Breathing basics?

[chemdog]

I've read everywhere that when breathing deep underwater that one should not hold your breath. I'm a new diver so I am still working on my breathing technique to try and slow my breathing down. Is it ok to pause for a few seconds before inhaling after your exhale? A lot of the air is out of your lungs so I guess you are not holding your breath. Anyways, this may seem like a silly questions, but I'm a little confused. TIA.

 

[eponym]

The short answer is, "As long as you keep your airway open, you're good."

I would be worried if you said you were "pausing for a few seconds" after an inhale. Extending your exhales, on the other hand, helps empty the lungs and gets rid of carbon dioxide, a major contributor to stress, and the trigger for feeling you need to take another breath. Just please never fight the urge to take another breath.

The flip answer is, "just breathe normally" but that's really saying "don't think about it." I think it bears thinking about. Good post.

-Bryan

 

[Cave Diver]

Pausing is ok. You want to be sure that you dont hold your breath while ascending as it can cause lung overexpansion injuries.

Also, holding your breath for extended time at a given depth may cause increase CO2 retention.

The best breathing method is slow, full, controlled, steady breaths.

 

[DevonDiver]

I found that the best progress that I made with my breathing occured when I stopped worrying about my breathing. Just breath naturally and let experience take care of the rest. It will improve naturally if you get into the water regularly.

 

[ajduplessis]

Pause is good, but not a couple of seconds. Rather lengthen in/exhale cycles. Holding you breath is a bad idea period.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

When I stopped thinking about my breathing, my gas consumption went down significantly. In that respect, my experience has been similar to what DevonDiver describes.

I think some newbies go through the following progression: realize that they have high gas consumption, embarrassed to tell buddies about it, concerned about it, try to change breathing pattern, enter the fun world of skip-breathing, get CO2 retention headaches, ask for breathing tips on ScubaBoard, try to change breathing pattern, get more headaches, get a bigger tank or learn to slow down significantly, begin to spend more time looking at stuff, slow down even more, feel very relaxed, get very comfortable in the water, realize that gas consumption has improved significantly. All of this takes place over about 40-50 dives.

Dive more. Breathe "normally." Be happy.

 

[mwalsh787]

Dive more. Breathe "normally." Be happy.

Also known as the Bobby Ferrin method of breathing...

I second this one. The more comfortable you get in the water and the more relaxed you become, the better your gas consumption will get. It is a matter of time and experience.

Good luck and good diving!

Mike

 

[Jimmer]

The best advice I can give is to just try to slow EVERYTHING down. I see a lot of new divers that just sprint around the dive site out of sheer excitement, and as a result empty their tanks. Slow down your kicks, make slow deliberate motions with your arms if you need to, and the air consumption will decrease too.

Experience will take care of the rest.

One other thing I like to do is get into the water first. I find I am usually a little short of breath after hauling my gear around, slinging it on in a rocking boat, then jumping into the water. By getting in first, it allows me to inflate my bc, and relax and slow my breathing while I wait for my buddy. Then I'm prepared for the dive.

 

[fire_diver]

Not much else I can really add at this point.

+1 to what everyone else said.

 

[Karibelle]

The best advice I can give is to just try to slow EVERYTHING down. I see a lot of new divers that just sprint around the dive site out of sheer excitement, and as a result empty their tanks. Slow down your kicks, make slow deliberate motions with your arms if you need to, and the air consumption will decrease too.

Experience will take care of the rest.

One other thing I like to do is get into the water first. I find I am usually a little short of breath after hauling my gear around, slinging it on in a rocking boat, then jumping into the water. By getting in first, it allows me to inflate my bc, and relax and slow my breathing while I wait for my buddy. Then I'm prepared for the dive.

In addition to slowing down, try some practice relaxing. Spend a few minutes before you get in the water with your eyes closed, visualizing yourself doing the dive. Visualize yourself getting into the water (either your shore entry or getting off the boat) comfortably, being calm and relaxed, descending comfortably, being neutrally buoyant at depth, and having a quiet relaxed dive. Visualize a slow ascent, a comfortable safety stop and an exit from the water. Visualize the whole dive.

Two other things: be prepared. I find it very "un-relaxing" to be the last one ready to get in the water, to not know where my stuff is. Get your gear ready, have your mask and fins neatly where you need them, be dressed. Then sit and wait. Use that time for the visualization I described above. And second, when you get in the water take a minute and put your reg in your mouth and your face in the water. Take a look below you. Whatever you see, add that to the visualization.

I often suggest to new divers wanting to improve their air consumption that they take some yoga training, as that is a good place to learn focused breathing techniques and then have those techniques become more natural, so that you can then just "breathe normally" but have "normally" be more efficient and effective than it was before.

kari