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As per @mi000ke, I believe your breathing pattern significantly contributes to your RMV. Rather than playing saxophone, I attribute my breathing to having been a competitive swimmer for many, many years.
I also diaphragmatically breathe. My pattern diving is the opposite of breathing on land. On land you generally inhale, immediately exhale, pause briefly, then inhale again. While diving, I more slowly inhale, pause briefly (open glottis), slowly exhale, and then immediately inhale again. The depth of breathing is the major control of depth. This breathing pattern came naturally to me while diving. It was quite a while before I paid enough attention to be able to describe it to others. To be clear, this is not breath holding/skip breathing. My breathing cycles are slow, continuous, and relaxed. I can easily increase the rate as the need arises, the pattern remains the same.
So, what do I get out of this? I'm a nearly 65 year old man, in very good, but not phenomenal, shape, a little overweight, a nonsmoker. For the last 1200 dives, my average RMV is 0.36 cf/min, 95% of them between 0.28 and 0.44. My RMV today is a little better than it was 15 years ago and has a slightly narrower range. For no stop diving, with an AL80, my dives are rarely limited by gas and I am able to take advantage of the NDLs allowed me with nitrox.
Pay attention to your weighting and buoyancy, trim, efficient swimming, and relax. Get as much practice and experience as you can. It may help some of you to take a look at your breathing.
Not that Scuba Diving Magazine is the ultimate source of information, but this 12 year old article still offers some good advice Dive Training: Save Your Breath
Good diving, Craig
I also diaphragmatically breathe. My pattern diving is the opposite of breathing on land. On land you generally inhale, immediately exhale, pause briefly, then inhale again. While diving, I more slowly inhale, pause briefly (open glottis), slowly exhale, and then immediately inhale again. The depth of breathing is the major control of depth. This breathing pattern came naturally to me while diving. It was quite a while before I paid enough attention to be able to describe it to others. To be clear, this is not breath holding/skip breathing. My breathing cycles are slow, continuous, and relaxed. I can easily increase the rate as the need arises, the pattern remains the same.
So, what do I get out of this? I'm a nearly 65 year old man, in very good, but not phenomenal, shape, a little overweight, a nonsmoker. For the last 1200 dives, my average RMV is 0.36 cf/min, 95% of them between 0.28 and 0.44. My RMV today is a little better than it was 15 years ago and has a slightly narrower range. For no stop diving, with an AL80, my dives are rarely limited by gas and I am able to take advantage of the NDLs allowed me with nitrox.
Pay attention to your weighting and buoyancy, trim, efficient swimming, and relax. Get as much practice and experience as you can. It may help some of you to take a look at your breathing.
Not that Scuba Diving Magazine is the ultimate source of information, but this 12 year old article still offers some good advice Dive Training: Save Your Breath
Good diving, Craig