Awkward in the Water

[hjhlota]

I consider myself an OK swimmer, but I am having a hard time controlling exactly where my body is going while diving. I am still pretty new, but my classmates didn't seem to have this problem.

For instance, while on an OW cert dive, we were kneeling on a platform underwater watching the instructor, and I could not keep myself from falling forward. Did I have the weights in the wrong place? Was it the type of BC I had on? Does anyone else have trouble staying upright?

(I am only 4'11" and had on a full length tank....)

 

[Uncle Pug]

The issues involve buoyancy control and trim....
This is a problem that needs hands on help from a qualified instructor but let me encourage you with this...

You will improve!!!
You need more dive time before you can really start sorting this out....
BTW many divers will tell you that upright is not the preferred position anyway

Relax!

 

[Rick Murchison]

First of all, you're not alone. Plenty of folks have trouble finding a good kneeling position in the pool.
You are probably a little overweighted, so getting rid of a pound or three should help - barring that, try just a little air in the BC. If you still have problems try dropping an ankle weight around the tank valve. If nothing else works then kneel on one knee and put a foot out front to hold you up. Tell your instructor I said it was OK
The good news is that kneeling is strictly a training position; once you're diving you'll be striving for that prone position your body wants to assume anyway.
Let me know how you get along...
Rick

 

[Drew Sailbum]

:teach:
New divers often require some practice to fine tune buoyancy and trim. Don't worry, it will become easier with time.

Weight placement, and amount of weight you dive with, can have quite a bit of effect. Also the style of BC you dive with and the type of tank you use matters.

It sounds like your weights were maybe just a little too far forward (towards the buckle) on your weight belt for easily staying upright while kneeling on the bottom. The good news is that is probably about right for decent trim. While swimming, you want to be streamlined, and comfortably hovering in a horizontal position.

Rather than moving the weights around, you might first try to kneel on one knee (the traditional guy-on-one-knee-to-propose position). This should keep you more stable should you need to kneel on the training platform.

 

[hjhlota]

Thanks for the reassurance.

The only other thing I forgot to mention is that I tend to float funny, too, and it sure is tough to deflate the BC when you can't get the hose in a position to let water out. I am sure that, when the time comes, I will want a BC with escape valves all over.

 

[hjhlota]

oops, I meant let air out

 

[SDAnderson]

Practice makes perfect. You might as well get used to it, bouyancy and trim control is something you will never truly master. None of us have. A tendency to pitch (or to roll) just means your out of balance. Could be worse - a tendency to yaw means you're out of shape. <[;}~

You will get better, though. Practice changing the amount and the location of the weights you're carrying, practice how you position your body in the water, practice your breathing control, practice, practice, practice.

But above all enjoy and don't spend a lot of time comparing yourself to the guy next to you - he may be a better diver than you, but you can have more fun than he is if you relax and go with the flow a bit.

Welcome to the club, by the way.

 

[Zept]

When I did my OW pool sessions, my arms and legs were all over the place, and my fins had a life of their own. I felt like I had six limbs, all of them out of control.

Things are much better now, after 20-odd dives, and I'm still improving. People will tell you it's all about buoyancy and trim, and they aren't wrong, but for me the thing that helped most was slowing down. I've learnt a lot from watching my instructors and trying to imitate their movements -- and especially the things they do with their feet. It gets easier as you relax, too.

I also had a tendency to tip forwards when kneeling, but I've not done any kneeling since I finished the course. As Rick says, prone is just fine when you're moving about.


Zept

 

[keralucu]

...and good luck with the rest of your OW course.

I agree completely with reefraff and Zept - don't worry so much about what the next guy is doing, practice, practice, practice! and try to observe and imitate the way your instructor moves and hangs in the water. I was so impressed by the graceful way my instructors fin and how awesome they look when they hover completely motionless in the water when observing something that I vowed to become as good as they are...

I'm nowhere near that stage yet, but am getting better! And you are definitely not the only one who has problems with balance - when we were doing our skills and were supposed to be kneeling quietly on the bottom, I kept keeling over sideways! I realised it was a weight positioning thing, but it still took me several goes to get it right.

Keep it up - and most importantly, try to relax and enjoy it. It will all come together one day... Have fun!

 

[hjhlota]

Thank you all so much for the advice. (I will surely look into the tank add-on weights.)

Also, thanks for welcoming me. I was a little nervous at first about posting, but I'm glad to know there is such a helpful and friendly diving community out there in cyberspace.