6' tall and about 350' was the last guy back on the boat with 500# left. In fact he was at least 10 minutes behind everyone else. The consensus was he sips his air from a straw. A very fit fat looking guy. Probably most obese people are not fit, but if they dive in shallow water and stick to safe easy diving they probably be ok. However, since high BP and heart problems come with that territory that could bring them out of the diving waters.

My suggestion is to tell students that no matter what your size is, make sure you work out to keep your cardiovascular system in shape. That is the ticket.

[jan-japan]

You would need BCD's with a huge lift.