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Good for you! Now I need to find out why it makes no difference for meSorry, but that does not explain the fact that I did a dive trip in September of last year at 240 lb (rather obese as I’m 5’9”) in poor fitness, both physical and cardiovascular. A few flights of steps or moderate exertion would wind me. My RMV on most dives was in the 0.6 range (never below 0.62). After 6 months of training and dieting, I got down to 200 lb and was in very good fitness all around. I dove at the same sites this March under similar conditions and my RMV was consistently 0.4 to 0.46.
I did not pack any more dives in between those trips - the only thing I did was get my butt in shape. I’m even better now as I’ve gotten dowm to 180 lb and in even better physical and cardiovascular fitness and will be back in Grand Cayman in 5 weeks and will enjoy the benefits of my efforts.
So believe what you want, but the “proof is in the pudding” (which I avoid these days) and I know that fitness absolutey does make a difference for me - I realize it is not the only factor, but it clearly is one of them for me.
BTW, I am at the same 180 pd. With BMI=27.4, I am considered "overweight" yet somehow this does not make me an air hog.
One data point doesn't prove a thing. I've seen many a people drop their SAC just-by-reading-SB. Their classes were deficient in how to relax. I've seen even more people drop their SAC just-by-folding-their-hands. I'm just under 6ft and weigh in at a prodigious 297 pounds and my SAC is just over 0.4 on most dives. I'm the laziest diver you'll probably ever meet.
It's not only this, but in @Joneill case 2 things had happened at once: he lost weight and he became fit. Hence, we do not know which one caused the positive effect.
I caveated that with "for me". It proves it for my particular case - which is all that I was stating.
I don't need to know - the combination is all that matters (and unless one is sick or starves themselves, better fitness and weight loss normally go hand in hand). Meanwhile, I improved my RMV and also look better, feel better and increased my odds of living a few years longer to get more diving in.
and I caveated it even further for those reading this later. Your mind is made up: I can never hope to change that. I do want to drive home the point that technique makes far, far more difference than anything else. No, I'm not saying that other factors can't impact air consumption, but that they have more of a tertiary effect rather than a primary one. For those wanting to understand the techniques I'm referring to, let me list them again:
Thanks - I am not discounting those at all and try to dive like that all the time and I have certainly seen my RMV drop the more I have dived, become more relaxed and refined my technique. I'm not sure why folks seem to suggesst I feel this is a zero sum game - I get there are MANY factors and technique is a big one - just not the only one. I'm merely trying ot cover all of my bases.
The more you dive, the more you're in shape to dive. I've never seen a skinny whale, and they can outswim either of us with ease. In fact, when I start a surface swim, few can keep up and I'm built like a manatee. Yes, there's a technique to my kick and I'll rest a few minutes before I slip beneath the waves, but I'm not winded. Can I swim against a current? Only if I have to. I prefer to get to the bottom and dodge it instead. I have 4,500 miles in the seat of a canoe, so I can read currents better than most. I just don't get the need to fight Mother, Mother Ocean. I don't get the hubris that anyone thinks they can. She's always gonna win. Always. You have to outwit her, and not take her head on if you want to survive. The odds are never in your favor if you try to power through her. Dive smarter, not harder. Mother, Mother Ocean is a real mother.
