Breathing

[FATdiver]

I have about 10 dives so far and I am fairly comfortable in the water. However, I end up using my oxygen very quickly. I have been told to breath in very slowly like you are sipping it and then breath out slowly as well. However, when doing this, I end up slightly ascending and descending as I breath in and out. Is this typical or is there something I can do to counteract the changes in buoyancy.

Please advise.

Thanks!!
Blake

 

[ScubaSteve]

The best thing you can do to improve air consumption is to practice a lot and work towards taking weight off. Even though you are comfortable underwater your consumption will improve with experience. I used to suck air half again as fast as my dive buddy but after a couple hundred dives I am almost on par. I have also taken a lot of weight of my "belt/integrated". IMHO the best way to breathe underwater is the same way you breathe on land.....naturally.

Keep diving and you will definitely improve.

 

[Richesb]

You are not quite as comfortable as you think.
1st - assuming you are weighted correctly, you are holding your breath that is why you are "bouncing" - this causes excessive air use as you keep inflating & deflating your BC. Typically people inhale deeper than they exhale as newbies.
Swimming (kicking)too quickly burns up air.
You hadn't mentioned the depth you dive, which also factors into air consumption.

 

[ClayJar]

Okay, here's my advice:

Go get yourself a nice non-alcoholic beverage of your choice (something like iced tea or lemonade). Now, turn on the TV and find something relaxing and mildly enjoyable (but not a big action movie), or put on some nice music. Once you're set, lie down on the couch, enjoy your entertainment, and sip your beverage. If you think about it, take a deep breath once in a while, but don't bother pushing yourself.

There, now after five or ten minutes, even more if you're enjoying yourself, casually observe your own breathing. Don't think about it too much or you'll change it, of course. (If you're a techie, use a camera with video recording capability and you can just go back and look at your breathing later.)

Anyway, the rate you end up breathing is your resting rate. When you're diving, if you notice yourself breathing significantly faster than that (and you're not fighting a current or battling an evil space squid), *slow down* and *calm down*. Take some deeper breaths to help yourself relax. If you're not drift diving, take the next place you look and play a little game of "Where's Waldo?" -- enjoy the colors, look at the structure, or just examine the texture (even silt has texture).

Trying to fix your breathing is like trying to push a dog by a leash. It's thinking about things the wrong way around. Instead, calm yourself down, learn to relax, and of course, *definitely* fix your trim and buoyancy. (You *can't* dial in your buoyancy without first finding horizontal trim. It's simple physics, at least if you can think in vectors.)

Anyway, the fact you're thinking about breathing and buoyancy and all is a good thing, but don't fall into the usual trap of trying to "fix your breathing". Breathing is a *result* of your diving. :biggrin:

 

[letterboy]

You mean air right. . .

 

[Puffer Fish]

Ah, I think we are breathing air or Nitrox .... and you got certified by who? Oh... now I understand.. never mind.

 

[almitywife]

some days im a little bit stressed by something (work or home) and i can go thru my air quickly... other days it seems my breathing is so relaxed im doing 90min dives and still have plenty of air

im sure more you relax and dive the more natural it will come to you and your diving style will define itself more

cheers and enjoy!

 

[bolantej]

it will take time, but things will improve. don't work to hard while you're down there, and relax.

 

[rfins]

That's what I always tell my students........Just "sip your air" , don't gulp it or try to chug it down.
Take nice relaxed breaths.
With each dive try to wean yourself down to the minimum weight you need.

Also do a buoyancy check every little bit while under water, you should be relaxed and neutural under water, some people are working from the time they enter the water till the time they get out.

Your air consumption should improve the more dive you get under your belt.

 

[underwasser bolt]

going up and down while breathing is natural and can be controlled. your lungs are like another BC. inhale and pause (don't hold) for 2 seconds, and you will ascend. This takes practice to control. remember to never hold your breath, but pausing can be ok. In fact is is necessary. If i dive a new location, I use more air; If i dive a familiar location, I use less air. The differences in comfort can be subtle, and will effect your breathing.