anxiety with mask clearing and oral bc inflation

[Thalassamania]

There are mamy techniques that work to solve these sorts of problems. My favorite (for mask clearing) is to help the student to learn independently control their nose and mouth. Try this:

1) At the surface, with your head out of the water and no mask, take a full breath and then alternate short bursts of exhalation between your nose and mouth. After you&#8217;ve done this several times take a full breath, and do the same thing, only this time submerge your entire face after a few cycles on the surface. Repeat this until you are very comfortable (or feel very stupid<G>).
2) Now put your mask on and repeat the process. Start out of the water, move to face submerged, DO NOT FLOOD YOUR MASK.
3) Now repeat the process, but flood your mask after your first exhalation with your face in the water.
4) Now try and clear your mask, fully submerged, as per normal.
5) Let me know how this works for you.

 

[h90]

The first dives I always got the bottoms wrong on the inflator (pressed the wrong one). Take your time, even if you don't pass this time, don't take it serious.
Actually I learned that again and again in the pool first at a deep where I just need to lift my head. I guess they made it that way that noone get panick.....
Also one on the first times I made something wrong and got some water in and terrible caught under water thru the reg.. Realy not nice, but possible....
Give yourself more time and maybe you need a bit more in the pool....

 

[anzac65]

That was meant to say oral bC inflation, not bE. BTW, I have done well on my classroom exams and on all my other pool skills. I just have trouble with the water in my nose thing.

Water in the nose ? My tip: Keep looking down until you have started breathing out through your nose. Only then should you gently start looking up. The water won't go up your nose. That's a promise.

Relax and you'll be fine. All those posts you've read are true. Most of us have been where you are now; some of us (me!) not so long ago.....

 

[DarthWader]

you'll get it. it just takes time and practice.
I love the water, and was always more comfortable under the surface than on it. when I finally decided to get certified I thought I'd breeze through it, imagine my surprise when it came time for mask clearing skills and I choked (figuratively and literally)! What fixed my problem was spending time in the pool without my mask. once I became comfortable breathing on my reg without my mask on, clearing skills got a lot easier for me.

 

[Mauifish]

I feel your pain, I understand your anxiety. Years ago when I got certified my instructor whom was very experienced and a great guy had a wonderful way of getting students relaxed BEFORE practicing skills in the pool. Try swimming around in the pool a bit doing simple underwater task like retrieving your snorkle, finding items in the pool without a mask on, just getting the feel of being in the water with mask on and off, taking the time to relax in the water before attempting skills. I have seen instructors go straight to the skills and have the student panic over and over saying eventualy you will get it right, well, if you are in the right frame of mind BEFORE skills the chances of you panicking are greatly reduced, this is just my 2 cents.

 

[Texasdivechick]

Thanks everyone. I tried filling up my mask while in the shower this morning and just keeping it on my face while breathing through my mouth. Slow, regulated breathing and I wasn't anxious when I actually opened my eyes with the water in my mask. Opening my eyes underwater is not so much fun either. I practiced bending forward slightly to clear my mask instead of backward as suggested in a different thread. That seemed to help prevent the bubbles and excess water from leaking down my throat.
One of the problems I initially had in the pool that day was that I tried holding my nose with the mask off, but when I had to replace the mask one-handed, my long(ish) hair covered my face, thereby preventing an adequate seal. So, of course I tried clearing again, forgot to breathe off the reg, inhaled water through my nose,and hence the freakout, get-me-outta-here reaction.
My instructor is trying to be patient, but I think he's somewhat disappointed that I am having such a difficult time. While I'm blowing bubbles tonight for my second pool dive I am going to remember all of the good advice everyone has given me and relax. Hell, I just might even write the word "relax" in Sharpie across my hand! Whatever it takes!!!

 

[scratchmyback]

I am in a private class .....

Shannon I assume you have the instructor all to yourself then? You can work on this skill with him one-on-one and take baby steps to get there. I had issues with this skill too, and once I passed my OW last year I had the good fortune to have a leaky mask for most of my dives last summer. It forced me to learn that skill like the back of my hand. Unfortunately that mask met it's demise on a dive boat last September, the new one is much better

My OW class had 11 students, and I found it helpful to watch them all perform their skills underwater when I couldn't get something. The visualization was good and I also have this "if they can do it, so can I" competitive attitude that helped. But if you're alone with the instructor, make sure he takes the time with you till you get it right, and don't let him make you feel rushed. A good instructor will be patient and have different methods for you to try, until you can do it. And please know that many students have trouble with this skill. The best advice I can give you is to visualize each step before you do it, and take your time.

Good luck tonight, and let us know how you did!

 

[diver 85]

On your 1st problem, get in a pool & practice clearing(you don't even need water in the mask to practice the skill, just look up- break the seal & blow-- in fact you can dry lab this one,too)...on the 2nd one, 'borrow' a bc & practice orally inflating it- you will 'learn' which button is for what.......practice, practice, then practice some more......you'll get it......good luck.....

 

[anzac65]

Good luck tonight, and let us know how you did!

Hey Shannon, don't go thinking your instructor is disappointed in you...... If (s)he is (s)he'd have to have been disappointed in most of the rest of us. Good Luck.

And scratchmyback............ Coolest avatar ever.

 

[h90]

Thanks everyone. I tried filling up my mask while in the shower this morning and just keeping it on my face while breathing through my mouth. Slow, regulated breathing and I wasn't anxious when I actually opened my eyes with the water in my mask. Opening my eyes underwater is not so much fun either. I practiced bending forward slightly to clear my mask instead of backward as suggested in a different thread. That seemed to help prevent the bubbles and excess water from leaking down my throat.
One of the problems I initially had in the pool that day was that I tried holding my nose with the mask off, but when I had to replace the mask one-handed, my long(ish) hair covered my face, thereby preventing an adequate seal. So, of course I tried clearing again, forgot to breathe off the reg, inhaled water through my nose,and hence the freakout, get-me-outta-here reaction.
My instructor is trying to be patient, but I think he's somewhat disappointed that I am having such a difficult time. While I'm blowing bubbles tonight for my second pool dive I am going to remember all of the good advice everyone has given me and relax. Hell, I just might even write the word "relax" in Sharpie across my hand! Whatever it takes!!!

Wish you good luck and let us know if it worked