Are we sure about this?

[jimdiverman]

Diving, even "easy" diving, requires a certain level of fitness. Are we really sure we know what that is, and are we taking the steps to ensure that divers understand this by effectively communicating that to all divers and are they taking care of that before they dive?

"Easy" is in quotes because while one dive situation (clear, warm water) may be relatively easier than another (cold, dark water), any dive is still made in an environment that is foreign to us, and that cannot be taken lightly.

Is there an established level of fitness for diving? If I am certified to dive at the age of 25 and I am in excellent shape to do all the pool work and open water skills, when I am 50 where do I get the information about my readiness for diving at 50, at 60, at 80? How do I know that I am physically fit enough to handle an emergency situation and survive? Do we have any empirical data to support any conclusions? Have studies been done?

It seems to me that, as members of the diving community, we should all be interested in the answers to these questions and be willing to participate and/or support the work of these studies to advance the science of our pastime to make it safe both for our older members and ourselves as we age.

No one is in favor of more regulations, but we should at least arm ourselves with the right information in order to make intelligent go-no go decisions about diving as we consider our own present state of health and our age as a relative factor in that decision.

Do these guidelines exist, and if not, how can we generate the data to support this idea?

 

[fireflock]

The issue you're talking about is on the radar of people who spend time dealing with the health of divers. For example:

Exercises, Stretches, and Nutrition for SCUBA Diving

Doc Vikingo's Physical Examinations For Divers

DAN Divers Alert Network : The Aging Diver

DAN Divers Alert Network : Getting Fit for Dive Season

There is information out there for people who want to find it. In any area of life, there are people who decide to ignore what they know, and there are people who decide that they would rather not know. Diving isn't any different.

 

[DocVikingo]

There is information out there for people who want to find it.

Hi fireflock,

Yes, and it takes only a little homework to find it for those who care to put in the effort.

Cameron Martz' excellent book, Fitness for Divers, which you link in your post, has been mentioned numerous times on this board.

In any event, thanks for taking the time to assemble a handful of valuable resources.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[headsqueeze]

Let me add a practical note.

Exercise at least 25% above your anticipated activity 5 days of 7. Eat enough to maintain a healthy weight, and no more. Generally speaking, 1600 calories expended per week on exercise alone is the 'sweet spot' so as to maximize benefit and minimize injuries.

 

[jimdiverman]

The issue you're talking about is on the radar of people who spend time dealing with the health of divers. For example:

Exercises, Stretches, and Nutrition for SCUBA Diving

Doc Vikingo's Physical Examinations For Divers

DAN Divers Alert Network : The Aging Diver

DAN Divers Alert Network : Getting Fit for Dive Season

There is information out there for people who want to find it. In any area of life, there are people who decide to ignore what they know, and there are people who decide that they would rather not know. Diving isn't any different.

Thanks for the links. I will review these. I just wonder how many people really look at this whether they are just starting out as divers or as they have been diving awhile and have aged and put on weight.

Personally, I went on a health kick back in January, and no one would have thought I needed to lose weight before (I am 5'9" and was 175#), but I lost nearly 20 pounds running on the treadmill and using the Bowflex at home consistently as often as possible up to every day. I usually burn between 750 and 900 calories in a one hour workout on the treadmill, plus whatever I burn in 30 minutes on the Bowflex. I was having problems with sciatica (sp?) and had no stamina. Now there is no activity that I cannot sustain. My goal was to get in shape to do technical diving with twin 130s, which I did, and I got my full cave cert last month. I plan to keep this up though. I also eat a lot less, and of higher quality including a meal replacement protein shake when at all possible. It really does work if you do the right things, and the information is out there to do it.

Thanks.

 

[nereas]

Thanks for the links. I will review these. I just wonder how many people really look at this whether they are just starting out as divers or as they have been diving awhile and have aged and put on weight... .

Since, each year, several American divers die during scuba diving from causes that appear to be nothing more than heart attacks brought on by over-exertion, it would seem that these several divers do not [look at this ...].

I do not believe that basic scuba receives much emphasis of physical fitness. That may be a big part of the problem, the marketing issue overriding the safety issues.

On the other hand, technical deco diving does include a heavy emphasis on staying is good physical shape.

This may simply be a disparity of the lax promotion of physical fitness in basic scuba.

 

[fisherdvm]

The fundamentals of scuba diving book gave some guideline that suggest that I am meeting only the minimum standard for diving. Yet, I exercise between 30 minutes and 1 hours everyday. Apparently the technical side of diving demands alot more from scuba diver.

 

[Going The Distance]

Ok lets stir this up some: Why does everyone think that A Tropical Dive Is less stressful of a dive then one with low vis and cold.. In the Keys, the Bahamas, and Cayman, if the wind is blowing and the current is ripping it does.nt matter how good of shape your in. viz will suck, stress will increase and if your heart is going to M/I it will not matter... You can be 18 years in the best shape for your age, and if its going to happen theres nothing you can do.

 

[jimdiverman]

Ok lets stir this up some: Why does everyone think that A Tropical Dive Is less stressful of a dive then one with low vis and cold.. In the Keys, the Bahamas, and Cayman, if the wind is blowing and the current is ripping it does.nt matter how good of shape your in. viz will suck, stress will increase and if your heart is going to M/I it will not matter... You can be 18 years in the best shape for your age, and if its going to happen theres nothing you can do.

I think we are talking about rolling off the back of the boat, drifting along a reef with a divemaster leading the dive, and floating back up to a drifting safety stop and then the boat magically appears and you climb out of the water. Sound familiar? That's Cozumel/Cayman, others.

Versus

Hiking from your car in full gear through the sand and swimming through kelp in water that is 50 degrees, or ten foot visibility or both to get to your dive site, and then reversing your dive and finding your way back to that spot on the beach and then back to your car again with all your gear after your dive with a 7 mil suit in 80 degrees.

Do you not see the difference? Shall I continue?

The thing you can do is keep your cardio vascular system in shape. Someone can look healthy and thin, but if they don't exercise enough, they are still out of shape. Fact!

 

[ArcticDiver]

Interesting recurring topic. I was discussing the subject once with an MD who had the firms opinion that age was a significant factor in fitness; the older axiomaticaly the less fit. He went on to say that no one should dive past a certain age (he gave a number that I will omit here).

Having never met him I was ready to give his opinion some credence. Then I saw his picture. Calling him rotund would be a gross understatement. It appeared that his medical opinion was greatly influenced by his personal fitness and protection of his self-esteem.

I wonder how many other comments on dive fitness are likewise influenced by personal self esteem? Or, some holdover from the attitudes of the early days?