Buddy Breathing

[Jim Lapenta]

Buoyancy control is the first scuba skill that should be taught. In my class that is in pool session 2. Mask removal and clear along with equalization is done in the first pool session which is snorkeling and skin diving. Along with snorkel clear that translates to reg clearing. Only difference with that is now you CAN breath in with the reg! Buddy breathing is a required skill in my OW class in pool and OW. Both stationary and swimming. I also do the buddy breathing gear exchange with OW students in the pool as an additional task loading exercise.

 

[SolarStorm]

Does anyone have a good explanation or youtube of proper buddy breathing? My buddy and I are going to hit the pool this weekend, and on the off chance there are no instructors around would still like to practice it. Or is that a very bad idea? ( I did do it once back in 1978, but it seems a little hazy as to the actual specifics)

Thanks

 

[Thalassamania]

Personally, I think if you take the time that used to be spent on BB and spent it on more work on buoyancy control, you'd prevent more accidents and injuries. Poor buoyancy control is implicated in a substantial portion of the accidents that DAN reports each year -- I have yet to read a report of an accident that occurred because two divers had one only regulator between them and didn't know how to manage that situation.

Buddy breathing is an excellent place to be simultaneously working on buoyancy control, that's one of our objectives, being able to BB a lap of the pool without touching the sides or bottom, or surfacing.

Probably because the process of BB brings more risks than rewards. Considering modern equipment layout, BB is redundant. Except for you vintage guys - you know who you are...

Air sharing is the commonly accepted approach to OOA situations.

Richard

Auxiliary use is plan A, BB is plan B and properly done they flow one into the other.

 

[beester]

Buddy breathing is an excellent place to be simultaneously working on buoyancy control, that's one of our objectives, being able to BB a lap of the pool without touching the sides or bottom, or surfacing.
Auxiliary use is plan A, BB is plan B and properly done they flow one into the other.

Funny... that's one of the official pool tests that one has to pass to become 3 * or 4 * diver.

*** : 2 candidates swim to closed tank bottom of 25y pool. Open valve and buddybreath each 3 times, take the tank and hold it of the bottom with 2 and swim 50 yards while buddy breathing and not touching side of pool, bottom or surface.

****: same only 100 yards and buddy breathing with 3 people.

Other buddy breathing skill you need to do is:

*** : tank on bottom of pool (at least 10 feet deep). 4 candidates dive to the tank, each on a side of the tank facing it (forming a star). Valve is opened and buddy breathing starts. You breath, take 2nd stage out of mouth and back to valve, push the head of the tank to the guy next of you who breaths then, etc etc etc (in a way the tank is circling in the middle of the star formed by the divers). Keep doing this for 5 minutes (so buddy breath with 4 people).

**** : Do the same but with 6 people.

I have to say these skills don't teach you anything or prove anything... except maybe feeling at ease underwater, aquatic skill. They are oldschool things that over the years were kept in the curriculum.

 

[DCBC]

I have to say these skills don't teach you anything or prove anything... except maybe feeling at ease underwater, aquatic skill. They are oldschool things that over the years were kept in the curriculum.

I agree. I've been teaching CMAS for a long time and find their program generally well designed.

 

[AfterDark]

I would have been bent or drowned if not for buddy breathing. Only did it a couple of times in the pool. Did it a couple of times to show someone the technique. The point I'm trying to make is that I was shown how to do it practiced it for a while. Didn't do it for years then one day I needed it and it was fine like I had just done it yesterday. Neither of us had ever done it for real before. No problem. Something that easy to learn and retain that can save your life or your buddies shouldn't be thrown away. It defies logic.

 

[Steve50]

I would have been bent or drowned if not for buddy breathing. .

Would you mind sharing the details?

 

[AfterDark]

Would you mind sharing the details?

I'm not hijacking this thread.

 

[Nylorac]

Personally, I think if you take the time that used to be spent on BB and spent it on more work on buoyancy control, you'd prevent more accidents and injuries. Poor buoyancy control is implicated in a substantial portion of the accidents that DAN reports each year -- I have yet to read a report of an accident that occurred because two divers had one only regulator between them and didn't know how to manage that situation.

Buoyancy control is paramount to being a good diver but I think that mastering many simple skills leads to an overall good approach to diving. We learn many skills that we hope we will never need (uncontrolled ascent, out of air, free flowing air, dealing with stuck valves, etc….). Buoyancy control can, and should, be practiced on each dive – it’s kind of a given – while many other skills require some practice and attention. In my mind the number one rule is to make sure you can breathe – so I want to be sure I can do so under any circumstance without panic, without thinking twice about it. I know it may be overkill but **** happens and if it happens to me I want to be prepared. There are a lot of things you can get yourself out of all by yourself but lack of air is not one of them.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

There are a lot of things you can get yourself out of all by yourself but lack of air is not one of them.

I can CESA from at least 95% of my dives max depths (probably 100%), so why exactly would you think you can't get yourself out of an OOA situation by yourself?

If all divers were comfortable experienced waterpeople BB would not be an issue. What percentage of todays divers are comfortable experienced waterpeople? I have no problem with comfortable experienced waterpeople training and practicing BB, but I don't see how it works for recreational diving in general.