Moving Doubles Around Safely

[Rick Inman]

Had a set of 95's on today and was surprised they didn't feel as heavy as I'd thought they would.

As long as I had them on.

Once they were off my back, however...

I've had back problems before, and moving those things around from truck to fill station to garage and so on makes me very nervous - especially lifting them from the floor of my garage up into my truck. Last time I threw out my back I was in pain for more than 4 months.

So far so good. But I need to be carefull.

So how do you doubles divers move your twins around when they're not on your back?

(Young studs need not reply. eyebrow)

 

[gcbryan]

I've seen people using hand carts/dollies but that doesn't help with lifting of course.

 

[Snowbear]

My back has been seriously messed up for about 4 1/2 years now.

To lift the doubles, I get into the harness, roll up onto my hands and knees, then stand up. I *can* squat down and lift them by the valve on one tank and the bottom of the oposite tank, but the getting into the harness method has proved more reliable for not causing the constant pain I already have to get even worse.

 

[do it easy]

Hand cart is the prefered method. If I have to carry them around without a hand truck, I'll lift them onto a lip or ledge, and then give them a hug around their bottoms (you know what I'm talking about) and then start walking.

To put my doubles onto a liftgate or trunk, I lift mine by the valves and pull straight up like an upright rowing motion. Then I might lean back if I need to get the bottom up over a lip or tailgate. Just be careful not to get your shirt caught in the through bolts when you lean back.

If you want to be PC about it, you could use the back plate as a backpack to carry the tanks around. This is mostly technique- sit down in front of the doubles, get into the straps, then roll, lean, or whatever it takes to get onto your knees and stand up. I usually go from a sitting position to hands and knees before I stand up. Alternatively, I will also do the upright rowing lift onto a ledge, then a buddy will hold them, while I put on the backplate straps. If I use the ledge, I usually only put one strap on and reach around and grab a tank bottom to keep things square. I mainly use these two techniques when I'm boat diving.

My techniques aren't perfect, but they work for me. The most dangerous time for me is early in the season when I haven't been lifting my doubles for a while. Exercises to strengthen your back would probably help.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Rick,

I feel your pain. (Literally)

It's worth my being careful to avoid aggravating an old back injury.

My technique is basically to never lift the tanks at all if I can avoid it, and try not to lift them alone if I can't. I have two workbenches, both waist-high. The first only holds one set of 130s. It has a back on it allowing me to run a strap over the manifold. Whichever rig is set up for the next dive is on this one, and anything that needs tweaking, rigging, or fiddling with (thats a technical term ) gets done on this bench. The second bench is long enough for three other sets, its really sort of a long chest with drawers in it. All four sets of doubles thus sit up waist high most of the time, and I have three backplates that I use to move them around. I try to only move the doubles by wearing them. My dive van is less than 10' away from the benches, and it's also waist high. I also use one of those folding plastic Stanley work benches to rinse off sets of tanks after dives or at remote locations. I simply avoid lifting them off the floor to the greatest extent possible. If I'm at some fill station where it can't be avoided, I try to lift them up onto a stool, then don the backplate while the tanks are supported by the stool.

Stretching and exercise are also important - keeping fit. And I have a rolling cart for moving bins of gear around. But I find that its mostly a matter of thinking about how you're going to do things before doing them, and simply being aware of logistical requirements and planning so that you avoid stressing yourself any more than necessary. Hope this helps.

Doc

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I lift heavy objects at work every day. Our insurance company has a saying that fits this thread. Bend your knees and lift with ease. It helps. Of course, I did break apart my double 120s and go to steel 80s last year.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Transporting Doubles around without shouldering on a BP, use a hand truck:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=171232-26675-H003A&lpage=none
Some barbell power exercises that help with Doubles Lifting and Loading:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/JumpShrug.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/HangJumpShrug.html

 

[Tavi]

Transporting Doubles around without shouldering on a BP, use a hand truck:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=171232-26675-H003A&lpage=none
Some barbell power exercises that help with Doubles Lifting and Loading:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/JumpShrug.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/HangJumpShrug.html

Nice website!! Thanks for the link!!

 

[terrasmak]

I use a strap that connects to each of my valves and goes over my shoulder , still some weight on my back , but dont have to lift them very high. When used properly all lifting is easily done with the legs

 

[Rick Inman]

Good stuff, all. Thanks. Sounds like not lifting them as much as possible is really the key. Wear 'em to move 'em. Use a cart. Use a bench.

I don't know about that Jump-shrug exercise, Tavi. Scary (was that George III in the picture? eyebrow ).