Does Fitness Have Anything to do With Diving?

[Cacia]

Some say yes, some say no...

I acknowledge the goal should be to exert yourself as little as possible at depth and yet I think any responsible pre-dive assessment should include an assessment of your individual fitness level, most importantly, your cardiovascular condition.

I think obesity, like any other risk factor, should be managed not that it should preclude overweight divers from being scuba divers. It is associated with tangible risks, which can be mitigated responsibly, like diabetes or hypertension or age.

Here are some links

Obesity and DCS

Obesity & Scuba Diving
As fatty tissue absorbs more nitrogen than muscle and at a rate 5 times that of muscle tissue, obesity is a pre-disposing factor to decompression illness. Divers should try to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. This will not only help them avoid decompression illness but also enable them to enjoy the highly physical sport of scuba diving more.

The Ten Foot Stop: Obesity and Its Correlation With Scuba Diving

and alas, our own Cameron Martz

Fitness News for SCUBA Divers

this last link has an interesting discussion of the problems with weight distribution and bouyancy control.

DiD - Technical Scuba Diving Articles,

I think we need to de-stigmatize the discussion of weight and cardiovascular fitness as a dive risk factor and it should be openly discussed just like experience, training, pre-existing medical conditions.

 

[do it easy]

For me, the main reasons that I even bother to work out are:
1) reduced SAC rate
2) to be capable of rescuing a buddy
3) better trim (running helps keep my feet down!)
4) reduced risk of DCS

I view fitness as another form of dive training- most dives, you really don't need it, but I would rather have the training and conditioning and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I also agree that we should be able to have frank, respectful discussions about fitness and obesity without worrying about the political correctness police.

 

[Beachlover]

Fitness has something to do with everything that we do in our lives, not just diving. I believe that I am a better and safer diver by being in good physical/cardio shape.

 

[Kim]

My name is Kim and I'm 20 kgs overweight!

You are quite right. I really need to do something about it....but it's hard.

I put it all on since I gave up smoking a couple of years ago - but that excuse is wearing thin by now.

Yesterday I went for a hike with one of the schools - about 2 hours walking. I slept 10 hours last night!

I need to walk everyday.

 

[texdiveguy]

I think fitness has a very direct effect on your performance as a scuba diver. The better fit you are the safer a diver you will be to not only yourself but others you might dive with. Each of us is responsible for our general health and well being..and we are equally responsible to be honest in our own assessment of of fitness level to conduct the sport of diving.

 

[drl]

Fitness certainly makes one a better diver, and obesity carries risks. However, it is possible for an overweight person to be reasonably fit, and for a thin person to be quite unfit. Fitness and thinness are NOT synonymous (much as the popular view would like to equate them).
Some people will never be thin, but everyone can improve their fitness level.
A "frank and respectful" discussion on the subject is desirable, but difficult. Many people are very judgmental towards the overweight. It is the last acceptable prejudice. Every time this topic comes up, someone opines that anyone overweight should be banned from diving, or some such BS. Overweight divers need to take responsibility for managing whatever additional risks their weight may bring, but there are plenty of overweight divers who are responsible, safe divers, and have plenty of stamina.
Fitness is obviously important for divers (more so for some kinds of diving than for others), but it is not always inversely correlated with weight.
FWIW, I am not overweight.

 

[do it easy]

I guess in the interest of disclosure, I should point out that I'm probably in the overweight, but not obese category. I think by most American standards, I would be average, and certainly not skinny! I don't want anyone to think that I'm a triathlete, unless the events include beer drinking, potato chip eating, and couch lounging.

 

[TSandM]

You don't have to be overweight to be unfit.

When I started diving, I couldn't climb out of the pool with an Al63 on my back. I wasn't overweight, but I was weak. Diving simply REQUIRES some strength. Gear is heavy, and even if you let somebody else schlep it on land, at some point, you're likely to have to stand up in it. Surface swims take some muscle and some aerobic fitness. Climbing boat ladders takes strength. Getting in and out of surf takes strength, balance, and speed.

I know overweight people who outclass me in many of those areas. But I do much better than I did three years ago. I think an effort to achieve some kind of aerobic fitness outside of diving is highly desirable, as well as some strength training. And although, as a physician, I deplore obesity for many medical reasons, it is possible for obese people to reach many fitness goals.

Edit to add: DIE is nowhere near overweight. Nowhere near it. Don't listen to him.

 

[redrover]

Catherine I’m not getting where you are going with this…is it related to the attack you got on that visiting Oahu diver thread? Could you be a bit clearer…who is saying fitness has nothing to do with diving? Or restate your point another way?

 

[ArcticDiver]

Fitness has something to do with everything a person does in life. I can't imagine stretching logic to think differently. It has its' role to play just as health has its' role. In fact, before this thread I've never heard or seen anyone even intimate that a person doesn't need to be fit.

The only questions I've ever heard or read are: What does being Fit To Dive mean? and: What metrics pertain to and accurately measure how fit a person is to dive?


So, my question is: Why this thread?