can hardly reach the valve.

[MHK]

Mike,

Where, exactly, is my second vertebrae?

G_M

Green,

It's not necessarily an exact science, it's a rough starting point to determine if a diver can reach back without physical impairment. The 2nd vertebrate is just below your neck about 4 finger lengths down. Essentially, all you are trying to accomplish is to get an approximate area where the valves would be when kitted up. We use the 2nd verterbrate as a generic starting point.

Hope that helps..

Regards

 

[BadFish]

Mike,

Where, exactly, is my second vertebrae?

G_M

Between your first and third.

 

[kalvyn]

You start with drysuit undergarment, and determine if that is too restrictive. If the diver still can reach the valves then you go to the drysuit to see if that is causing a restriction. If the diver can still reach the valves with drysuit and undergarment then you look to the fitting of the harness.. More often then not any combination of the three are the cause of the restriction. Therefore, it's better to address the root cause of the problem rather then apply ad hoc solutions like loosening harnesses or lifting up the rear end of the tank(s). Also, as Ben mentioned many divers don't go straight back with their arms, and lastly what I notice often is that many divers tend to chase their valves by going vertical. The law of gravity will actually make your tanks harder to reach when a diver goes vertical, but I see it all the time..

Michael, how about going slightly head-down? This was mentioned in my DIR-f class last year as something to try, too.

I found out that I can easilly reach my valve in a 3 mill wetsuit while we were in Bonaire. I can barely do it (and not every time) in my drysuit, which tells me that my drysuit or undergarment is too restrictive, since I was using my BP/wing while in Bonaire.

Jimmie

 

[MHK]

Michael, how about going slightly head-down? This was mentioned in my DIR-f class last year as something to try, too.

I found out that I can easilly reach my valve in a 3 mill wetsuit while we were in Bonaire. I can barely do it (and not every time) in my drysuit, which tells me that my drysuit or undergarment is too restrictive, since I was using my BP/wing while in Bonaire.

Jimmie

If need be it's OK to cheat slightly by dipping your head down, I recommend that in my classes as well, but I try to stress that it's important to be able to reach the valves absent any cheating techniques. You never know when a valve will fail so body position can be critical if, for example, you are inside a wreck or a cave any change in body position can compound the simple problem of valve manipulation by potentially silting out the exit..

Hope that helps..

 

[CRDiver]

Michael,

While I don't doubt that the two techniques I mentioned aren't DIR, I personally know a Cave 1 certified diver who was taught these techniques (albeit as "cheater" methods) during GUE classes in Florida. And I've met people who've followed directions similar to yours who still couldn't quite reach the valves. Sometimes you have to make accomodations.

 

[SDAnderson]

Mike,
Where, exactly, is my second vertebrae?
G_M

Second thoracic vertebrae, or the 9th bone down from the very base of your skull. The easiest way to find it is to look for the "lumpy" vertebrae at approximately shoulder level - more or less where the clavicles are. The next one down from there is #2.

Some folks (well, me, anyway), especially those more heavily muscled, can have problems reaching their valves due to tightened tendons and muscles. Stretching exercises can be very helpful and aren't a bad idea, anyway.

Those of you who subscribe to Quest are probably familiar with Cameron Martz, but he has a website devoted specifically to diver fitness that has some information about exercises and stretching:

Dive Fitness

Five Stretches for Shoulder Mobility: How to reach your valves

Good stuff.

 

[d@n]

What happens if someone in a DIR-F class cannot reach the valves?
I couldn't in my OW class due to a limited range of motion in my right shoulder. I seem to be able to reach the second vertebrae though at this very minute. Maybe my tank was too low? I have signed up for a DIR-F class in May and you guys are startin' to worry me!

 

[FFMDiver]

I assume the importance of the manuever is for when a regulator freezes up and you would be able to crank it down and on again? Saw a freeze up happen in OW, the diver panicked... I'll be purchasing the DIR book shortly, thanks again.

What happens if someone in a DIR-F class cannot reach the valves?
I couldn't in my OW class due to a limited range of motion in my right shoulder. I seem to be able to reach the second vertebrae though at this very minute. Maybe my tank was too low? I have signed up for a DIR-F class in May and you guys are startin' to worry me!

 

[Genesis]

I assume the importance of the manuever is for when a regulator freezes up and you would be able to crank it down and on again? Saw a freeze up happen in OW, the diver panicked... I'll be purchasing the DIR book shortly, thanks again.

Can be, yes. You can "feather" a freeflowing reg this way and conserve a lot of gas, if you have a single (if you have doubles, you can just shut down the frozen reg, breathe the other one for a couple of minutes, and the frozen one will thaw out.)

Far more critical though is if you some day jump in and discover that your tank is off and your wing empty. If you cannot reach your valve, you may very well be DEAD in such an instance. People do die this way.

Being able to reach your valve(s) is a critical skill, even with a single tank. With doubles its even more important because without being able to reach your valves you do not have any real redundancy - the reason you have the doubles and manifold in the first place.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

don't sweat this Dave sweetin and Tyler moon help us all out on our class and before then end we all wear able to do it .
I truly believe the instructors will help you and show you little helpers to get the job done .
how ever there a place that help you ahead of time its this page .
http://www.divefitness.com/html/articles/article_pdfs/should_stretch.pdf
it will help you also get doing your lap swimming and working on your cardio, just lit bit of help!!