Capt Jim Wyatt
Hanging at the 10 Foot Stop
Staff member
ScubaBoard Business Sponsor
ScubaBoard Sponsor
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Airway Control: The ability to keep myself from choking when a bit of water enters my regulator has long been one of the best friends as a diver I have ever had.
I remember many times when water got in my mouth/throat and knew immediately I had to breathe past that water to prevent myself from a choking spasm, or worse. I don't remember learning airway control, I suspect I learned it as a swimmer when I was a young boy hanging out in my familys' backyard pool.
How to explain "Breathing Past The Water"? I struggle to explain in words what I do in the back of my throat to keep the water from choking me but still being able to breathe (past the water).
However I remember being in US Navy dive school and how they taught airway control, and I thanked God that I already had some degree of airway control. This technique probably made me have even better airway control & I will explain it.
We went to the beach in Panama City, FL in our PT gear and we had a mask with us. We were instructed to fill the mask with seawater and put it on our faces. Then we were instructed to lie down, with our head lower than our feet on the sloping beach. Then we were instructed to do leg lifts--and continue to do them --- over and over --- huffing and puffing -- breathing only through our mouths.
As you can imagine there was a lot of puking going on...if we stopped the instructors would kick you squarely in the a$$....
If you want to learn better airway control...try this technique.
I remember many times when water got in my mouth/throat and knew immediately I had to breathe past that water to prevent myself from a choking spasm, or worse. I don't remember learning airway control, I suspect I learned it as a swimmer when I was a young boy hanging out in my familys' backyard pool.
How to explain "Breathing Past The Water"? I struggle to explain in words what I do in the back of my throat to keep the water from choking me but still being able to breathe (past the water).
However I remember being in US Navy dive school and how they taught airway control, and I thanked God that I already had some degree of airway control. This technique probably made me have even better airway control & I will explain it.
We went to the beach in Panama City, FL in our PT gear and we had a mask with us. We were instructed to fill the mask with seawater and put it on our faces. Then we were instructed to lie down, with our head lower than our feet on the sloping beach. Then we were instructed to do leg lifts--and continue to do them --- over and over --- huffing and puffing -- breathing only through our mouths.
As you can imagine there was a lot of puking going on...if we stopped the instructors would kick you squarely in the a$$....
If you want to learn better airway control...try this technique.
