How do YOU keep fit?

[GRYDE001]

A mix of free weights, machines, and light cardio.
I do a mix of either heavy lifting or more moderate range weights done in a circuit (like crossfit, but without the expensive gyn fees and cult like mindset )

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

I'm lucky enough...surfing !!!!!

 

[nait hadya]

Anaerobic exercise on the machines, some very heavy weight training for the lower extremities and climbing mountains in the winter when the snow is deep has made huge increases in my lung capacity and has saved my life twice, so far.

 

[krukster86]

I am late to the party, but I swim on a competitive Masters swim team at least 3x a week (at least 2,000 meters per practice). It does kinda suck though, my dive buddy/gf gets PISSED when I zip past her underwater with little effort!

 

[tdtaylor]

I'm feeling like a couch potato after reading some of these entries. I have 3 badly herniated disks, so I tend to have good weeks and bad weeks, and unfortunately have to take periods off. In the good seasons, I ride 4-6 times a week, 15-42 miles at a 15 mph+ clip, keeping my HR in the 140-160 range. For my age, I can typically kick butt with the younger riders. During the shorter/colder days, I do workouts, focusing more on the core (for my back), and spinning class 4-6 days a week.

The last few weeks I have also tried adding swimming, but it has kicked my butt! Someone earlier mentioned training is specific- I now understand. I can go for two and a half hours on my bike with my HR above 135 or a hour in spinning class with my heartrate typically above 145 - but three laps of swimming and I'm out of breath. Guess I need to keep working at it. Plus the hot tub is next to the lap pool, so I can study technique

I retire at the end of the year, so I am looking forward to every morning workouts.

 

[lozadora]

I like the points about making exercises scuba specific...I live in Stratford, London so I've got my fingers crossed that they'll open the Olympic pool to the locals!

 

[tracydr]

I'm joining the Masters Swim team!

 

[danvolker]

I'm feeling like a couch potato after reading some of these entries. I have 3 badly herniated disks, so I tend to have good weeks and bad weeks, and unfortunately have to take periods off. In the good seasons, I ride 4-6 times a week, 15-42 miles at a 15 mph+ clip, keeping my HR in the 140-160 range. For my age, I can typically kick butt with the younger riders. During the shorter/colder days, I do workouts, focusing more on the core (for my back), and spinning class 4-6 days a week.

The last few weeks I have also tried adding swimming, but it has kicked my butt! Someone earlier mentioned training is specific- I now understand. I can go for two and a half hours on my bike with my HR above 135 or a hour in spinning class with my heartrate typically above 145 - but three laps of swimming and I'm out of breath. Guess I need to keep working at it. Plus the hot tub is next to the lap pool, so I can study technique

I retire at the end of the year, so I am looking forward to every morning workouts.

I missed something here.....the cycling IS the muscle and aerobic specific training of fin swimming....on the other hand, there is swimming---while great for overall cardio, it is a ultra high cadence neuromuscular activity, that works the legs in a very tiny range of motion, that in no way whatsoever will properly condition leg and hip and core muscles for anything but force fins or split fins ( that can be kicked this way).
Cycling, particularly when you point the toes at the bottom and then have the toes back up at the top of the kick, use all the same primary muscles and complete range of motion we use when pushing jet fins, or even freedive fins.
Intervals on the bike will work to increase 2 minute power for diving emergencies, where max power output may be needed.
Whether I am using Freedive fins ( the stiffest DiveRs....best freedive fin there is...Lamborghini Gallardo of dive fins or Jet fins, my cadence is relatively slow. It is a bigger amplitude, low frequency series of muscle contractions and kicks. While this will grossly overstate the problems of swimming NOT being ideal for diving....I like the analogy anyway---- Look at the power of a guy doing 90 degree bend squats with 225 pounds, twenty five reps each set, for 4 sets....look at his anaerobic power.....THEN, look at the marathon runner that NEVER does muscle work for legs other than distance running. The marathon runner has legs far too weak to develop real POWER. The swimmer is closer to the marathon runner than is ideal for diving...in my opinion.

To me, a diver needs anaerobic power AND they need aerobic power. They should be good at a 2 minute long emergency power effort, and they should be good at a 40 minute or hour long maximum cruising pace effort.

A good cyclist will train three distinct energy systems( 15 second sprint days, 1 or 2 minute interval days, and hour long or more aerobic days), and all three will translate to diving potentials : anaerobic power; Aerobic Power, and the instantaneous power of ( 10 to 15 second duration) the ATP system. The cyclist will train the key muscle groups used in diving, in the complete range of motion needed ( the right parts of each muscle get worked), and will train both white and red muscle fibers, and train the cardio system completely.

Sure swimming is good for you. But if you want serious changes to your dive propulsion abilities--20 second durations, 2 muinute durations, or 1 hour durations, then structured cycling training is what you should be after !

 

[bpotkin]

As an older guy looking to avoid injury, I try to keep is simple. 30-40 min. of mixed swimming at local college - 2 to 3 times a week.
Light weights and 20 min. of treadmill 2 to 3 times a week at the gym.

 

[GramsciBeat]

I've read and heard it said on a number of occassions that, as a rule of thumb, scuba should not be the most physically strenuous activity that a diver engages in.
I do swimming, pilates, circuits & cardio in order to build fitness etc, and it does seem to work. I tend to get bored with excercise, so one of the ways I'm trying to keep it interesting is by having goals - these are mostly related to competitive openwater swimming and thus far this approach seems to be working.
Previously, the boredom saw me repeatedly stop traininig, start again, build up and build up, before the cycle would repeat. One of the biggest problems with this was when I restarted I would base my programme on where I had been when I had stopped six or more months previously and then I would hurt myself. I've learnt the hard way not to try to do too much from the get-go.