would like tips on air consumption

[natural]

I used to really suck the air out, but I've gotten better. Much of it boyance control and using your lungs to controll descent/ascent. I also breath in long slow beaths and then breath and breath out long slow breaths, when swimming level. Relaxing and using effecient kicks helps too. I've improved, but the couple I dove with were better. I am tall and have huge lungs.

 

[ch0ppersrule]

I for some reason use less air when I am taking pictures. I will have to remind myself every now and then (if I have been out of the water a while) to breathe slower. I try to inhale to a count of 8 and exhale to a count of 8. Some people go longer and some shorter. If I dive regularly it comes natural. You will get your breathing control to where you are comfortable in no time.

Melissa

 

[scubamax]

More on the breathing technique....as mentioned in previous posts, its good to take long slow breaths. But just as important is to inhale from the diaphram, not the lungs. Most guys are "chest" breathers which makes for inefficient use of the air.

Think of breathing from the lower part of your sternum, and visualize the air filling slowly up from the lower lungs towards the top. You can practice this breathing exercise on dry land while sitting behind a computer, watching TV, driving etc. When employed in your diving along with the other recommendations mentioned earlier, you will be relaxed and your air consumption will improve.

Scubamax

 

[scubapolly]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is your trim. The more vertical you are, the more water you have to push while you dive, the more energy you have to expend and the more air you will use.

Also realize that increasing the volume of your tank is not necessarily going to increase your bottom time. The larger tank can increase your drag at a rate greater than you are increasing the volumes. My air consumption more than doubles between a single 50 cubic foot tank and double 85s.

You can calculate your air consumption with a couple of easy math equations. You need to go to a depth and stay their for a couple minutes swimming around the way you normally would. check your PSI, start your timer, check your psi stop your timer. I have found 10 minutes to be a good lenght to measure.

SAC= psi used/ min/ ATA as a reminder ATA= (depth in feet/33) +1

This is only benificial to you if you are always using the same tank. If you are comparing between tanks, you need to calculate your Rate per Minute Volume (RMV)

RMV= SAC X K where K is the rated volume of your tank divided by its rated pressure for example K for an AL 80= 80/3000= 0.0267

You can use this to calculate how long you can last on a dive :
Duration= [(psig- safety psi) X K] /[RMV (depth/33)+1]


I would recomend calculating what your RMV is now, then work on the things mentioned, then borrow a friend's larger tank for a couple of dives and see if the increase in drag is worth the increase in volume.

Polly

 

[spectrum]

I think I may get a bigger tank next summer, specially since I would like to start doing some deeper dives on wrecks and stuff. Having a little more air when I'm ascending would put my mind at ease.

If you feel you're cutting it that close a bigger cylinder should make your buddy feel alot safer too.

Relax and dive with divers that enjoy that pace.

Go skin-diving when you can't muster a scuba buddy. Great breathing conditioning, exercise and face immersion.

Sing loudly and with verve in the car to strengthen your diaphram and gain more contol over the muscle.

Dive, dive, dive

Pete

 

[doole]

Sing loudly and with verve in the car to strengthen your diaphram and gain more contol over the muscle.

This is a very good one, thanks.

Come to think of it, here's an excercise that has been somewhat helpful for me:

-Put your finger over the bottom of one nostril just heavily enough to prevent air from flowing through it

-Inhale through the other nostril as FAR as you can, taking at least 10 seconds

-Don't start exhaling for 10 seconds or so (don't "hold" your breath, just don't exhale.)

-Exhale COMPLETELY but not too quickly

-Change nostrils and repeat

Adjust your technique until you can do this indefinitely without getting a headache. If you find yourself saying things like, "Is that you, Mom?" afterwards, you're definitely doing something wrong.

 

[freediver]

Most of the people that I dive with have larger tanks then I do. They range from 98s to 108s. My tanks are 80s and when I dive I can do upto 40 minutes per dive per tank. The other divers because of the size of their tanks can dive for at least 10- 15 minutes longer.

I am very comfortable in the water, but I'd do excercise alot and my lunges are larger then someother people so I do consume slightly more air some other people because of their size.

Any tips on prolonging my dives wouldbe greatly appreciated.

There is a lot of great advice here as usual. Your lung size may actually be a benefit, if you are breathing properly. Using your diaphragm is the way to go. I have enlarged lungs (8 liters) but my relaxation and efficient breathing allows me to consistently get 2 hours from an AL63. A previous post was referring to a breathing exercise. It sounded much like a yogic exercise called alternate nostril breathing. I use it to induce a relaxation response prior to diving, very effective. Get out and freedive more.

 

[Manta Aria]

I had been Gulping some SERIOUS air up until a month and half ago. I asked my dive buddies what they thought. Even though I (like you) am in good shape, and dive a 120,they felt I was struggling to keep up with them while down, I spent a fair amount of time " bottom crawling":sigh_2: ( no, not THAT KIND:20: !!) and my profile was bottom down. Yup, some of the moss-backs just got what I mean: Weighting problem!!! Also this had as much to do with my inexperience as it did with my overweighting.
So I dropped some weight ( I'm not saying how much..:tongue2: ), and now my air comsumption has dropped BIG TIME, because I'm not carrying all that weight around and fighting it! My profile is so much better, I move more freely and quicker with less exertion which means less air gulping. In general my dives have become infinitely more fulfilling!!! I also believe doole said something about a fishes economy of motion...This has also really helped me.
Well, I hope I may have helped in some way. Your problem seemed very similar to mine.
Take care and Dive safe,
-Manta

 

[Bruciebabe]

14) Breathing. Belly breathing uses the alveolai from the lower lung which have 50% more blood vessels, this also flushes out CO2 which is the trigger for respiration rate. To get even more out of each lungfull breathe in for 4 seconds, pause for 2 seconds and breathe out for 4 seconds. When you get good at this try 6, 3 and 6 seconds. Never pause breathing while ascending.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The important thing when pausing at the top of the inhalation is to never close the airway, you just inhale and then hold the air in with the muscles in your diaphragm rather than holding it by closing off your throat.

It's an important distinction as if for some reason you ascend accidently etc, the air will vent through your throat rather than trap the relative increase in pressure and cause a lung injury.