How to maximaize my air time..

[haha49]

Ok when diveing with my uncle i notice that the remaining air time there was a huge diffrence.. when i was at 500 he still had 1500.. and i also noticed that when in diveing that the frist 1500 psi lasts alot longer then the last 1500 psi which kind of confused me granted he has made alot more dives then i have.. So are there anytips on how to conserve your air but still breath more normaly.. the big diffrence between my uncle and me is im younger and alot taller but thats it.. i also noticed to fully inflat my bc it takes a whole 100 psi to fill it :11:

all my dives have been shore dives and we turn around at 1500 psi and i still run out befor geting too shore (not enoff air for me to be down there so i surface early) and then i have to swim in the waves ect.. i dont mind swiming in current or surf i dont tire easly and can do it but i rather not..

 

[Scuba-Jay]

haha try this article from scubadiving.com its got some good tips on improving air consumption. GL

J

 

[TSandM]

It's a good article, but I want to emphasize a couple of things.

One, bigger people are going to use more air as a general rule. Two, with the exception of making sure you're using a deep and rhythmic breathing pattern, air consumption shouldn't be managed by altering your breathing.

Lowering your gas consumption comes with increased EFFICIENCY. Streamlining yourself makes you more efficient. So does making sure you are oriented horizontally while swimming, so that all your propulsive effort goes to pushing you where you want to go, and not upward or downward. Proper weighting and trim mean you fight with your buoyancy far less, and use less gas doing so. Getting stable in the water, and not using your hands to swim, means you expend far less energy on random motion -- And muscle action is gas used! Thus the additional recommendation for not hurrying anywhere -- Increasing the speed at which you swim increases your gas consumption significantly.

Finally, all things do tend to come with time. You don't say how much experience you have, but if you are relatively novice, you will find that, as you get more relaxed and confident underwater, your consumption will fall. Stress or tension cause a lot of gas wastage, too -- I noticed the other night, while practicing running line, that my gas consumption was almost TWICE what it is during a normal sight-seeing dive

 

[deepblueme]

Relax

That is the key to good an air consumption rate.
Relaxing has more to do with air use than anything else. I am 5' 10'' 220 and used way less air than any of my students no matter what how big or small they were.

Then as TSandM stated make sure of your trim, feet and head level while swimming.

You will normaly use more air when doing a task or even swimming to an object than you would if just puttin around "lookin at the pretty fish".

Stress=air use
Movement=air use

Also the more relaxed you are the less weight you use so the less air needs to be put in the BCD.

 

[scubawally]

relaxation is the key....inaddition to that you should start (if you are not already on) a cardiovascular exercise routine 3-4 times a week....the resultant increase in pyscial fitness will cause you to need less O2 for the same amount of work hense reduce air consumption...it will also make your body less dense (less fat and/or more muscle) and this will allow you to wear less weight which will decrease air consumption

 

[Stu S.]

Until last year, I would not use a suit once the water temperature got to around 80 F. I didn't feel cold. I followed some expert advice (Capt. Lynn) and started wearing it into the low 80's. Those 50 minute dives became 60 minute dives. We know too much neoprene can be a burden. The right amount is obviously useful. Are you warm enough?

 

[scarefaceDM]

Long slow deep breathes...relax. If your huffin and puffin..your gonna go through air ..

I do yoka breathing..I know YOGA...but it works. Yoga teaches you to breathe from the belly and not the chest. I do a few mintues of relaxation breathes as I get to the dive site or boat...just to bring my heart rate down...Preparing ahead of time and not rushing to get into the water is also key. Proper mindset and relaxation will help you stay focused and calm. Less air consumption.

Experience also is a factor. Also your physical conditioning. If your huffin all the time. get into a gym and work on cardio. and Dive as much as you can...

Safe dives

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Dive, Dive and oh yeah Dive some more. The above suggestions are also great. Did I mention Dive somemore...

 

[SparticleBrane]

Don't breathe so much.

 

[haha49]

the thing is i am relaxed under the watter its the same as if im above the watter i have no fear of the watter almost drowned a few times but id still jum,p back in after 5 mins