Body Type

[AaronR103]

Speaking from a medical perspective (or at least a medical student's perspective) it's not necessarily the fat that would get you, but the complications stemming from the added stress that the fat puts on your body, ie high BP, high cholesterol etc all adding stress to a heart that is already stressed from trying to keep up with a body that has outgrown it. That said, if a doctor, preferably a diving doctor, does a good and thorough work-up on you then there is no reason you shouldn't be able to dive. The size itself shouldn't stop you.

I would recommend being a bit more conservative with your dive planning. The US Navy tables and algorithms on which all of the recreational tables and computers are based were designed around tests on young fit sailors. Your different body size and increased fatty tissue percentage is gonna affect the way nitrogen dissolves into and out of your tissues, and there's really no way to predict how. Just to be safe you might want to go a letter-group more conservative on a table, or on a computer just call your dive a bit before it says you need to.

A

 

[diveasr]

If I take a deep breath... hold it in, then quit treading water. I sink. Not as fast as I used to... but still sink to about 8'. I am neutral there.

ok im not sure on this one isnt fat positive in water, i have seen many overweight (i suppose the extra weight comes from fat, not bone or muscle) people and do they float!!!!!

 

[2muchtq]

This topic is getting quite a few replies! Thanks everyone.


I was always told that fat floats.

I have always sank.


To put all this in perspective.....

I wear an 8 hat size.

19 inch neck.

13 shoe size.

Wear a size 13.5 ring

Wrist is 10 inches.

Forearms are 14.5 inches

Biceps are 22 inches

Thighs are 29.5 inches

Calves are 21 inches

Ankles are 12 inches.

Chest is 56 inches

I wear a 42 pant.


While some of my body is fat (starts upper thigh, belly chest area) My arms and legs are not IMHO very flabby. My ankles are like tree trunks. My calf just continues into the top of my foot. Wierd to say, but no rolls there. My calf muscles are cut. I can see individual muscles and they are quite large (try buying pants that have big enough legs) My forearms and biceps are the same.

Where I pack what I forsee as a problem is from by beltline to my chin. I am 'barrel chested' My stomach has want-lop disease (wants to lop over, but hasn't yet) and I have 'man boobs'

Oh... theres a spare truck tire.


But on all seriousness.... thank you for your honesty.

I am currently doing 30 minutes cardio per day (and checking in the fitness forum) and I will get back down in weight. I dont believe I will be at 220 again. I hated it. I felt the best that I can ever remember @ about 250-60.


Thanks again
Mark

 

[fisherdvm]

Sounds like you pack alot more muscle than fat. Sounds like you are in better shape than I am, go and dive. You'd likely pass a stress test with flying color. Go and dive!

 

[GoalieManPat]

Hey we bigger people are in shape. Just circular I say get that physical and go dive. I am bigger than I would like to be (5'11) 260ish but I would not consider myself out of shape. I play soccer twice a week and run atleast 3 others. People can be big and still in good "shape". Even when I was playing college soccer I was bigger than Id like but never had any problems. There were guys who were 70 lbs lighter than me that had worse stamina and were slower. Everyones different.

 

[Busdiver]

Just keep in mind that Jerry Garcia loved to dive. If he could find his neutral bouyancy then most folks should give it a try (after a proper physical of course).

 

[mkenwood]

Greetings,
I agree with the majority, don't see any reason you can't dive but get clearance medically. Also being aware that there can be issues getting you out of the water in an emergency; also a more conservative no deco limit etc. Before my friend got me back into diving after a long dry spell, I was 228 (5'9") Now I am 176 and contribute my weight loss to diving. I would not buy a certain piece of equipment or take a certain class until I reached a certain reasonable goal weight. With all the neat Scuba Stuff out there and the hundreds of classes PADI offers,you can do this forever. Wish you the best of luck.

 

[DOkie]

Don't you DARE let your weight stop you (unless there are underlying medical conditions). I'm saying this as a diver who is 5'4" and 100 lbs. If people here tell you that you shouldn't dive because of your weight, they are full of themselves. One of the most respected divers I know happens to be a very large man. He makes no excuses about his weight, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't dive with him anywhere at anytime. Good luck with what you choose...

 

[fisherdvm]

I see large men and women in the gym who are in better shape than myself. Large does not equal out of shape.

The DAN study that indicated higher mortality and accident rate in people with high body mass index does not indicate whether it is from being out of shape, from a high fat content, or what. If you said you sink when you are in the water, you're better off than 50% of other folks who dives.

You might want to look up the military's weight height chart, they have a measurement system that calculate your muscle mass. I believe that they measure neck, chest, and abdomen, and make adjustment to the scale to see if you're "fit".

Can anyone fill me in on this?

 

[The Chairman]

When the save the manatee people keep pushing me back into the saying "Save yourself", I know I am big. I want to lose 60 pounds... and I am seeing a personal trainer to do this. But few can keep up in the water or on a bike. Heck, I can do 40 pushups and then go 30+ miles on my bike.

But diving is easy. It's good for your cardio system as well as easy on the body. See the doc, but by all means get in the water.