Maintaining Trim while motionless

[RayfromTX]

I had success with a 2 lb ankle weight around the tank valve but I suspect that is controversial with some and I'm new. It sure cured my sinky feet and is easier than trying to do it with moving weight on the tank. I don't need much in the ocean and 2 lbs is plenty for me in the lake. I need a bit more with a 5 mm but still, I don't have a lot to move around.

 

[topher10]

Thanks again for replies. All the links and pictures are very helpful.

My big take away is that I need to concentrate on being 'movement-less', but not necessarily 'motionless'. In other words, even the best divers are slightly sculling their feet to maintain trim, but they are doing this without creating any forward motion. I think that would probably be a more productive thing to focus on for now at my level. Of course, while I am going that I will keep fiddling with tank location and body/arms/legs position.

I need to find someone with a GoPro will can film me. The LDS does a monthly pool session in the university diving well, which is about 15 ft deep. Its a great place for working on this stuff.

 

[topher10]

I lost 20 lbs this winter.

Congrats on weight loss, by the way

 

[tbone1004]

Thanks again for replies. All the links and pictures are very helpful.

My big take away is that I need to concentrate on being 'movement-less', but not necessarily 'motionless'. In other words, even the best divers are slightly sculling their feet to maintain trim, but they are doing this without creating any forward motion. I think that would probably be a more productive thing to focus on for now at my level. Of course, while I am going that I will keep fiddling with tank location and body/arms/legs position.

I need to find someone with a GoPro will can film me. The LDS does a monthly pool session in the university diving well, which is about 15 ft deep. Its a great place for working on this stuff.

better than a gopro is a mirror. If you can DIY a mirror that is big enough for you to lean up against the wall of the diving well you will get instant feedback on what you are doing. There is literally no better teaching aid

 

[DevonDiver]

With practice you'll develop from macro-corrections to micro-corrections. Eventually, the micro-corrections will become stillness.

Time in the water doing dedicated practice is what works. Lots of time... well spent..

 

[TravisD]

better than a gopro is a mirror. If you can DIY a mirror that is big enough for you to lean up against the wall of the diving well you will get instant feedback on what you are doing. There is literally no better teaching aid

I've seen the mirror thing mentioned before (and would love to try it) -- curious what kind of mirror rigs you've seen that are safe for use in a pool situation? I can see the lifeguards at the local college pool freaking out if I brought in a big chunk of glass and started lowering it in the deep end of their pool....

 

[RainPilot]

The shiny silver Milar sheets work well

 

[tbone1004]

I've seen the mirror thing mentioned before (and would love to try it) -- curious what kind of mirror rigs you've seen that are safe for use in a pool situation? I can see the lifeguards at the local college pool freaking out if I brought in a big chunk of glass and started lowering it in the deep end of their pool....

highly polished sheets of aluminum with a piece of air tubing that is slit going around the edges works well. You can also take the mylar and stick it to something a bit more solid that you can lower into the pool. The polished aluminum is what most commercial pool mirrors are made out of. You can buy the swim mirrors for about $100. they're not terribly big so you can't be too close to them, typically 2'x4', but if you're about 10' away you can see everything you need to see

 

[TravisD]

Ah, ok - so something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Mirr...94955747&sr=8-4&keywords=acrylic+mirror+sheet

 

[tbone1004]

Ah, ok - so something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Mirr...94955747&sr=8-4&keywords=acrylic+mirror+sheet

probably too thin and flexible. You can epoxy or bolt it to a thicker piece of acrylic or some other plastic to keep it stiff. They're incredibly useful during pool sessions for training as well