Breathing without a mask on.

[FLArmyBrat]

I almost paniced when I thought about the mask removal exersize. The first time I did take in water in my nose. After that I started practicing breathing in through the reg and out through my nose with my mask on. Thankfully I didn't fog up. I did this the whole time I was waiting in line for the instructor to get to me to do the exercises. Then I just kept telling myself how to breathe and the next thing you knew my mask was clear and I was fine!!!

Just take it slow and breathe out through your nose. I know its not easy but it can be done!

Laurel
:froggy:

 

[Walter]

DEEPSEAWOLF,

"Padi seemed to say to blow ALL the air from your lungs to clear the mask"

That's pure incompetence. I don't know if it was from PADI or from your instructor. My students ALL clear a completely flooed mask a minimum of 3 times on 1 (yes, that's three times on one breath) breath.

FLArmyBrat,

Sounds like you didn't get good instruction on this skill either. It's so simple to teach. I wish more folks would do it correctly instead of scaring their students.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Yeppers, I think it was an instruction matter. There were a lot of assumptions during my class which led to problems. Since then I have encountered a number of instructors who have more direct methods. I have been practicing skills the way THEY have taught me and have not had any problems since.
I think back on the class I took and in some ways wonder if it was part them, part me. I am much more confident in the water now, I have learned and practiced the skills to where panic is not an option. He had some great teachings but some other things were very lacking.
I am still very happy to have become certified, but thanks to your incredible posts, I see there are better trained people with a wealth of information. Just because someone is an instructor, doesn't mean they can teach.
Also as a new diver, I am always looking for easier mehods, and ways to be better traind. Thanks for all the great advice. It is definitely appreciated!!!

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

That's another thing, we only did each skill ONCE!!! I feel if I had been required to do it a few times in succession, it would have been obvious there was a problem. The more I think about it, the more I am glad I have practiced the skills every time I dive or snorkel. I also used the same method of snorkel breathe mask clearing that you were teaching on here. When a dive buddy bails out at the last second and you are restricted to snorkeling, it's the only way to practice that skill repetetively and effectively that I have found. The key is definitely practicing. I try to do mask clears and play with buoyancy as much as possible as those seem to be the most difficult to deal with.
---for me anyway---
breathing without a mask is no problem anymore, just hate losing contacts if I open my eyes.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Where do you teach out of? What courses? When my wife and I start doing advanced classes, we may try to make it down there.

 

[FLArmyBrat]

The way I described works well for me. My instructor told us to look up, hold the top of our mask against our forehead and blow out through our nose til the water was gone. Is there something wrong with that?

Laurel
:froggy:

 

[Walter]

Laurel,

There's nothing wrong with that technique for clearing a mask, in fact, that's an excellent method. There is something wrong with preparation for that exercise when students feel like:

"I almost paniced when I thought about the mask removal exersize."

My students have no mask breathing and mask clearing mastered before they get on SCUBA. They are experts before we finish skin diving.

DEEPSEAWOLF,

Doing a skill once is not mastery of the skill.

I teach in Fort Myers. I teach OW, Silver Advanced, Nitrox, Wreck, Coral Reef Ecology, SLAM (SCUBA Lifesaving and Accident Management), Gold Master Diver, Divemaster and Assistant Instructor. I'm looking into getting back into teaching the Instructor course again.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

I wish I could feel that I have mastered a single skill I was taught. THAT'S IT!!! I start the Walter method of SCUBA!!!
I am fairly confident with mask clearing because I can now do it in one breath and still have air in my lungs.
Any other tips?
---anxiously waiting to hit South Florida---
Are you coming to the trip to Hollywood late October?
I would be willing to learn anything you can teach!
---wishing Ft. Myers wasn't so far away---

 

[PADI-SoCalDiver]

below_sea_level once bubbled...
It's not that my instructor does not want to help or has no idea how to help the situation. I have been in the pool once and he said that we will work more on that later. I am sure he will do his best to help me learn all the techniques that I need.=-)

I'm With You Below_Sea_Level. I've Been Having Trouble Clearing My Mask. My Instructor Has Been Doing Everything She Can To Help Me. And Now I've Got It. Now I'm Going For One More Class And I'm Done . I Can't Wait.

 

[RichLockyer]

Time and comfort will make all the difference in the world.
I never had a problem with a partial clearing, but the complete remove and replace drove me nuts. The complete clearing was a matter of snorts, as was breathing without the mask on.

It improved gradually, and now is not a problem. Time and practice is all it took... same as for any aspect of diving, or in life. If you only do something once, you can't expect to be good at it.