stlmoguy24:
Hi everyone. I was considering getting certified to Scuba Dive. I went to the PADI website and it said you had to be in "good health" and you have to be "fit" to get certified. I am a heavyset guy, but have no health problems that I know of. Will there be any problems with me getting certified?
Thanks,
STLheftyguy24
I actually eat heavy set guys for breakfast and don't see a problem with it. I know tons of big, fat, bikers that can outlift weight lifters.
I think the main problems with being "fluffy" are:
- Aerobic fitness level: You'll need to do alot of swimming or other aerobic exercies to avoid sucking down your tank completely when you swim 5 feet to the rope from the boat. Swimming laps will help, and will develop the muscles you'll be using mostly. I'm SSI and don't know the PADI swim test standards off the top of my head so try swimming 300 yrds/meters non-stop without aids and see if you're ok.
- Getting into that dam prison of a wetsuit: Pick up a 40.00 dive skin, it's basically a lycra body suit that helps the wetsuit slide on better than it does over plain skin. Getting one with "hyper-stretch" material helps alot too, and since we have "built in body warming pounds", the miniscule loss of warmth doesn't hurt much.
- Reaching your toes: It sounds odd but sometimes my belly conspires against me when I'm putting on my booties or fins. It's like a defensive lineman, and it blocks me no matter what I do. Most of the time I get more winded lugging/putting on gear than I do during the dive.
Good luck and I hope you take the plunge. Having diving as a motivation may be what you need to start exercising away some of the "abdomen mounted floatation devices".