Breathing Technique

[Tombo92551]

I'm a fairly new diver, still working on improving my skills. One thing I need help on is to stop sucking my tank down too fast. I know deep and slow breathing is what is called for but are there any "mind tricks" or techniquest I could focus on to imporve my breathing control/tank usage??

Thanx for the tips
Tom

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

After you are suited up and waiting to get wet, stop for a moment and clear your mind. Relax. Take some deep long breathes and relax.

Once in the water try this: Instead of breathing continuously in and out, try inhaling normally and exhaling in 3 short breaths. Spread out the exhales. Do this 3 times then take a normal inhale and exhale (to get rid of any dead air) then back to inhale, 3 short exhales.

I AM NOT SAYING TO HOLD YOUR BREATH!

Just inhale in normally and exhale in 3 spread out short breathes. Think in cycles of three.

After awhile it will become second nature. Above all, relax your mind and your body will follow.

For what it's worth.

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Looking forward to trying this out, Dave. Thank you very much.

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Just dive more. It'll click, and when it does, it'll be because you are not thinking about breathing at all. I went from sucking down a tank in 45 minutes to 80 minutes in the course of a few dives when it "clicked".

The worst thing you can do IMO is think about your breathing or breathing techniques or anything like that. Don't think about it. Don't worry about it. Just dive more. Even the biggest hoover will get much better somewhere in the first 50 dives.

 

[fishoutawater]

There's lots of things that you'll do to decrease you air consumption over time.
Right now as a new diver, you're consuming your air by constantly thinking about anything and everything, probably over weighted and can't maintain a horizontal position without finning all the time, and you're still just plain excited about your new surroundings.

First thing is get proper bouyancy , then relaaaaax. Get into the zen of it. Watch the other more experienced divers, and how they hardly move. They just kinda glide along, frog kick and never use their arms at all. They know from experience that every time a muscle is used, it burns more air.

 

[Tombo92551]

I appreciate all your advice.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Relaxation is the key. Pay attention to whether your shoulders are tense, relax them and let your weight settle into your bc. It should feel a bit like laying in a hammock, adjust your buoyancy until you can hover without kicking and feel how each breathe makes you rise a bit when you inhale and sink a bit when you exhale. Keep your arms crossed in front of you or at your sides. Experience is the best teacher, the more you dive and the more you go out and dive and did I mention that going out and diving more is what will make your air consumption get better.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[The Kraken]

. . . and slow down!

Most new divers don't realize, fully, how much energy one expends trying to move as quickly in the water as one does on land.

If you feel resistance in your movements, then you're moving too fast.

Don't be in a hurry. The sea will be here long after we're gone.

the Kraken

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

This is all great stuff! Thank you so much. I've been through every single "SAC" thread on this board, and these are the best tips I've found so far. Thank you very very much!

 

[OE2X]

Relaxing is a big factor. One the tenents of being able to relax is confidence in your skills.

A friend of mine was certified not too long ago. His SAC was a gulping 1.3 and he would burn through a high pressure 130 tank in 30 minutes with a max depth of 60'. First we worked on buoyancy and trim. The less gas he used for his BCD and drysuit, the less of a yo yo he became. The better his buoyancy and trim, the more confident he became. We also worked on finning skills and keeping his hands quiet. The less active you are, the less gas you go through.

Now he can dive to 100' and do a full one hour dive on a 130 tank. He can hold his stops within a couple of feet. Since he no longer has to think and worry about his technique he has slowed way down.

Bottom line - experience and working on some basic skills so that they become second nature will extend your bottom time. In the meantime don't be hard on yourself.

FWIW - in my case losing a bunch of weight and working on my cardio has dropped my SAC from an average .5 down to .35 . This is a very low rate