Horizontal Ascents...

[Soggy]

Spectre once bubbled...


You understand the concept of breathing off the top of your lungs to rise, and the bottom of your lungs to sink, correct? [Remember, breathing... not holding your breath!].

While I understand that this may be the sensation you experience, there is no such thing as the "top" and "bottom" of your lungs. They fill and empty very much like your BC/Drysuit/Wings does. As a trumpet player and someone who has practiced a fair amount of yoga I have learned a fair amount about the physiology of breathing...this is a mistaken concept that gets many trumpet players in trouble. You can either breath shallow or deeply, but you cannot control where in the lungs the air goes.

That being said....it is the sensation that is important in diving...if you visualize it as top and bottom and that works for you, that's plenty. I just wanted to clear up the concept. Call it a pet peeve.

Another thing people say is, "Breathe from the diaphragm." Like there is any other way

 

[The Chairman]

????

(Please don't say "off-gassing" as we've been down THAT merry road before)

The only reasons I can devine are;

1) Slows the ascent (but not the only way) and helps to minimize any runaway effect.

2) Because you can.

3) Possible increase in stability.

4) Any more???

 

[O-ring]

4) Any more???

Puts you in an efficient swimming position to assist your buddy immediately by allowing you to monitor him/her closely and fin over there quick if there is a problem.

 

[Uncle Pug]

AaronBBrown once bubbled...
While I understand that this may be the sensation you experience, there is no such thing as the "top" and "bottom" of your lungs.

I was merely a figure of speech coined to avoid an unnecessarily clinical description... and you are right... it is neither anatomically nor physiologically correct.

The idea is to exchange a small tidal volume will retaining a good portion of the total lung volume (*top*) or while retaining very little of the lung volume (*bottom*.)

When you consider the horizontal orientation of the diver in the water you realize that *top* and *bottom* are not to be taken as literal terms.

 

[Jarhead]

O-ring once bubbled...


Puts you in an efficient swimming position to assist your buddy immediately by allowing you to monitor him/her closely and fin over there quick if there is a problem.

Maybe. Try it in a current (with a stationary ascent line).

 

[Uncle Pug]

AaronBBrown once bubbled...
Another thing people say is, "Breathe from the diaphragm." Like there is any other way

Yes... there is.

 

[O-ring]

Maybe. Try it in a current (with a stationary ascent line).

Fin a little? If current is too bad, grab onto something or use a jonline...

 

[roakey]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
Also explain why you would be ascending in an area with jet ski traffic with or without a dive marker/lift bag.

I had a motor boat come up and STEAL my dive flag at Lake Pueblo, does that count?

Roak

 

[Soggy]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

Yes... there is.

And that would be?

 

[Uncle Pug]

Jarhead once bubbled...
a current ... a stationary ascent line

And should we use a bad idea (or ~ being generous here ~ the exceptional case) to determine the best way to ascend?