Scuba detection 2016 : physical preparation

[frogmaster-riviera]

Hi all,

Did a few metal detects since 1st Jan 2016 but nothing really of interest due to difficult sea conditions, temperature and visibility. Spring represents the kick off for the underwater detecting season!

Many of you think or are thinking of scuba detection as an alternative to shallow/surf metal detection. I always enjoy to answer and try to help as much as I can MD Guys willing to discover this fantastic way of enjoying our hobby.

This my preparation for scuba detecting, most of the time alone and try to keep safety at the highest possible level.

I know we are several divers on this forum and I hope they will share their experience!
1/ Take care to yourself, remain in healthy condition

- At least walk, ride a bicycle 4 hours per week divided in 3 or 4 sessions
- Take care to you fat, it is the place where nitrogen remains...less you have fat, less nitrogen accident you will have
- Swim an hour at least once week

Compared to exploration dives, scuba detection is far more physical demanding. You can remain more then 3H at low depth and you don't only use you eyes... you have to use your hands and arms to dig, dig and dig !

2/ Save oxygen to stay more and be more efficient

The difference between a diver in good physical condition and a casual diver is huge in terme of Air consumption, I found it is not rare to have 35% to 40% difference.
It means that you can stay twice more or twice less depending of your breathing and heart efficiency underwater.

I have never been a "low consumption diver" and most of the time during a dive, I'm the first to run out of gas. There is the training and individual parameters on which you can't really do something about it.

Here is the major part of my scuba detection season preparation: Apnea between -6m and -25m (-17ft => -88ft)

 

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[fongu]

I agree with you about the health of the diver and air consumption. I'm disabled and tried to take a diving class and ran out of oxygen before the other students. End result was I could not handle this sport due to physical problems and needed too much help with my gear and decided to just wade in the river and stay out of the ocean. My instructor told me he would never take me for a certification dive in the ocean as I could not handle the current with poor swimming ability. I can't get away from home long enough to try and swim 2-3 times a week and just accept the physical reality that this is not for me. Looks like you're having a great time. Good luck & happy hunting.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I agree with you about the health of the diver and air consumption. I'm disabled and tried to take a diving class and ran out of oxygen before the other students. End result was I could not handle this sport due to physical problems and needed too much help with my gear and decided to just wade in the river and stay out of the ocean. My instructor told me he would never take me for a certification dive in the ocean as I could not handle the current with poor swimming ability. I can't get away from home long enough to try and swim 2-3 times a week and just accept the physical reality that this is not for me. Looks like you're having a great time. Good luck & happy hunting.

Hello Fongu! Not sure scuba diving is the best sport when you are disabled, you can easily put your life in danger and you can't be of any help for your mates. Definitely, do not have any regrets, you have hundreds of activities where you won't risk your life.

Take care

FM +++

 

[bill from lachine]

FM,

Good on you for offering advice to others less experienced at diving.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[mnruxpin]

Yea buddy, Dont forget diet, the most important part. I have done a paleo lifestyle for a few years now, and I work out 3 to 5 times a week and swim laps at the Y, do light cardio on the other two days if possible....6'3 220lbs of water ninja. I mostly do it for the A$$ but sure helps with diving haha. plus if you get fat your gear dont fit!! witch speaking of gear, its a good work out just carrying gear in the sand and up hills. get active, be a beast, you only live once!

 

[ScubaDetector]

Well here goes. I have been a certified diver since March of 1980. I am disabled. I couldn't wear a tank walking to the beach if I wanted to any more. So I jump off my boats. I also know for some strange reason my wet suit shrinks from lack of use in the winter. That is my story and I am sticking too it.

KNOW your limitations, know your weaknesses and DIVE ACCORDINGLY. Never push the envelope and think you have skills you do not. Water kills.

I am not on a seafood diet, I cater to a light diet. I eat constantly during daylight hours. I am as active as I can be. However I have this poster I follow by.



Do NOT skimp on safety equipment. Sure you can use a small dive flag. I use the largest possible. Always know your surroundings and remember your training. Your LIFE is more important than your gear. DROP everything including your STUPID detector if you have problems. You can always buy more gear. You only have one life to live.

 

[Jason in Enid]

The biggest thing you can do to control the amount of air you go through on a dive is your breathing. It's not about "skip breathing" or trying to hold your breath because those can be dangerous to you while diving. I'm not a free-diver but I would imagine that would help some, so will running. Focus on controlling the breath while running, smooth, even, long, regular breaths. I do "square breathing" while I run. Breath in for a count (I often use 4 steps as my marker), hold for a count, breath out for a count, pause for a count. Developing a slow, efficient heart rate helps a lot too. I am often the last to surface from dives.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

The biggest thing you can do to control the amount of air you go through on a dive is your breathing. It's not about "skip breathing" or trying to hold your breath because those can be dangerous to you while diving. I'm not a free-diver but I would imagine that would help some, so will running. Focus on controlling the breath while running, smooth, even, long, regular breaths. I do "square breathing" while I run. Breath in for a count (I often use 4 steps as my marker), hold for a count, breath out for a count, pause for a count. Developing a slow, efficient heart rate helps a lot too. I am often the last to surface from dives.

I have recently experienced Free diving and found a lot of joy and satisfaction with it. I'm not a champion at all but found great sensations and discovered the ability to control my heart rate and breathing rythme. We you dive, it is common to consume nearly 20% of your take the fist 5 minutes to the stress.

Apnea, "free diving" helps you to calm down quickly and control any source of stress that might happen when scuba diving which has a direct impact on air consumption..

 

[CASPER-2]

when I was younger and lighter - I felt like I could stay under forever - Im one of those people - if I could be given the ability
to live underwater - id take it - my ex wife used to hate it when we went to the carribean - I always loved swimming and snorkeling
and got into underwater photography - I'd stay in all day if I could -
to me the key is being relaxed in your environment - same with scuba - ive been on boats
where people getting into it - or trying to- you could see they were nervous about the fish - are there sharks or other evils lurking -
the depth - they could not see the bottom - and other paranoia - they get in and hyperventilate and suck the tank dry in 15 mins on the surface
Ive swam with sharks and had a few chase me -had a few other incidences- but the only time I ever got scared when I got paired up with someone
that acted like Neptune and thought we were only in 10 feet of water off a reef but were in 50 feet - person sh#t when they got in and looked down
panicked and kicked my mask off and the grabbed onto me around my neck causing me to spit mouth piece out and swallow water - wanted to kill the person
im lucky.. I panicked right off the bat and calmed just as quick - got them to the boat - took time to collect myself and not punch him in the head - specially
after bragging about all the places he'd been - come to find out he'd been to places like sting ray city in 5 feet of water and thought he was a professional diver
- I get in and just drop down and try to get relaxed and get a rhythm to my breathing - its not always the same and if detecting - depending if youre making finds or not can determine a lot - Im surprised at how many people are not even comfortable snorkeling - the new full faced mask ive shown may solve some
probs for those that have prob with snorkels - I got it as a novelty and in cold waters up here it can keep your face warm but in warmer waters - where you might want to drop down - it holds too much air and though your body wants to go under - your head wants to float - so for the fanner - the full face snorkel mask is not for you

 

[CASPER-2]

FROGMASTER - the last pic on the bottom right ---looks like "Hey...Where the phuks the boat?"

 

[ARC]

What kind of fish is that ?

Oh that's you :P

 

[TheRingFinder]

All of these comments have great advice on Scuba - Thanks for starting the thread Frog.
My advice to add to the others - HAVE FUN!!! That's what it's all about!!!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I totally agree with you TRF, we are only talking about pleasure. If there is not 100% fun and pleasure then postpone the dive to another day!

Thanks TRF

FM+++