Lowering SAC rate -- How long does it take?

[Gil Middlebrooks]

I understand the things I need to do to lower my sucky (pun intended) SAC rate. How many dives did it take folks to get their rates down to acceptable levels? Any tips?

 

[DevonDiver]

I found that my biggest improvement in SAC rate occured when I just stopped worrying about it and concentrated on enjoying the dives.

There is usually a noticeable improvement between 50-100 dives. Thereafter, I noticed improvement at around 500 dives.... then around 2000 dives.

The best tips I can give you are:

1) Relax and ENJOY.

2) Get your buoyancy, weighting and trim correct.

3) Fin slowly. Look around. See what you can see.

4) Breathe slowly and deeply... but don't worry about your breathing.

5) Chill out, de-stress and relax.

6) Relax.

7) Relax.

 

[String]

Get the weighting and trim correct. That also means buoyancy will come. THEN SAC rate will drop.

You can do 1000 dives but if you're still diving at 45 degrees, finning to keep depth and 4kg overweighted its not even going to get to a low level.

Most people are overweighted on their open water course (yes..despite the weight check) and most people complete a course thinking they're weighting is correct even to the point of "yes we did that on the course im fine" but they never do another check.
The vast majority of divers can lose a few kilos immediately after an OW course and that alone can lead to a substantial drop.

 

[RJP]

Any tips?

1. Slow down
2. Get your bouyancy nailed down
3. Slow down
4. Get your trim nailed down
5. Slow down
6. Get your propulsion technique nailed down
7. Slow down some more
8. Stop using your hands/arms
9. Slow down even more
10. Dive more
11. You're still going too fast
12. Get more comfortable in the water
13. Slow down some more

 

[Superlyte27]

Start Jogging

 

[Rapid Diver]

My tips;

1. Don't amp yourself up before hitting the water. Calm down before submerging

2. Limit caffeine and sugar intake

3. Streamline yourself and gear and maintain neutral buoyancy during your dive

4. Use a DPV to help max your SAC rate

 

[Peter Guy]

Read the above posts.

Don't worry about your air consumption rate -- just make sure to monitor your air consumption!

BTW, some people just breathe more than others!

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Start Jogging

This is also great advice that many miss. I started running 6 miles a day and after two weeks my SAC rate went from .85 to .63 (Avgs). Physical fitness, even at a moderate level shouldnt be discounted.

My tips;

1. Don't amp yourself up before hitting the water. Calm down before submerging

2. Limit caffeine and sugar intake

3. Streamline yourself and gear and maintain neutral buoyancy during your dive

4. Use a DPV to help max your SAC rate

Perhaps think of taking a free-diving course to learn to control breathing. However, going to DPV just to address a SAC rate issue that should, and can, be addressed with other means methods is not recommended. Plus, they are expensive and addictive

 

[Mike Boswell]

Ooops

 

[Blackwood]

There's no magic time or number of dives.

Get a big enough tank to not worry about it, and dive. It will improve.