Teaching ascent to new divers

[decompression]

Yes, there are a handful of us that teach neutral/horizontal ascents/ balanced rig etc.........of the agencies I teach for, only 1 requires it but its incorporated into all my courses.
As mentioned, a vertical ascent is an option but it certainly has lots of issues for newbies as they have an overwhelming tendency to kick up instead of using their lungs as well as silting out the bottom. Further, if vertical, they incorporate that position into both ascents and decents which creates more problems. most, if not all, are corrected by teaching proper horizontal positioning from the very beginning, makes teaching follow on skills much easier.

 

[The Chairman]

but it certainly has lots of issues for newbies as they have an overwhelming tendency to kick up

It's hard to ascend slow and kick ad I stress dead slow for the last fifteen feet. Every now and then I get a kicker. For them, I ask them to cross their legs as they ascend. Even in the springs, I have them do the twist and look in a vertical attitude.

 

[ChuckP]

I think it’s an acquired skill, it comes with PB but as you get better at body control you start working with it.

I’m new enough that I vividly remember staring at my computer trying to control my ascent rate - so focused that I couldn’t handle anymore and I was just happy that I wasn’t a stone or missile.

I’m a new instructor but I vow to not only teach standards, but to over teach to a point. That point is make sure the student is having a blast, challenge them but don’t push when frustrated. Lead by example and have fun, encourage continued learning however that may be.

I just helped on an OW class for 25 navy special force divers - they were already taught how to navy dive but not rec dive. OMG the first open water dive was the funniest DSD you’ve ever seen but you should have seen the smiles. Dive four the other day was fantastic and like being around a bunch of 10 year old kids - sort of makes all the BS work during the IDC and IE worth it.

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

My OW instructor jokingly said that if he did not see bubbles coming from us as we ascended that we would feel his presence. The joke was that he would punch us in the gut, forcing us to exhale.

I like this. A joking way to remind people to exhale and keep slow.

I did not learn the notion of staying horizontal until taking my PADI Tec 40/45 course. Sure, I had seen tons of experienced divers practicing it in the wild, but didn't see it in official courses until then.

And that makes sense to me. Why? Because you are doing no deco diving. Where basically the rules are stay above MOD, below NDL, stay close to buddy, don't hold breath, never enter overheads, ascend slowly and plan your dive to finsh with at least 500 psi. Anything past that is really nit picking and going away from RECREATIONal diving. Which basically leaves the sweating of the smaller stuff to technical diving (where you're supposed to sweat the small stuff), the nit pickers, and the internet forum jokeys. <3

 

[MichaelMc]

I did not learn the notion of staying horizontal until taking my PADI Tec 40/45 course. Sure, I had seen tons of experienced divers practicing it in the wild, but didn't see it in official courses until then.

And that makes sense to me. Why? Because you are doing no deco diving. Where basically the rules are stay above MOD, below NDL, stay close to buddy, don't hold breath, never enter overheads, ascend slowly and plan your dive to finsh with at least 500 psi. Anything past that is really nit picking and going away from RECREATIONal diving.

I believe the RECREATIONal rules also include:
- do not kick the bottom, destroying it,
- do not kick up the bottom, destroying the vis for others.

Kicking (up) the bottom is rather hard when horizontal(ish) and very easy when slanted or vertical.

I'm not sure if you meant 'the notion of staying horizontal' in general or just also for the ascent.

Being horizontal also makes it easier to breath and reduces one medical risk, independent of it helping good depth control.

A possible extra reason to spend much of your time horizontal is that it puts your 2nd stage and your lungs at roughly the same depth and thus reduces a need to fight any difference in pressure on inhale. Much like if you float in a pool on snorkel, you will find it much easier to breath if you float flat on the surface instead of vertical. Your lungs and the air they are trying to breath are closer to the same pressure when you are horizontal.

The BSAC annual incident reports have shown an increased concern for immersion pulmonary edema, which causes difficulty in breathing, as a likely contributor to several incidents. A pressure difference between the lungs and the air breathed is one possible contributor to it, which is eliminated if you are flat, a position that has other advantages already, as discussed above.

Annual Diving Incident Report. The 2016 video starting at 22:36 discusses it.

 

[RogueClimber]

Thanks a lot for the information guys. Am I correct to understand that instructors are teaching the horizontal trim and ascent out of their own initiative. This is not part of the official training of a diver at any level. There is no course book or agency sponsored video from most agencies in which this method would be introduced.Correct?

The SSI video on controlled ascent appears to show both (or maybe a combined) techniques

 

[Edward3c]

Some have stated buoyancy is too difficult for new divers.

BSAC require students to demonstrate neutral buoyancy and controlled vertical ascent (which is done horizontally) before the second open water lesson can be signed off.

 

[decompression]

Some have stated buoyancy is too difficult for new divers.

BSAC require students to demonstrate neutral buoyancy and controlled vertical ascent (which is done horizontally) before the second open water lesson can be signed off.

Agreed.....bouyancy must be the first skill that is mastered.....if an instructor is unable to do this they are doing the industry a disservice.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Just a reminder that there are 89 more degrees between horizontal and vertical and no-one is suggesting a diver should immediately pivot between the two to start their ascent. It is perfectly reasonable for them to slowly angle from H ish to V ish during the ascent.

I know we dive god's were the epitome of perfection from day one, but perhaps we should spare a thought for mere mortals.

Just saying.

 

[loosenit2]

This thread got me curious so I went back to my PADI OW manual (1990) and my daughters (2016j to see if there was any difference in ascent procedures. There are a few subtle changes.

1990
1. You and your buddy should signal each other that you agree to ascend.
2. Note the time of your ascent. If you do not have a watch, simulate checking the time by looking at your wrist.
3. Extend one hand over your head for protection and put your other hand on the BCD exhaust valve control.
4. Look up and around, slowly rotating during your entire ascent.
5. Swim up slowly, at a rate no faster than one foot per second, while breathing normally.

2016
1. Signal “up” and confirm your buddies are ready.
2. Check your dive computer to be sure you are within its limits. (You’ll learn more about these limits later. If you’re not using a computer, check the time for use with dive tables)
3. Look up and hold your BCD deflator hose. Do not add air to your BCD, if you’re properly weighted and neutrally buoyant, you only need to start swimming up gently.
4. Ascent slowly-no faster than your dive computers maximum rate. The maximum ascent rate is ...60 feet per minute, but most dive computers require a slower rate of ...30 feet per minute. Most dive computers will warn you if you ascend too fast, so use your computer to guide your speed. Release air expanding in your BCD to control your buoyancy so you don’t start to rise to fast. If your not using a computer, use your timer and depth gauge to be sure you ascend no faster than ...10 feet each 10 seconds.
5. Look up and turn as you ascend, and stay with your buddies. Watch for obstacles overhead. Reach up as you near and break the surface.

There are some obvious changes in the two procedures, emphasizing the use of a computer. But there is also a subtle change. In 1990 you were encouraged to ascend vertical by the verbiage to “extend one hand over your head” from the beginning of the ascent whereas in the 2016 version you are told to look up during the ascent but not necessarily extend a hand over your head until you begin to break the surface.

If could be innocuous but I would interpret the change as being more neutral about body position while ascending IOT allow multiple methods. Interestingly the pictures in both manuals show divers ascending in vertical positions, but the 2016 version shows the diver holding and looking at computer during ascent rather than having hand extended overhead Superman style.