Buoyancy

[adampierce]

Hi iam really struggling with buoyancy control and weighting. Iam a big bloke and currently dive in salt water with 19kg. I have weight in my bcd and a weight harness. I constantly feel iam being pushed forwards ie head down when diving and feel like iam faceplanting the floor. Also feel ive got floating legs and need to struggle to keep hroizontal. Also being told by a dive buddy that iam at times practically upright in the water and trying to fin along with my knees bent at 45 degrees. Fairly new to diving and want to know if this is a question of incorrect weighting or need to practice position in the water.

I would consider ankle weights. Negatively buoyant fins would help some too, but it sounds like you just need more lead lower on your body - so I would start with ankle weights

 

[happy-diver]

As if attempting to propel your body through water isn't difficult enough, how in the ocean
would you want to make it even more difficult with LEAD ON YOUR ANKLES and heavy fins

I would consider ankle weights. Negatively buoyant fins would help some too, but it sounds like you just need more lead lower on your body - so I would start with ankle weights

Did you happen on this dudes

Also being told by a dive buddy that iam at times practically upright in the water and trying to fin along with my knees bent at 45 degrees.

What on earth are you and your liker thinking or are you just friends increasing your likes score

@Vitesse2l

With the right posture a bit of time and some more lead concentrated south of centre of gravity

The depths are the limit

 

[wlecyt40]

Adjusting trim and adjusting locations of weight are all great advice. However, it sounds like you are "air trapping." This is when you don't exhale completely (even if you think you are). Your lungs hold a specific amount of gas. The average for an adult male is between 5-7 liters of air. In a normal situation, like on the surface and at rest, you will have a residual volume of air at around 300-500ml of air still left i the lungs. This is normal and doesn't come close to air trapping. Now, put yourself in an unfamiliar situation such as diving, you will retain air. The body does this, even unconsciously. You think "I have exhaled everything." You haven't. Over time, you will get more comfortable and the air trapping will not be as pronounced and your buoyancy will greatly improve. You will shed extra lead as your comfort level increases.

To counter air trapping, breathe from the diaphragm, during the full respiration cycle (inhalation and exhalation). This will cause you to breathe more effectively in both parts of the cycle. And, as strange as it may sound, you won't use as much air as before. With air trapping, you tend to hyperventilate. Breathing from the diaphragm slows your breathing and you won't hyperventilate.

I hope this made some sense.

 

[adampierce]

As if attempting to propel your body through water isn't difficult enough, how in the ocean
would you want to make it even more difficult with LEAD ON YOUR ANKLES and heavy fins



Did you happen on this dudes



What on earth are you and your liker thinking or are you just friends increasing your likes score

@Vitesse2l

With the right posture a bit of time and some more lead concentrated south of centre of gravity

The depths are the limit

"head down" - that means "feet light". "Feet light" fixed by weights on ankles. Any other questions?

 

[happy-diver]

I constantly feel iam being pushed forwards ie head down when diving and feel like iam faceplanting the floor. Also feel ive got floating legs and need to struggle to keep hroizontal.

Here he is chief, he FEELS head down, he FEELS like he is faceplanting the floor, he also FEELS he has floating legs

Also being told by a dive buddy that iam at times practically upright in the water and trying to fin along with my knees bent at 45 degrees.

Here he is, being told what is probably closer to whats happening, as the guy is obviously disoriented
with the whole diving thing, where his people need to get him stable, then decide about weights how
much and where then only move it in increments from the centre of gravity fulcrum not all the way to
the end of the lever

and of course there is always going to be this

As if attempting to propel your body through water isn't difficult enough, how in the ocean
would you want to make it even more difficult with LEAD ON YOUR ANKLES and heavy fins

where the idea of adding weigh to the feet really needs to be driven from peoples minds

Any other questions?

So no questions for you chief so just go diving, it's not you I just don't ask questions only spew forth information

 

[rongoodman]

Hi iam really struggling with buoyancy control and weighting. Iam a big bloke and currently dive in salt water with 19kg. I have weight in my bcd and a weight harness. I constantly feel iam being pushed forwards ie head down when diving and feel like iam faceplanting the floor. Also feel ive got floating legs and need to struggle to keep hroizontal. Also being told by a dive buddy that iam at times practically upright in the water and trying to fin along with my knees bent at 45 degrees. Fairly new to diving and want to know if this is a question of incorrect weighting or need to practice position in the water.

Why not have a buddy shoot some video so you can start off with an accurate idea of what's going on? It sounds like your perceptions are at variance with what other people are seeing.