air consumption

[whitepointer]

I have been diving for years but i have notice since arriving to Japan that my down time is no good anymore. I use to be able to stay under for an hour or so on an 80, but now i am lucky if i make it too forty minutes. I am older and have gained some weight but what do you all think? What breathing technique do you use? I was taught to inhale large and slowly exhale, but this does not seem to working for me. Any suggestions? Please let me know!
Thanks
Whitepointer

 

[Brian Sharpe]

You probably nailed most of the change when you mentioned age & weight.

Since I started working out (and diving more frequently) my SAC has improved remarkably. As an overweight out-of-shape newbie diver I could suck a tank dry in no time flat. On my two most recent dive trips I was able to get 60 minutes out of an AL80 and still get on the boat with 600 or 700 psi.

You also mentioned the change in scenery (I'd love chance to live in Japan) - have you been diving less frequently than before? Are you using a significantly different setup? Perhaps you've been more anxious than before? Are you weighted properly?

Any of these can contribute to higher consumption.

 

[whitepointer]

Thanks for the reply. Yes the age and the weight gain was what i was leaning towards. Well i recently retired from the Navy and now live in Okinawa. Since retiring i have not set foot in the gym, but i need to get back into this for i think it will help me. Today was the first time i have been in the water in a month but normally i dive at least two dives a week at a minimum. As for the weight, i just starting using a 5 mil wetsuit so i am still working the weight out with that. Right now i go down with 25 pounds and it is too much, but ten percent would be 23 pounds because i am 230, but i tried 20 pounds and i could not stay down. I was so disappointed today when i was only able to stay for the 30 minutes. Anyway, thanks for the reply and if you have any other insight i would like to hear it.

 

[farsidefan1]

Additional factors could be water temperature and of course depth. Even more likely is a long layoff which simply diving will cure. Same old story, about the time you can quit worrying about it the problem will be solved.

 

[keesmon]

20 lbs with a 5MM seems way high. Did you do a proper weight check?
Sometimes it takes a little effort with 5MM to get down, but once the neoprene compresses at depth, it's often possible to shed a lot of pounds off the belt. That, weight loss, and repetition should all help you get closer to where you used to be.

 

[Garrobo]

Sorry but in my opinion 20# with a 5mm isn't all that uncommon depending on your body fat ration and age. Fat is lighter than lean you know. You didn't mention your age but a decrease in muscle comes along with old father time. Up until I got caught up with prostate problems and diabetes I was running about 180# with a high fat to muscle ratio. I lost almost 20#, mostly fat, during this entertaining episode because of a change of diet. Before, I needed 18# of lead to stay stationery at the safety stop wearing a 3mm suit. Now I can get by with 14#. Before I lost the weight I could stay down for an hour on a shallow reef and I did double dips on the Eagle (120 feet to the sand) for 35-40 minutes with air to spare. Since I mostly dive with a group, that's plenty, since everyone heads for the boat when the worst air hog starts running out anyway. Not to be a smarty but I would suggest that you go on a diet and get some exercise at the gym or pool. I think that you will see a decrease in your air consumption. Another thing that I do is to exhale through my nose. It is easier to control the exhaust flow that way.

 

[gbray]

If you are a little rusty on your buoyancy you may be using extra air inflating and deflating your BC.

When I first began diving I tried different breathing technics and nothing worked. People commented from a video of me on you tube and that did not help. I still feel my breathing is not smooth but it is what is normal for me. I can now easily get an hour out of an al80 in 50 degree water at 50 ft..

I believe you just need to dive more and as stated before, About the time you get comfortable with the way things are and relax they will no longer be an issue.

 

[TSandM]

Another thing may well be your trim. If you are using a 25 lb weight belt, you may be out of balance, and diving well off the horizontal. In that case, you will move yourself upward with each kick, and have to stay negative to remain at the same depth. That's very inefficient propulsion, and will definitely use a tank up faster.

 

[Akimbo]

... I am older and have gained some weight but what do you all think? …

Probably. Breathing rate is largely about CO2 production, how efficiently lungs are ventilated, and blood circulation. Being in better physical condition improves blood flow, thus reducing CO2 blood level, thus reducing the stimulus to breath at higher rates. Probably less of a factor is the increased girth’s effect on hydrodynamics since Scuba divers mostly swim slowly anyway.

One factor you didn’t mention, are water temperatures comparable? Your body will burn more oxygen to maintain core temperature. My tolerance to cold is lower with age and the efficiency of Neoprene blends available today at depth is lower than Rubatex used on older suits so that may be a contributor.

 

[whitepointer]

Wow thanks for all the comments i really appreciate everyone's insight. Okay i am 40, weight is 230 and the water temperature here in Okinawa is 75 now but will be dropping in the 60's here soon. Our dive profile usually takes us to about eighty feet for about ten minutes and the rest of the dive is usually spent between thirty and sixty feet. as for the weight, i had used 20 pounds and had the problem of getting down, but once i got down to fifteen feet, i was okay until it was time to come back up, my entire safety stop was spent vertically, thank goodness for the shallow reef!!!! So with twenty five pounds, yes i am heavy but at least at the end of the dive i am not vertical for the safety stop. Think maybe i should take a buoyancy control class, diet and some exercise.
Anyway thanks for all your input!