Air consumption

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Usually average about 30 dives a year some more some less two to four trips a year spread out just enough to loose some memory or natural responses close enough not to loose it all. I dive a little here in the Peugeot sound as well.
 
Usually average about 30 dives a year some more some less two to four trips a year spread out just enough to loose some memory or natural responses close enough not to loose it all. I dive a little here in the Peugeot sound as well.

Catch a bit more local diving to keep your skills from degrading, and that may solve some of air use problems. I find that if I take too long a period between dives, getting back into the swing of things uses more air.


Bob
 
yeah it was 4weeks without confession last week
and i really could have done with an OW course
 
in the not so distant future I will spend enough time diving that I will find out if it is a matter of just diving more and more often. Or if its something else.

One thing that came to mind last night that I ha not thought of which hits along the line of possible damage to my lung. Every time I’m in the docs where they check my vitals my oxygen levels are low enough he nurse who takes them tells me there on the low side. The docs telling me its not that low and that some people do not get an accurate reading with there simple tester my primary docs ever thought of it as a issue but I will talk to him about it. I have not talked with my cancer doc about this or my recently confirmed need to breathe harder with a mask on. And I do want to clarify I’m not struggling to breathe nor is my air consumption an issue diving i just know for a fact I’m working harder to breathe than I used to and I’d like to work for better air usage in the water.

Its possible I need to do some form of cardio exercise. I’m looking for ideas that might help even if I have to exercise a little, while my job does expose me to quite a bit of physical activity none of it its what you call a proper work out.

Thanks for all the input
 
I would suggest you accept your air consumption as a fact, stop worrying about it, and use a larger tank if available, or cut down on your depth. I can almost guarantee that the less you worry about it the better it will get. Relax and go with the flow.

Oh man, this this THIS! I'm also a big guy, but I spend many hours of the week strength and cardio training in the gym. My health is better than the OP, but my muscles are GREEDY for air, and I was lucky to get 40 minutes out a 80cf tank. Then on a dive in the Keys a DM asked if I wanted to try a 120cf steel tank since I have the strength and size to handle it easily on deck.

Couple things happened:
1, I looked like I had a water heater strapped to my back, and immediately got the nickname "Rheem" for the rest of the day.
2, because I was not stressed/worried about being a gas hog -- and putting a limit on my smaller lung-ed partners' dive times -- my breathing became far more relaxed and calm. I used far less air for the same amount of time at the same depth.
3, because of the heavier steel tank, I needed less trim weight and bulk in the water. I was far more streamlined, less concerned about adjusting my BC, and conserved more air.
4, I realized that there was very little to see at +100' other than my own ego. Staying shallow and calm made me a magnet for turtles and pufferfish. Win win.

I know my gas consumption problems are far different than the OPs, I wonder if the same solution (bigger tank) would be the most simple and appropriate?
 
Oh man, this this THIS! I'm also a big guy, but I spend many hours of the week strength and cardio training in the gym. My health is better than the OP, but my muscles are GREEDY for air, and I was lucky to get 40 minutes out a 80cf tank. Then on a dive in the Keys a DM asked if I wanted to try a 120cf steel tank since I have the strength and size to handle it easily on deck.

Couple things happened:
1, I looked like I had a water heater strapped to my back, and immediately got the nickname "Rheem" for the rest of the day.
2, because I was not stressed/worried about being a gas hog -- and putting a limit on my smaller lung-ed partners' dive times -- my breathing became far more relaxed and calm. I used far less air for the same amount of time at the same depth.
3, because of the heavier steel tank, I needed less trim weight and bulk in the water. I was far more streamlined, less concerned about adjusting my BC, and conserved more air.
4, I realized that there was very little to see at +100' other than my own ego. Staying shallow and calm made me a magnet for turtles and pufferfish. Win win.

I know my gas consumption problems are far different than the OPs, I wonder if the same solution (bigger tank) would be the most simple and appropriate?

Couple of things I have done to decrease my air usage or the ones that have had the biggest impact one is a Yoga Breathing exercise I start doing it as far out as a month or more before an upcoming dive. Its a process of breathing out twice as long as you breathe in. I time it sometimes other times I just do this naturally no timer but timing it from the first time you start doing it to later on will show you how much you’ve improved. I will most likely never master it but using the stop watch on my phone sitting on the couch when I am being lazy at night after a 10 plus hour day I can start to see the improvement over a period of a few weeks. Another exercise that I don't know how much it helps is holding my breathe at a controlled rate not turning blue or purple with a slow controlled release. I dont know how much this improves my air consumption but I have seen the time line here be more than double what I start at a month later even more at times.

Its funny if my medical chart was layed out to see and i was a car I’d at the very least have a salvage title or more likely would have been crushed and recycled by now. That being said my doctors think I am in amazing health. Ive seen a physical therapist about my knees and left leg and shoulder in the last year. The knees are actually improving my leg is also improving I will never run but it’s growing muscles my shoulder its FCKD but I have changed my life and work to fit it and its not getting worse. my docs are telling me with he mobility and use I have a surgical procedure isn’t worth the risks so I live with it. I recently had a sinus cavity lift and bone graft in my jaw Ive been hit twice by a car and dont know how many injuries ive had that required stitches. Its odd I dont have carpal tunnel issues but have been working to undo any damages there for a decade. I’m almost vegan I still eat a little fish eggs and seafood especially the lobster I catch. But 95% of the time I eat very healthy and get just enough exercise that I dont really need a lot of actual exercise to keep in shape. if I lost 20 pounds I’d be anorexic if I lost an kept 10 pounds off I probably live ten more years and not use as much air because losing 10 more pounds would require an exercise program. Soon My work load and stress in life will be cut by at least 40% which will be something else. I hope to forgo any work out programs and get my exercise in the water.

Having battled the degree of cancer I did and living through it has left me with a different outlook on life. And its for the better I live better today for sure. And I lived a pretty fun filled exciting life before cancer. So I’m pretty fortunate. If I never gain that extra 5 minutes of dive time I’m looking for so be it.

Ive apparently changed my life enough that my wife has come on board with my long term plans of being a dive boat operator for myself I also like to fish as well. So here’s a picture of my new dive boat keep in mind I live 2500 miles from where I will be using it the most. I do have a plan. It involves a lot of warm blue water.
 

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I had the highest consumption rate in my family. An Instructor/friend suggested I try humming. Drove the family crazy at first but it worked dramatically. Don’t have to keep them entertained anymore and don’t end the dive :)
 
So here’s a picture of my new dive boat keep in mind I live 2500 miles from where II will be using it the most. I do have a plan. It involves a lot of warm blue water.

I like your plan. I REALLY like your plan. :)
 
How warm are you in the water? I recently made two dive intensive trips. The first was five dives a day in 80 degree waters with a 5mil and Iavacore pants and vest. I got in 45 minute dives.

Nest tripe was 4 to 5 dives a day in 86 degree water with 3mil and Lavacore vest and pants. Those dives were all 60 plus minutes with usually more that a thousand psi at the end. Warmth is the key for me.
 
I will have to monitor that I think my last two dive trips we were all over the place from Florida Bonaire Cancun Cozumel and one other place in the Caribbean I might have a memory problem as well:) I saw water temps from 76 to 84 degrees I dont recall much difference in air usage but ill keep that in mind. I do know I dont like cold anything a lot less than I used to. Be it age or what happened after my treatment but right about then I started to have a lot less desire for it. I used to love the cold I fished and hunted in some miserable weather for long hours and days at a time slept on a cot in a tent for days at temps in the teens. I really dont like it any more. Enough so were planning on spending at least three months a year from Jan to March or April in Florida soon. my wife can work anywhere that we have good internet and my business slow period is in that time line so it works well.
 

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