Heavy Legs Affects My Trim

[Diver0001]

Sorry, but I do have to take issue with those who think that this is nothing but a skills or weighting problem.

There is such a thing as heavy legs. In particular, people who participate in sports such as cycling and skiing tend to have over-developed legs with very little buoyancy. If you don't have them yourself, it's easy to criticize the problem as being one of overall trim, over-weighting and/or deficient arching/clenching skills.

Yes, these issues are important, and it is critical to have them dialed. If your legs are not too heavy, working with these may get you all the way to perfect trim.

For me, getting these issues sorted got me maybe 90% of the way to good trim. But it was still a lot of work to keep my feet up, so I'd break at the hips when task loaded, and my feet would drop.

Neutral fins solved the last 10% of the problem.

Gear can't solve everything, but sometimes the right equipment gives you just the extra "bump" you need to reach a goal, or increase your comfort.

I agree with you completely. I know you wanted to take exception to what I said above but we really agree.

There are two main parameters

1) how much weight do you need
2) how the weight is distributed

"heavy legs" do happen..... but all that means is that the weight needs to be distributed more toward the head. In the picture I posted, can you see where my weight is?

No.

I know where it is... but the result is that the trim is perfect. It's not all in one place.

I've said many times on Scubaboard that I could achieve perfect trim with my tank in a rucksack and using milk jugs for trim. And I could.

Why? because skills trump gear.

R..

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

I agree with you completely. I know you wanted to take exception to what I said above but we really agree.

There are two main parameters

1) how much weight do you need
2) how the weight is distributed

"heavy legs" do happen..... but all that means is that the weight needs to be distributed more toward the head.

Yes, this is all true.

However, those with truly heavy legs can have all of this completely dialed, and still be spending too much effort on the arch/clench to keep the legs up. Yes, it's doable (I did it for a long time) but it can be exhausting. And also difficult to maintain under stress/task loading.

For me, the final piece of the puzzle was the neutral fins.

I agree, though, that overall weighting and weight distribution comes first.

 

[Tony387]

I agree with the last poster, skills do matter a great deal when trying to perfect your trim. When I first began diving, I was having a terrible time with "heavy legs." I found that placing a few pounds towards the top of my tank made a big difference. I later switched to a BP/W setup and found it much easier to position myself horizontally in the water. In the winter, I began using 6.5 mm boots with socks, this helped too. Only recently, I began diving a steel tank...and bingo. I think these changes/additions I made definitely made a difference. I also believe that the experience I gained and the time I spent in the water during this period also helped me fine tune my trim. I believe that some divers are so skilled that they can move effortlessly through the water, with perfect trim, without regard to their equipment. However, it the beginning, when you are working hard at honing your skills, the right gear can make a difference. It's a lot of trial and error and as you spend countless hours in the water attempting to get better, all your questions will be answered.

 

[Diver0001]

I should also point out that out of the great many dives I've made, only a small fraction of them were made in wetsuits and jackets. Over 99% of the dives I make are in drysuits and the majority are also done in "tek" gear... any yet even with virtually zero experience in the config in the picture, it does (if I do say so myself) look reasonably good. You can also ask TSandM how I look diving. She's seen me. She's good, she's well respected on Scubaboard and I'm pretty sure that she'll say that I'm not just telling tall tails.

The point being that there really is something to the opinion that "skills trump gear". It's not just an opinion. I can back it up and it's one of the themes that my OW students can benefit from.

R..

 

[undrwater]

If you have access to a pool, an easy way of playing with the fulcrum is to take a bit of that weight into each hand and move it around your body. You'll get a good sense of how the weight can trim you and where your "tipping" point is.

 

[Diver0001]

Yes, this is all true.

However, those with truly heavy legs can have all of this completely dialed, and still be spending too much effort on the arch/clench to keep the legs up. Yes, it's doable (I did it for a long time) but it can be exhausting. And also difficult to maintain under stress/task loading.

For me, the final piece of the puzzle was the neutral fins.

I agree, though, that overall weighting and weight distribution comes first.

I do agree that gear can "solve" some problems. But the the problems solved are always (in my opinion) skills problems. I know some configs make life easy and easy-life can make the diver look skilled.... but I do doubt if that diver would look skilled if something happened that didn't fit whatever their gear was designed for....

R..

 

[lmorin]

I have relatively large feet and am bony. My fins also are dense and sink. My BC has the common 4 weight pockets, one in front of each hip and one behind each scapula. If I distribute the weights evenly, or worse, have more weight at hip level, I have to work to constantly maintain proper buoyancy. My feet just want to go down, pulling my hips down, too. Skill trumps gear? Sure, but it requires extra work. The solution has been to simply re-adjust the distribution of weights to have slightly more over my shoulders than at the hips. Much profile improvement and greater efficiency.

 

[jw2013]

That's what I was wondering Imorin. Our club runs a Buoyancy & Trim course which I'm looking forward to doing. This (I imagine) will help with weighting and placing weights - I am going to take your (and others') advice and try switching where m weight is distributed. It makes sense to be weighted more toward the top and 'lean' into the position than be 'pulled' back from the hips.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

 

[Peter_C]

I probably missed it, but other than moving weight up higher on the tank, I would make sure your knees are bent with your feet up, as seen in the photo above. This will bring the weight of the fins and your feet closer to center, thereby changing your fulcrum point. It is a skill that can be easily achieved with a little practice. Once you learn to balance, there should be no need for fin sculling.

 

[BRT]

I will preface this by saying that I haven't seen you in the water and therefore I can't give a precise diagnosis.

But MOST of the time, when this is happening, it means you have too much weight on your weightbelt.

Let me tell you one thing. Having *perfect* buoyancy in a wetsuit is possible. Take a look at this picture:

This is me, diving with one of my favorite dive buddies.

I'm in a jacket and a wetsuit, and look at my position in the water. There *are* no equipment issues. Some people may think that gear can solve skills problems, but I don't. Gear can certainly help *mask* skills problems, but they can't solve them. So as a diver, every time an instructor, or anyone else, tells you that you need a different bit of kit to solve an issue.... ignore them. All that means is that they don't know how to help you.

Yes, some gear makes life easier, but throwing gear at a skills problem is *always* the wrong approach. You don't need a drysuit. You need an instructor who doesn't think that a drysuit is the solution.

R..

I'm real proud of you in that picture. You are moving your feet and legs forward which will help if your legs and feet are heavy (or light). I get tired of holding that position so I try to correct the physics by placing my weight more correctly for my body and suit. Skill can help correct for poor balance but why not just get it right? How high you place your tank, where you put your weights, how high you wear your BCD all affect your center of gravity and skill doesn't change center of gravity.