Buoyancy control and breathing

[Soakedlontra]

Thanks Halemano and Bryan.

I don't know whether I will end up doing a lot of dives in shallow water or not. I just would like to be able to improve my buoyancy and trim at this tricky depth. I think it would help me to understand better the relationship between breathing, weight, body configuration, the effect of relaxation etc. and increase my awareness on how my body, gear and the environment affects them and, ultimately, build up more confidence in general that I can take down into deeper waters.

Yours and others comments on this thread are a starting point. I will remember them next time I go diving.

I also need to slow down underwater especially when I feel that things are going out of control and frustration sets in. I have to make more of an effort to evaluate why I am all over the place without frantically moving legs, arms and back that ultimately strains my body and increases my air consumption.

Cheers

 

[eponym]

I think it would help me to understand better the relationship between breathing, weight, body configuration, the effect of relaxation etc. and increase my awareness on how my body, gear and the environment affects them and, ultimately, build up more confidence in general that I can take down into deeper waters.

Some learn just by doing, some like to learn pinciples and then apply them. Most fall somewhere in between. If you google on "buoyancy puzzlers" or "challenges" or similar phrases you'll find some interesting sites, such as this one.

I also need to slow down underwater especially when I feel that things are going out of control and frustration sets in. I have to make more of an effort to evaluate why I am all over the place without frantically moving legs, arms and back that ultimately strains my body and increases my air consumption.

Sounds like a good plan. Whenever you stop to check in with your buddy, check in with yourself as well. Maturing as a diver includes extending and refiniing your own situational awareness loop, always running in the background. How's my trim, my gas, my buddy, my mental state?

Enjoy the journey!
-Bryan

 

[David P]

to solve the up and down due to breathing: plug one nostril while you breath, that way you use less air.


yes it is possible to control buoyancy wearing 7mil neoprene or even a drysuit and doubles in shallow water, the how... in all honesty is just practice. There is no secret, just practice.

 

[kilo_fox]

to solve the up and down due to breathing: plug one nostril while you breath, that way you use less air.

:shocked2: this is a joke, right??

 

[eponym]

plug one nostril while you breath, that way you use less air

or just turn the vane adjuster on your second stage to the minus setting . . .

-Bryan

PS. Yes, these are non-sequiturs intended to amuse.

 

[Colliam7]

If you are having that large an excursion with each breath, you are taking too deep a breath, and holding it WAY too long.

YES! Breathing deeply is a good thing. Breathing in such a way as to control your bouyancy is also a good thing, and is the next step in you development. I adjust my rate of breathing to adjust my depth. I may also adjust the 'depth' of my breathing, but that is fine tuning.

 

[gedmondson]

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I want to thank the scubaboard community for all their advise over the last year. 30 dives later, I feel I am one with the water column, and buoyancy is finally second nature rather than consuming my mindshare at the expense of all else. What an awesome community!