Controlling and reducing air consumption

[caruso]

I'm constantly trying (in an inefficient new diver kind of way) to make micro-adjustments to my buoyancy and direction.

Good plan. Don't know if this has been mentioned earlier in this thread but here's something else you can try when you're doing those micro-adjustments.

Simply stop moving. Completely. Let your body roll or pitch (forward/back along your body length) wherever it wants to go and don't fight it. At least not right away. You see what happens is we are always tending to compensate to keep ourselves level and those unconscious movements costs us in terms of energy and of course gas consumption without ever solving the problem.

Once you figure out which way your body wants to move on its own you can compensate by moving your weights side to side and further up or down on your rig either with the use of the rear shoulder weight pockets if you have them, or get yourself accessory weight pockets or even a weight harness if necessary.

Here's one example from personal experience. I carry a tank mounted 19cf pony bottle on most dives as a backup source and/or dive extender. It's typically about 2 lbs negative but I have found that if I compensate with 2 lbs on the other side, I tend to roll a bit to the 2 lb side if I stay perfectly still. 1 lb isn't "quite" enough but the roll is considerably less towards the pony bottle side with the 1 lb. It's so subtle I'd never know it if I hadn't done that little test. Now I just gotta find a 1 1/2 lb weight and I'll be all good!

 

[АлександрД]

Smoking damages the lungs without question and reduces the effectiveness as to how breathing gas is exchanged and absorbed into the vascular system. Anyone who maintains that the lungs of a smoker are more efficient at gas exchange is in the same camp as those who say recreational drugs are good for brain cells because they only kill off the weak ones.

Everybody has rights to have own opinion... but you changing basics here. But you are forgot, that smoking people more tolerant to CO2 concentration and retention...
I`m not declare here about lungs efficiency, but! When O2 will be taken from lungs more fast (as you are declare), also CO2 should be extracted to the lungs faster.... Is it mean that non smoking people should be breath more fast???

And also according you statements should be: smoking people in calm state should have breathing rate (e.g.) twice higher?

I talking just my observed statistics: smoking people has same air consumption in calm conditions, as non smoking people.

It's likely that a muscular body builder would use less gas during a dive than a person who weighs half as much but is in poor physical shape.

Just one clarification: big I mean big muscles first of all.
Wrong statement again. Just remember classic Newton phisics: Bigger body had bigger mass and bigger crossection.
Than it require more forces for ANY movement, even legs movement (up/down), and also it has mass inertia! Than you have to spent more forces as for leg movement start, and also for movement stop....
And also it require bigger forces to move forward, because frontal water resist is bigger, because of cross-section.

BUT! Here I agree - well trained people in bad conditions (panic, current, BCD problem, etc.) will spent less air, than poor.

If you're trying to say that all other things being equal, a diver with tanks on his or her back will use more gas than a diver with sidemounted tanks because the latter is more streamlined - I agree with this as much as I agree with everything else you wrote.

Yes, because commonly - first: sidemount compensator is more slick than common jacket. Second: tanks (a little) hidden behind your shoulders, and in the waterflow shadow...

 

[caruso]

It's tough with the broken English but you make some valid points. Not so sure about the smoking though.

 

[АлександрД]

Не проблема, я могу писать исключительно правильно, но на другом языке.
No problem, I can wright absolutelly correct, but with another language.
I`d passed text above over two translators, to check correct translation...

BTW - are you GUE adept?

 

[Paul M]

I didn't see it mentioned - Streamline all of your gear, hoses and exposure protection. It will result in less drag, less effort to propel yourself.

 

[caruso]

BTW - are you GUE adept?

I don't think so?

 

[Streydog]

What sort of diving requires less energy than walking? Do you use a DPV

Recreational diving, cruising along looking at cool things.

 

[Littlerayray]

When I'm relaxed I start to him I warm my dive buddies that I hum when I get relaxed I have found that it helps with gas consumption it's also a fun game that my dive buddies try and figure out what song I was humming.

 

[Carlos Danger]

What advice would you give to control and reduce the air consumption during dives?
Thanks

...less is more

 

[Sbiriguda]

I would like to summarize some important points of this discussion with videos

1) Sculling, which actually should be AVOIDED

2) Horizontal trim: the main "Scuba position"

3) Frog kick

4) Weight check before dive

5) Less is more (don't exhaggerate with gear)

6) Relax

7) Keep warm

8) Take time to examine the surroundings