Priority of skills to master for new divers

[ginti]

Does a reg help at all with how you breathe? Or is it all in how we control our breaths? Does it change at depth (I.e. just as easy when deeper or more difficult to get air through the reg)?

They told me yes, but at a more avanced level of diving, when you will go deep (I don't think at 40m you can feel any difference; probably at 50 or 60)

Do any sort of breathing techniques help at all? During my open water I think I used the most air of my group of 7 and I cant say I was panicked or anxious or stressed, I think unconciously I was taking deep breaths in quick succession.

Yes, but first you need to understand what you are making wrong, then you choose a proper technique to apply. For instance, my breathing is very bad, I consume roughly 20% more than the average. When I told it to my instructor (last week, during a course), he suggested some changes to apply, and it worked during the subsequent dives... now I have to get used to the new way of breathing, and it'll take some dives. But what he suggested was very specific for my case and not useful for other people. Feel free to describe the way you breath underwater, if you have a problem similar to mine I can try to help you.

 

[halocline]

Does a reg help at all with how you breathe? Or is it all in how we control our breaths? Does it change at depth (I.e. just as easy when deeper or more difficult to get air through the reg)?

Regulators will affect the way you breathe if they are not working correctly, or are such bad quality that they require enough effort to make you uncomfortable or insecure in the availability of air. But most regulators, when adjusted even close to correctly, provide far more air than you need. They don't really change at depth until you are far beyond recreational depth, again, assuming they're in good working order.

 

[jadairiii]

Before you even worry about buoyancy there are a couple of "skills" to have down to second nature.

1. removing and clearing your mask underwater. Not just being able to do it, but making it a habit on most dives, and being completely comfortable breathing and swimming underwater without a mask.

2. being comfortable to orally inflate your BC underwater (to achieve neutral buoyancy) , which goes without saying, being comfortable removing and replacing your regulator. On slow dives I make it a habit to switch between my octo and primary.

3. Always knowing how much gas is in your tank, and making sure you are aware of your minimum gas to get you and your buddy to the surface safely.

After that, then work on proper weighting, then move to buoyancy.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Before you even worry about buoyancy there are a couple of "skills" to have down to second nature.

1. removing and clearing your mask underwater. Not just being able to do it, but making it a habit on most dives, and being completely comfortable breathing and swimming underwater without a mask.

2. being comfortable to orally inflate your BC underwater (to achieve neutral buoyancy) , which goes without saying, being comfortable removing and replacing your regulator. On slow dives I make it a habit to switch between my octo and primary.

3. Always knowing how much gas is in your tank, and making sure you are aware of your minimum gas to get you and your buddy to the surface safely.

After that, then work on proper weighting, then move to buoyancy.

Is #2 all that important if you dive a balanced rig? I'm not saying that it is not important, but I don't think it is one of the top issues to address.

 

[lowwall]

Is #2 all that important if you dive a balanced rig? I'm not saying that it is not important, but I don't think it is one of the top issues to address.

IMO, the skill of orally inflating the BC underwater is pretty far down the list in the context of basic scuba if you are properly weighted and know how to swim. Given that, an empty BC just means slightly higher gas consumption.

I'd replace it on that list with being comfortable removing and replace your reg, including switching back and forth between primary and octo.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

IMO, the skill of orally inflating the BC underwater is pretty far down the list in the context of basic scuba if you are properly weighted and know how to swim. Given that, an empty BC just means slightly higher gas usage.

I'd replace it on that list with being comfortable removing and replace your reg, including switching back and forth between primary and octo.

So would you place students on the knees to do this?

 

[lowwall]

So would you place students on the knees to do this?

I'm not an instructor, I'm speaking as a diver. But, FWIW, I don't think students should be taught anything on their knees.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'm not an instructor, I'm speaking as a diver. But, FWIW, I don't think students should be taught anything on their knees.

so then proper weighting/buoyancy control should be first.

Some of the skills, mask clearing, etc, can be performed with just a mask, snorkel, and chest deep water. I actually have a set of exercises that I do before skin diving and then scuba in the open water courses I teach. Working on a 3-part blog series that I'll submit to SDI. If it doesn't go there, I'll self publish somewhere.

 

[lowwall]

so then proper weighting/buoyancy control should be first.

Some of the skills, mask clearing, etc, can be performed with just a mask, snorkel, and chest deep water. I actually have a set of exercises that I do before skin diving and then scuba in the open water courses I teach. Working on a 3-part blog series that I'll submit to SDI. If it doesn't go there, I'll self publish somewhere.

Sounds interesting.

I think most of us feel the same things are important, the difference are from how we are interpreting the question. For example, what is meant by "skills"? Are we talking about specific exercises like fin pivots (are those still part of OW?) or general abilities like buoyancy control? And are we talking about student or certified divers.

 

[DiveToFeelAlive]

Before you even worry about buoyancy there are a couple of "skills" to have down to second nature.

1. removing and clearing your mask underwater. Not just being able to do it, but making it a habit on most dives, and being completely comfortable breathing and swimming underwater without a mask.

2. being comfortable to orally inflate your BC underwater (to achieve neutral buoyancy) , which goes without saying, being comfortable removing and replacing your regulator. On slow dives I make it a habit to switch between my octo and primary.

3. Always knowing how much gas is in your tank, and making sure you are aware of your minimum gas to get you and your buddy to the surface safely.

After that, then work on proper weighting, then move to buoyancy.

Your point 2 makes me think of a couple of questions:

1. I was told never take the reg out of my mouth, as a rule to live by.. so why is it important to swap between them? I get that in the event you need your octo you need to feel comfortable getting to it and switching but beyond that I'm just curious as to why.

2. What would the rationale be for orally inflating your BC underwater? Is there any benefit for bouyancy?