There was a recent discussion on FB regarding fitness and diving that I found interesting. The thread focused on the overall fitness of instructors, but I think it it's an important part of diving for the general population as well.
I think an important discussion to be had is the simple fact that when everything is going right, aerobic and strength fitness are not super critical. However, just like carrying bailout bottles on a rebreather, or redundant first stages, as technical divers we need to plan for a "worst case" scenario and that includes being physically able to perform a rescue. The fitness demands required for performing an in-water rescue can be quite shocking. In the heat of the moment, between the adrenaline and workload demand, your heart rate can jump through the roof. Unfortunately, I've had to do both rescues and recoveries too many times, I assure you I'm speaking about the demands from personal experience.
Instructor trainers with IANTD and TDI UK conducted a simulated rescue / evacuation of an unconscious diver. The video is a bit long, but I think it is incredibly powerful and important to watch.
In addition to the demands placed on your body in an emergency, there's some very strong scientific evidence that aerobic fitness can aid with decompression. Here's one paper on the subject, https://barefootbentley.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/WisloffandBrubakk_2001.pdf. Here's another, https://barefootbentley.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Wisloffetal_2004.pdf.
Personally, for years I've focused primarily on cardiovascular fitness. Cycling is my jam, I love it, and try to log between 5-7 hours a week (~100-150 miles), but lately it's been raining cats and dogs when I get off work and getting hit by a car or losing a wheel in a corner sucks, so I've shifted to the elliptical machine at the gym (blah, boring, but hey it's important). Also, after a diving related injury last summer (slipping on a boat transom and destroying a shoulder), I've been doing a lot of strength training - 2-3x a week, mixing up heavy/low reps with light/high reps. Crazily enough, even though I'm 52, I've added a bit of upper body muscle mass over the past five months and carrying a set of 104s on my back feels easier today than it was a year ago (heck, it feels as easy today as it was when I was 40).
I think it's really really important for (as my friend John calls them, "technically divers") consider their physical fitness as part of their diving preparation - your body and mind really are the most important pieces of gear you take when you go diving.
So do you engage in a routine, and if so, what is it?
I think an important discussion to be had is the simple fact that when everything is going right, aerobic and strength fitness are not super critical. However, just like carrying bailout bottles on a rebreather, or redundant first stages, as technical divers we need to plan for a "worst case" scenario and that includes being physically able to perform a rescue. The fitness demands required for performing an in-water rescue can be quite shocking. In the heat of the moment, between the adrenaline and workload demand, your heart rate can jump through the roof. Unfortunately, I've had to do both rescues and recoveries too many times, I assure you I'm speaking about the demands from personal experience.
Instructor trainers with IANTD and TDI UK conducted a simulated rescue / evacuation of an unconscious diver. The video is a bit long, but I think it is incredibly powerful and important to watch.
In addition to the demands placed on your body in an emergency, there's some very strong scientific evidence that aerobic fitness can aid with decompression. Here's one paper on the subject, https://barefootbentley.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/WisloffandBrubakk_2001.pdf. Here's another, https://barefootbentley.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Wisloffetal_2004.pdf.
Personally, for years I've focused primarily on cardiovascular fitness. Cycling is my jam, I love it, and try to log between 5-7 hours a week (~100-150 miles), but lately it's been raining cats and dogs when I get off work and getting hit by a car or losing a wheel in a corner sucks, so I've shifted to the elliptical machine at the gym (blah, boring, but hey it's important). Also, after a diving related injury last summer (slipping on a boat transom and destroying a shoulder), I've been doing a lot of strength training - 2-3x a week, mixing up heavy/low reps with light/high reps. Crazily enough, even though I'm 52, I've added a bit of upper body muscle mass over the past five months and carrying a set of 104s on my back feels easier today than it was a year ago (heck, it feels as easy today as it was when I was 40).
I think it's really really important for (as my friend John calls them, "technically divers") consider their physical fitness as part of their diving preparation - your body and mind really are the most important pieces of gear you take when you go diving.
So do you engage in a routine, and if so, what is it?