Maintaining Lateral Position in the Water

[Ryan Neely]

Now that the diving season is beginning to wind down for us here in northern Minnesota (still diving wet, don't you know) I'd like to start thinking about out-of-water exercises and mentally preparing for next year.

One specific area on which I'd like to focus is my position in the water. Not within the water column, and not as it relates to forward or backward propulsion, but as it relates to my lateral position whilst stationary.

We mostly dive in abandoned mine pits (similar to quarries) and even here I have noticed that, while simply hovering and trying not to move in any of the three dimensions, I'm pushed laterally. I'm finding that I'm floating from left to right or from right to left without moving forward or backward or vertically in the water column.

This might be thanks to poor core strength, but I thought I'd ask the community for advice. Any thoughts?

 

[Ayisha]

Are your weights evenly distributed from left to right? Even a little too much on one side or the other can make it easy to roll.

 

[tbone1004]

you can learn to kick sideways, basically forward with one foot, backwards with the other. You can also get creative with strategic breathing where you lean into and out of the breath. So if you want to go left, you inhale with your right shoulder slightly down, and exhale with your left shoulder down.

 

[Ryan Neely]

Thanks for the reply, @Ayisha. That's a good idea. I'm only diving a single tank with a stainless steel back plate and a weighted single tank adapter. Everything runs centered under the tank.

@tbone1004, could I be unconsciously causing this to happen with my body position and my breath? That's just something to be aware of, I guess.

As far as the kicking goes, how does what you describe differ from a helicopter kick? I've been practicing my helicopter kick, and I'm getting better, but I still have some work to go. My concern is that what I'm experiencing is a kind of "push" or "drift" in a still mine pit with no current and no real (read:appreciable) wster movement. I'm not being turned, per se.

I'll be interested in hearing more. Thanks!

 

[Ayisha]

Thanks for the reply, @Ayisha. That's a good idea. I'm only diving a single tank with a stainless steel back plate and a weighted single tank adapter. Everything runs centered under the tank...

Does the harness fit you fairly snug? Is the crotch strap tight? If the harness is loose, any little lateral movement could start to roll you since the tank could move independently.

Sorry I couldn't help more. Lateral movement is usually due to a weight imbalance from side to side or a loose rig.

 

[tbone1004]

@Ryan Neely if you are drifting sideways it is likely an imbalance in your profile. As you move up and down as part of your breathing cycle, any different in your roll will cause you to move up and sideways then down and sideways. Theoretically if you are not actively rolling you shouldn't move, but your body essentially acts like a wing as you go up and down which is how you can slide to one direction or the other without moving.
In terms of actively using your fins to move sideways, watch this video. It is VERY difficult though, so if you can back kick reasonably well now, it's probably an order of magnitude more difficult to get right.

 

[Ayisha]

I thought you were rolling from side to side, but it seems that you might actually be floating toward one side or the other.

Surely there's a tiny current going sideways. Is no one else affected?

 

[Ryan Neely]

No one else seems to be affected, @Ayisha. My initial thought was that I might be having unintentional fin movement. It's weird.

 

[Ayisha]

No one else seems to be affected, @Ayisha. My initial thought was that I might be having unintentional fin movement. It's weird.

Most people have even ever so slight unintentional fin movement.
Maybe have someone take a video? It's a great way to see what's actually happening compared to how it feels to us.

 

[Gi0]

You can also get creative with strategic breathing where you lean into and out of the breath. So if you want to go left, you inhale with your right shoulder slightly down, and exhale with your left shoulder down.

@tbone1004, I tried in vain to find another reference showing how this is done. Is there a video demonstrating this?