Difficulty starting descents

[Jon-boi]

Hi folks,
I hoping that someone can give me some more pointers and tips that will help me improve my descents. You see I have a problem starting my descents.....

At the surface I have this tendancy to fin or move around to sort of 'hold' my position. This movement is obviously counter to what I am wanting to do which is to descend. I have a knighthawk BCD with 2*4lbs trim weights which when I am under the water I find okay but at the surface if I relax too much I then start going down backward which I'm not entirely comfortable with. So I guess I move to stay in a vertical sort of position.

Apart from the need to relax etc I have been told to try descending in a similar fashion to a skydive - i.e. forward facing with arms/legs in a stabilising position, or, descend with my knees drawn up a bit. As yet I have not had an opportunity to try either of these methods.

Generally, as far as my dive technique goes right now I am most unhappy with the descent which until I get a few metres down I feel is a bit scrappy.

I am booked to do my PADI PPB course so with this additional instruction and weight adjustment I hope to start improving my technique in descents and buoyancy control but I'm sure I'm not the only one to have ever done this....(unless I really am unique )....any advice, tips, ideas ? - thanks!

 

[stevetim]

You can try to get neutrally bouyant, and actually do a head down descent while finning. Not too fast, though. Toward the bottom half of your descent as your BC compresses, you will descend a bit faster. I like to do this because I have a better visual reference to the depth I am trying to get to. I feel like I use less air also because overall there is less movement getting to depth than a feet down method and constantly turning to get visual reference to the bottom. Also, I like to let my buddy descend first and follow while watching him for problems.

 

[Azza]

Apart from the need to relax etc I have been told to try descending in a similar fashion to a skydive - i.e. forward facing with arms/legs in a stabilising position, or, descend with my knees drawn up a bit.

If you mean facing down, in a completely horizontal position,then this is is good advice. It will give you far more control over your descents, allow you to stabilise yourself, and you can see how fast the bottom is coming up.

Also do a weight check at the surface to ensure you are not overweight. You do this by placing your reg in your mouth, emptying all the air in your bcd, hold half a lung full of air, and you should float at or around eye level. When you completely expell all air from your lungs you should slowly sink. Add or subtract weight as needed.
If you are diving ali tanks then you will need to add 2 kg or so, once you are correctly weighted, to counteract the positive buoyancy the tank will gain when nearing empty

 

[victor]

To avoid the descent on your back, move the weights on your weight belt further forward.

I find I often have a number of small air pockets trapped in my BC, Wet suit, etc.
To overcome this I need to fin down the first few feet and then readjust my gear etc to release the air. After that I can descend horizontal controlling my rate of descent by breathing in or out.

If you have a thick wet suit then you may need to add air to to your bc to slow your descent as you go deeper.

 

[chrisch]

.. Toward the bottom half of your descent as your BC compresses, you will descend a bit faster. ...

Your BC does not compress as you descend. In order to descend it has to be empty....

Chris

 

[desiredbard]

I have wings.... they are comfortable....
Never descended better

 

[Walter]

At the surface I have this tendancy to fin or move around to sort of 'hold' my position. This movement is obviously counter to what I am wanting to do which is to descend.

Stop doing that. You already know the answer, just think about what you are doing, visualize yourself doing it correctly and follow through.

I have a knighthawk BCD with 2*4lbs trim weights which when I am under the water I find okay but at the surface if I relax too much I then start going down backward which I'm not entirely comfortable with. So I guess I move to stay in a vertical sort of position.

Lean forward. Stop kicking. If the trim weights are a problem, don't use them.

I am booked to do my PADI PPB course so with this additional instruction and weight adjustment I hope to start improving my technique in descents and buoyancy control but I'm sure I'm not the only one to have ever done this....(unless I really am unique )....any advice, tips, ideas ? - thanks!

If I were in the UK, I'd look into joining BSAC.

Your BC does not compress as you descend. In order to descend it has to be empty....

True (assumining he's weighted correctly), but diving in the UK, he has an exposure suit that will compress, so the result will be the same.

 

[jbd]

Your BC does not compress as you descend. In order to descend it has to be empty....

Chris

The BC may be considered "empty" during the first 10 feet or so of the descent. Slightly beyond that depth the diver should be adding very small amounts of air to the BC to control the rate of descent as desired. This added air will in fact compress as the descent continues.

At the surface the BC would contain air at close to 1 atm. We don't don't live in a vacuum

 

[TSandM]

Oh, I hear your pain . . . I did all my descents for a couple of months on my back, when I got down at all!

Some tips I got from NW Grateful Diver: 1) When you go to initiate your descent, INHALE. Counterintuitive? Well, if you exhale as you vent your BC, by the time your head goes underwater, you'll be ready to inhale again, and you'll stop your descent. Inhale as you begin to vent, and as your head goes underwater, EXHALE fully -- you'll continue descending, rather than bob back up.

2) Cross your ankles as you vent your BC. This will give you a proprioceptive reminder not to fin.

3) Bend your knees as you begin your descent. This puts the flat surface of your fins behind you and the flat surface resists the water as you are sinking -- This results in tipping you forward, into a horizontal position, which is how you want to descend anyway.

I wouldn't move your weights around, unless you are out of balance in a horizontal position once you get down and stable. I didn't move anything in the process of solving these problems -- I just learned better technique.

 

[Blackwood]

Oh, I hear your pain . . . I did all my descents for a couple of months on my back, when I got down at all!

Some tips I got from NW Grateful Diver: 1) When you go to initiate your descent, INHALE. Counterintuitive? Well, if you exhale as you vent your BC, by the time your head goes underwater, you'll be ready to inhale again, and you'll stop your descent. Inhale as you begin to vent, and as your head goes underwater, EXHALE fully -- you'll continue descending, rather than bob back up.

2) Cross your ankles as you vent your BC. This will give you a proprioceptive reminder not to fin.

3) Bend your knees as you begin your descent. This puts the flat surface of your fins behind you and the flat surface resists the water as you are sinking -- This results in tipping you forward, into a horizontal position, which is how you want to descend anyway.

I wouldn't move your weights around, unless you are out of balance in a horizontal position once you get down and stable. I didn't move anything in the process of solving these problems -- I just learned better technique.

great advice on all three counts.