Exercise Question?

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mohave_steve

Contributor
Messages
315
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Location
Dayton, WA
# of dives
100 - 199
Hello All,

We had a great time on the Eco-Dive at Willow beach yesterday. Great diving, great people, great fun.

One of dives we had a notable current working against us. No big deal, but I could feel it a bit in my calves after the dive. Today I am quite stiff & sore.

Any suggestions for an exercise that will target the calve muscles in the same manner that we work them diving?

My first thought to address this was to start an exercise regimen that includes a 1 tank dive every day. I think it would work fine. Unfortunately the wife & the boss don't agree....
 
As you mentioned, the best exercise for a sport is the sport itself.

Short of diving a lot....
-swimming with fins
-walking or running
-weight lifting, targeting the legs
-aerobics

Weight lifting should include workouts of the calf, but also workouts of the anterior leg muscles for "balance."

I workout the anterior muscles by standing in a comfortable stance. I place a 10-20 pound weight on my toes. Keeping the heel on the ground as a fulcrum, lift the weight off the ground with your foot/toes. Repeat. (This is also a good exercise for "shin splints.")

Other ideas?
 
I go to the YMCA 25 yard pool two or three times a week and do an hour of finning. 500 yards on my back and 500 yards with a snorkel. Adds up to over a half mile each trip. Occasionally I take my tanks and gear and do an hour under water, finning around the pool. Keeps me going.
 
I go to the YMCA 25 yard pool two or three times a week and do an hour of finning. 500 yards on my back and 500 yards with a snorkel. Adds up to over a half mile each trip. Occasionally I take my tanks and gear and do an hour under water, finning around the pool. Keeps me going.

1. Define finning please. Do you use one of those floating boads with your head above water, or do you snorkle with face in the water?
2. Do you know if you burn many calories in this activity?
I'm curious because I was thinking of adding this to exercise regement.
Thanks,
Spencer
 
One of dives we had a notable current working against us. No big deal, but I could feel it a bit in my calves after the dive. Today I am quite stiff & sore.

Any suggestions for an exercise that will target the calve muscles in the same manner that we work them diving?

My first thought to address this was to start an exercise regimen that includes a 1 tank dive every day. I think it would work fine. Unfortunately the wife & the boss don't agree....

Tips:
1. Ensure that you are streamlined, and are truly horizontal in the water.
2. Recall that to go twice a fast, you must fin four times as hard. Against the mentioned current, you were probably finning four times as hard as normal to make any headway.
3. If your complaint is "feel it a bit in calves", then you are OK; that would be a typical experience following finning against a 'notable' current. The gastroc/soleus (calf) muscle group is notoriously difficult to hypertrophy (strengthen), due to their largely aerobic (slow twitch) properties. They are able to work all day supporting our posture and during walking, without noticeable fatigue. Mechanically their force output is multiplied by an excellent lever system as they attach to the heel bone (calcaneous).

The suggestions re: exercising in the pool are well founded....it is hard to create exercises better than those provided by the task itself. Hard finning would be best to optimize power of your calf muscles. You may still be a little sore following a dive against a strong current. Thank lactic acid, substance P, and bradykinins.

:coffee:
 
Short of more swimming with your dive fins I believe that pedaling an exercise bicycle scush as an AirDyne BACKWARDS will be helpful. My wife stumbled on this and someone here on SB confirmed it.

Pete
 
No one's suggested the simplest answer yet:

You probably could have avoided a lot of your soreness by stretching after the dive.

If you got a good workout finning, you need a stretching and cool down period just like after any other exercise.

I also have a beer after a workout to relax any stressed muscles ;)
 
bigirl: I lay on my back, with fins and goggles on, and go like hell, using legs only, to one end of the pool and then turn around and go back to the starting point, 10 times. I then take off my goggles, put on my mask and snorkel and ankle weights, lay on my stomach and go like hell, face in the water, breathing through my snorkel, using legs only, to the other end, turn around and go back to the starting point, 10 times. Haven't got a clue about calories or anything else scientific or useful but it keeps my legs and lungs in shape for ocean diving.
 
Thank you for all of the suggestions.
Here is my plan:

1) Work on being streamlined when I dive.
2) Start finning in the pool on a regular basis.
3) Stretch after diving.
4) Drink 2 beers after diving (I have 2 calves)

Seriously, I do appreciate your input and it does sound like my best option is to simply practice the specific activity that is troublesome on a much more regular basis.

Thanks again.

Steve
 
Put a 2 x 4 piece of wood about 2 feet long on the floor. Choose a manageable amount of weight on two dumbells. Place the balls of your feet on the board about foot apart. Now raise yourself up tippy-tow fashion; leaning forward slightly with the dumbells at your side.. Do in sets of three/maybe 10 reps each set. This, along with Doc Harry's suggestion will give you calves like Ahhh-nold.

Another option is buy a scooter.;)
 

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