1 tank over within 36 minutes

[ScubaSteve]

Just breathe naturally.....don't consciously try to change your breathing.......focus on the diving......focus on everything you are seeing......focus on flying or hovering over the reef/wreck/water/rocks/fish.....focus on trying to improve your skills, your buoyancy, your trim. All of this will cause you to forget about breathing and lead to a more comfortable you in the water. That is when your SAC will improve naturally and you will enjoy your dives even more.

 

[Peter_C]

1) Breath control: Breathe in for 8 seconds (sip the air) breath out (slowly) for 16 seconds. Practice at home, if you experience difficulty reduce rate to 6/12 then move up when ready.

Breathing anything close to that underwater would leave me with a CO2 headache pretty quick, and I am sure on land too. A relaxed breathing pattern for me is more like 3/4. My experience with trying to control breathing and slow down breathes usually winds up with skip breathing, and headaches. I have found it much better to relax, let my body use what gas it needs, and it all falls into place.

 

[mikeawags]

Just watch the other divers, and only breathe when they do.

Sent during my 10' deco stop

 

[Neverland]

Relax and enjoy your early dives... longer bottom times will come as you get more comfortable underwater and gain experience. I know some divers with a few years experience who can barelky get 36 min out of an Al 80. When you are diving with more experienced divers who get longer bottom times, just be honest with them and let them know you are new to the activity and may not last as long as they do. I've never been disappointed when buddied up with a new divewr who is upfront about that... only the ones who claim to be the greatest diver in the world and surface after less than 30 minutes while I still have plenty of air to go another 60 minutes.

I love this story!

---------- Post added December 15th, 2012 at 05:21 PM ----------

Sent during my 10' deco stop[/QUOTE]

Are you kidding me?

---------- Post added December 15th, 2012 at 05:22 PM ----------

Relax. Dive more. Welcome to the underwater world!

Thank you Doc Harry!

---------- Post added December 15th, 2012 at 05:25 PM ----------

Breathing anything close to that underwater would leave me with a CO2 headache pretty quick, and I am sure on land too. A relaxed breathing pattern for me is more like 3/4. My experience with trying to control breathing and slow down breathes usually winds up with skip breathing, and headaches. I have found it much better to relax, let my body use what gas it needs, and it all falls into place.

Tks for telling your experience Peter!

---------- Post added December 15th, 2012 at 05:28 PM ----------

The fastest way to decrease your air consumption and stay with your buddies for the duration of the dive is this:

1) Breath control: Breathe in for 8 seconds (sip the air) breath out (slowly) for 16 seconds. Practice at home, if you experience difficulty reduce rate to 6/12 then move up when ready.

2) High energy workout/cardio 3x per week.

3) Lung/Mind exercise: plug your nose and breathe thru a straw while sitting for 1hr. If you feel faint, immediately stop the exercise and continue after you recover.

I love breath control and high energy work out but straw breathing I would skip

 

[tracydr]

One thing I've learned as a physician is that very few people know how to breathe properly. With the diaphragm instead of the tiny chest muscles. Try taking some yoga classes to learn how. You'll be amazed at how much proper breathing will help your diving.

 

[Neverland]

Yes the weightening seems to be a problem but as many as of you have said that I'm probably overweighted the divemaster who is diving with me should see that.
When I was asking the divemaster after the tour why is my air out faster he/she just said it is normal don't worry.
I was diving in hot and cold water as well..Now for everydays diving I would need a drysuit I don't know if this is the best way for learning diving..

 

[TSandM]

I learned to dive in a dry suit. It does make life a bit more complicated, but it can certainly be done. We have trained quite a few students in dry suits.

The divemaster is not responsible for your weighting -- you need to do a weight check yourself to know for sure you are carrying the right amount. As a general rule of thumb, if you sink like a stone once you let the air out of your BC, you are probably overweighted. You should start the dive no more negative than the air in your tank, and five pounds negative will give you a nice, gentle drift downwards.

 

[Kronek]

. You should start the dive no more negative than the air in your tank, and five pounds negative will give you a nice, gentle drift downwards.

I never really understood that, I am over weighted at depth of more than 5m. However, to initially start to sink, I need to force my self several feet under, with no air in my BC or drysuit. Not kicking. I just float onto my back with my mask an inch underwater.

I know the theory of a weight check, but as you go deeper you lose buoyancy. The first 5 feet are miserable.

38lb of lead, thick undergarment, steel 100 tank, 6mm neoprene drysuit.

 

[scubachaleur]

I've been diving a little over two years and had the sameproblem; I would always run out of air before my dive buddy as he's a much moreexperienced diver. He dives with a Al 80 so I bought a 119cuft steel tank, andnow we usually run out of air at the same time. It's a little heavier but I'mwilling pay that price to stay longer.

 

[Dive the World]

that would be a norm for some one starting out.

ps: if you are a guy, never ever ever compare your breathing to a women - they just don't breathe under water