Getting to decent fitness

[ColdH2Odvr]

Sorry, not trying to hijack this thread, just don’t want anyone hitting the treadmill before or after diving. The idea is to get healthy, not bent.

In my statement regarding exercise decreasing DCS risk I should have emphasized the word MILD. In terms of decompression, standing and walking are not considered mild. Sitting on your butt waving your arms (perhaps telling dive stories) is mild. The point is don’t lay down (multiple problems here) and go to sleep. Being completely sedentary reduces blood flow to the extremities. You are off gassing long after you exit the water, this gas can’t get to the lungs if there’s no blood to transport it.

Some of my sources are Basic Decompression Theory and Technical Diving In Depth by Bruce Wienke (both “fun” reads). Also, Dr. Deco’s advanced decompression class was fantastic.

If there are more questions about mixing exercise and diving maybe we should start a thread in over in the deco section.

 

[MosheDyan]

Hi ColdH20dvr,

I did not mean to accuse you of a hijack at all! I was actually following the DCS risk discussion out of interest when I realized it was probably not helping the original question.

In fact I was even more intrigued by this:
"Mild exercise following diving (arm movement etc.) decreases DCS by maintaining blood flow throughout the body (perfusion)."
If this has been clinically proven then it would seem to me that in addition to any diver having a good fitness regime a bit of light non-ballistic stretching post-dive would assist off-gassing far more effectively than sitting around in the boat's hot tub (yeah...I learned to dive in SoCal ) or taking a nap. I wonder if this would be effective especially in the case of multi-dive days. Of course in my business an active warm-up (increased perfusion pre-dive?) followed by post-exertion light PNF-type stretching is almost always Rx'd.

Of course...IMHO (and NOT tech-diving-qualified HO) I would suggest that the improved physical conditioning and BF% (body fat percentage) will significantly contribute to a decreased chance of DCS as a bottom line...as well as contributing to improved overall health (duh...but felt like stating the obvious). I also feel that the out-of-shape individual diver is MUCH more likely to suffer some sort of equipment "schlepping" D) injury...i.e. lower back strain...than some sort of light exercise-induced DCS hit.

 

[netmage]

I'm a new diver. Dove two tanks on Aruba last week. My first dive to 70' on the Debbie II my tank ran out at 20 minutes. This included my hang time for mandatory safety stop.

I know diving requires a certain degree of fitness, and I know I don't have it. Does anyone know of some guidelines for getting fit for scuba? A website that talks about specific exercises, or some specific areas to target?

I have to lose a lot of weight (not lead) to get a better SAC and to lose the lead I'm taking now (24 lbs no wetsuit, gah!). Having been in the Army, my feet and knees aren't what they were once, and running is flat out. I've lost a bit already, and I'm trying to swim laps every day, but the holidays are playing havoc with that schedule. My wife and I are going to start the 'Body for Life' thing in January.

Thanks for your opinions. Please don't flame the fat boy.

Robert, how new to diving are you...? I would suggest this is more of what your dealing with. Depening how intense you go at it I'd expect your first 30 or so dives to be "break-in" dives. Getting comfortable with the water and breathing off a reg takes some time. When I did my check out dives I was burning through an AL80 in no time. We're talking 30-40 minutes in 15 feet of water. I got certified in May and am now just under 100 dives, so I've been farily active. Typical run times at Gilboa are a 70' max depth, avg depth 35', total dive time ~70 minutes on a 120cuft tank. When I was diving in the Keys over thanksgiving I was wearing the same amount of lead you list above wearing a skin. Give it a little time and you'll see your SAC rates improve. Keep it up, get out and dive!

 

[carlislere]

Watch what you eat, if anything cut down on portions. No snacking! Swimming and/or diving on a regular basis. Good luck!

 

[adder70]

Try to eliminate regular sodas, drink lots of water, and limit your intake of beer (i know it sucks!). Drinking water alone will flush alot of waste out.

There it is: Water, Water, Water, Water. and No Sodas.

I always lose weight at about 2-5 lbs a month when I do nothing other than drinking more water and cutting down on sodas. (I am a complete Coca-Cola (NOT coke!) addict) When I have (rarely) been able to last without any soda and drinking lots of water, it's been more like 2 lbs per week.

Ya know, I think I am going to drink the few bottles of Coke I have left with restraint and not buy any more. (That will last for about a month, but hey, another 10 lbs or so, right!)

Exercise also works well, and I could use a bit of that, since walking to my car is about all the exercise I get lately!

Gee, maybe I should start actually working for the day!

 

[BabyDuck]

i've been doing wt watchers for 5 weeks. i hate exercise, but was doing some. last week, i went to florida & did open water. yes, using 32 lbs in bc (down from 40+ in pool) & 5 on ankles because i'm the world's floatiest person. BUT when i went to weigh-in last night, i had lost 8.6lb in two weeks. so i guess my thoughts are to continue diving as much as i can, because lugging that weight is taking it off me, and that hopefully will lead to being able to lug less! so, robert, keep active & diving & eat healthily & let nature take her course...

cheers!

 

[diveart]

Underwater Hockey is a great way to get in shape.
You aslo get a great leg / and lung workout. I play
Friday Nights with the Aqua Center here on Cape Cod.

I also hate to do stationary running or biking, but
underwater hockey is anything but boring. 2 - hours
of straight workout.

I am also way overweight and I am
trying to get AAUS certification through
work. I am involved with NOAA Ports
service and need to dive a few times
a year for work.

Regards,
Art