Practice with induced task loading?

[txgoose]

I have been getting pool time to work on trim and buoyancy. In an effort to add task loading while maintaining trim and buoyancy, I have been moving gear around my BC and swapping 2nds. Do any divers that practice various skills have ways that they make it more challenging during said practice?

As I am not yet to guru status, moving gear in the shallows is plenty to keep me challenged. Just interested in other challenge ideas and other skills folks practice along the way.

 

[northernone]

Provided you're not alone, there's a ton of mischief you can get up to.

Blackout drills, simulated various failures, entanglements, knots, lift bags, photography, bailout, navigations, personal time trials, odd injury responses, simulated disabilities. Do all your drills left hand only.

Basically read the near miss thread and try to have responses practiced for all the odd combinations of discomfort we sometimes experience.

...All skills become new when done mask off...

If you can bring toys: hoops, stacking things, buoyancy tests etc.

Those sort of things?
Cameron

 

[divad]

Remove and replace mask. edit [without holding breath] to me, this seems like a big deal, but I'm not so smart.

 

[tbone1004]

Remove and replace mask.

do all skills with your mask off is a fun one too.

 

[divad]

do all skills with your mask off is a fun one too.

prevert

 

[KatieMac]

hand off two pounds of weight

 

[elgoog]

In addition to mask removal/replace and lift bag/DSMB deployment mentioned above, I found that writing notes on a slate/Wetnotes also throws my trim and depth out of whack. I would suggest to start with these as you'll most likely use them the most. Failure handling is really good practice too but, personally, I think the 3 mentioned above are slightly easier and lower stress.

Another thing I've been advised to do to get dialed in is to try and not scull my fins while doing these tasks. Much, much harder than it sounds. I remember the first time I did a DSMB deployment, I ended up 20ft away from the spot I had started. My instructor said I did a couple of 360s in the process as well because I was kicking so much.

 

[topher10]

I am a newb, but I tend to unconsciously hold my breath when doing tasks, especially mask removal. Take mask off with left hand, remove and replace regulator with right hand, put mask back on, and I am 4 feet higher than when I started and still rising...

 

[nolatom]

Try to pick really bad insta-buddies?

(I've mostly failed at this and picked--or was assigned-- good ones. But I learned a LOT from the very few bad ones ;-)

 

[divad]

I am a newb, but I tend to unconsciously hold my breath when doing tasks, especially mask removal. Take mask off with left hand, remove and replace regulator with right hand, put mask back on, and I am 4 feet higher than when I started and still rising...

You have to STOP doing this.... really. Stopping this would be a great skill to learn. the rest is easy-er.
.