Keeping active with diving when you can't dive...

[icechip]

While I can occasionally be talked into a winter dive in my semi-dry, I mostly make use of our high school pool. And +1s on the reading suggestion and the yoga!

 

[Doctor Rig]

Motivated to be a better diver, the following works for me......
1. Read, Read, Read: Anything dive related of interest and inspiring
2: Study: Educational manuals & instructional; Take desired dive courses
3: Plan: Think about diving objectives & desired dive sites; Make corresponding adjustments & updates to your dive gear & training; Don’t wait to the last minute in scheduling dives and trips
4: Dive: Get bubble time in the pool (with Local Dive Shop); Work on breathing exercises & control for air management; Swim from shallow to deep, while working on trim, buoyancy & efficient fin work
5: Swim: Lap swim 3 to 4 times a week, every week; Use a snorkel & swim fins like Speedo SwitchBlade, which are good for frog & flutter kicks; Work on developing an efficient freediver breathstroke; Practice pool underwater lap swims; Develop fun swim routines
6: Exercise: Work on strength building exercises
7: Network: Talk with other divers (friends, local dive clubs, local dive shop, ScubaBoard)

Am I missing any opportunities?

 

[Romera]

Bathtub?

 

[TMHeimer]

Works for me......
1. Read, Read, Read: Anything dive related of interest and inspiring
2: Study: Educational manuals & instructional; Take desired dive courses
3: Plan: Think about diving objectives & desired dive sites; Make corresponding adjustments & updates to your dive gear; Don’t wait to the last minute in scheduling dives and trips
4: Dive: Get bubble time in the pool; Work on breathing exercises & control for air management; Swim from shallow to deep, while working on trim, buoyancy & efficient fin work
5: Swim: Lap swim 3 to 4 times a week, every week; Use swim fins like Speedo SwitchBlade, which are good for frog & flutter kicks; Work on developing an efficient freediver breathstroke; Practice pool underwater lap swims; Develop fun swim routines
6: Exercise: Work on strength building exercises
7: Network: Talk with other divers (friends, local dive clubs, local dive shop, ScubaBoard)

Am I missing any opportunities?

Agree on all- great stuff. Only thing I question is #5-- "fun swim routines". Though (supposedly and I tend to agree) swimming is the best exercise invented, I find it incredibly boring. That's why I hadn't swam in 39 years since the HS swim team, and found the DM 400m test difficult. I'd rather go for a long walk--at least you see things. What swim routine would convince me that it's fun? My brothers are competitive swimmers going for increased times and winning medals--I can see that.

 

[Eyegore]

Indoor cycle-trainer, free-weights, gear stuff, and SB.

 

[KathyV]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep active with diving when you can't dive? It's a bit cold, and don't have any near term dive plans. Are there skills I can develop? Any books to read or websites to check out? Is it worthwhile to do any online PADI specialty certification courses well before the required dives? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Search this forum for good info about books (fiction and non-fiction) that are relevant to diving:

Apps, Book and Media Reviews

 

[KathyV]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep active with diving when you can't dive? It's a bit cold, and don't have any near term dive plans. Are there skills I can develop? Any books to read or websites to check out? Is it worthwhile to do any online PADI specialty certification courses well before the required dives? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

I'm guessing that travel to a warmer destination is not an option or you would have mentioned it, but since you are located in Asia, you might want keep your eyes open for some good deals on last-minute dive travel - if you have the flexibility to travel at short notice?

For someone like me in the midwestern US, the airfare to far distance places may be very expensive and it can take a really long time to get there, so closer destinations like the Caribbean are very attractive to me. But I think that the Philippines and Thailand and other destinations in SE Asia are as near to you as the Caribbean is to me.

I have never been to the Philippines but I have read that the diving is excellent and inexpensive - so it might be worth checking it out.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Storker]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep active with diving when you can't dive? It's a bit cold

Another vote for drysuit.

 

[Bigbella]

Related to a number of other posts, just swim laps somewhere; futz around with breath-holding, etc. I did that after breaking a few bones, which kept me away from diving for a couple of months . . .