list of fundamental exercises

[NateS]

I'd like to compile a list of exercises I can do by myself or with my buddy at the surface at the end of a dive, if we have a little extra air. Everyone says you should practice these things, but I'd like a list to ensure useful skills aren't missed. I'll start with a couple and if others post more, I'll update this first post to include them.

For any of these not done at the surface, you should strive to have proper trim and buoyancy.Keep proper buoyancy and trim and all times.

1. Weight check (note having the proper weight is separate from having proper buoyancy).
2. Do the safety stop without holding on to a line, staying at the same depth with proper trim.
3. Practice being able to stop movement and hold position with proper trim.
4. Inflate BCD manually.
5. Flood mask, breathe normally, clear mask.
6. Remove mask, breathe normally, replace mask, clear.
7. Remove regulator, throw over shoulder, retrieve it, finish exhaling completely, replace regulator, purge.
8. Remove regulator, throw over shoulder, switch to alternate regulator, retrieve primary regulator, switch back.
9. Remove regulator, signal buddy for air, switch to buddy's regulator.
10. Throw alternate regulator over shoulder, retrieve it.
11. Hand signals:
    Ask buddy for air remaining.
    How else to practice these? Maybe learn a few before the dive and go over them in the water?
12. Close and re-open your own tank valve (at surface only).
13. Disconnect BCD hose, reconnect.
14. Hold purge to free flow regulator and sip air from it.
15. Deploy SMB.
16. Clip and unclip various accessories to build muscle memory.
17. Share a single regulator with buddy.
18. Practice back kicks and helicopter turns.
19. Practice CESA from a shallow depth. It can be very dangerous, so have a buddy and follow directions: at the beginning of dive only, from not more than 30', breathe out 50%, then swim to the surface at a safe ascent rate while keeping your airway open. Making a continuous "ahhh" sound will ensure your airway is open.

Do you have any exercises you'd like to share?

 

[Nasser]

You could add deploy SMB, buddy breath (I know it's no longer required but I think it's still a good skill to have), and holding safety/deco stop with perfect trim and buoyancy.

As a matter of fact all the skills you listed above should all be done while maintaining your position and trim in the water column as precisely as possible.

 

[Dhboner]

Quick disconnect of your inflator hose (good practice for stuck inflator), SMB deployment, clip/unclip any accessories (back-up lights, spools) to build muscle memory. We frequently putter around in shallow water at the end of a dive practicing a bunch of little skills.

 

[diversteve]

Throw your alternate over your shoulder and practice recovering it.

 

[Dhboner]

Throw your alternate over your shoulder and practice recovering it.

But it's on a bungee

 

[FinnMom]

The really, really big thing many new divers should practise is how to "stay", not just to stop, but to stay there. The best way to see things, do no damage, throw no silt and stay with your buddy is to capable of stopping. I've spent too many (that's anything >1) dives chasing inexperienced or badly out of pracise divers. It seems like we teach propulsion techniques just fine; NOT propelling yourself is something that could use some more review.

Practise how to merely cease forward movement, but also to not go up or down, slowly roll one way or the other or even start to slowly fall onto your nose or go vertical. You will do yourself a big favor if you can find any tendencies to pitch, yaw or roll, figure out the cause & fix it. You may find it helpful to have a friend video you, possibly even when you are not aware of it so you will show you normal technique and not just your best behavior technique.

 

[bryanmc57]

You could add deploy SMB, buddy breath (I know it's no longer required but I think it's still a good skill to have), and holding safety/deco stop with perfect trim and buoyancy.

Simultaneously

 

[TMHeimer]

It's not a surface or safety stop thing, but if diving as shallow as 30', do a CESA with only half full lungs. This may be the case for real.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

No S drill? That one should be practiced until it is completely routine. When sharing gas is a routine non-event you have taken a lot of risk out of your dives.

I'd be fine doing a valve drill with buddy who was practiced on s-drills at depth. There is no need to turn the valve all the way off in the valve drill. If you can reach back and touch and turn the valve that is enough most of the time.

You made a long list. Long enough that it will be difficult to get through it all very often. Practice what you are bad at and make it better. There is some merit to going down the list once in a while however. Sometimes skills which have been ignored for a year or more can be in really bad shape when you get back to them.

 

[NateS]

Practicing CESA can be dangerous, but I added it with a warning.

---------- Post added September 6th, 2015 at 04:37 PM ----------

#9 is sharing air.

Yeah, the list is too long to try to cover in one go, but might serve useful as a source to find new things to practice.