How to practice leg muscles in gyms?

[DivemasterDennis]

Wlaking and running will also provide appropriate leg strengthening for scuba. Swimming with fins will do the same AND improve your scuba movement. A long., low [profile line with leg movement that has a modest knee bend will help stream;line for easier movement thought he water, especially when dealing with current. As you involve yourself in exercise to strengthen leg muscles remeber to also have a good stretching routine before and after exercise, and that includes before diving.
DivemasterDennis

 

[dumpsterDiver]

While leg strength is important you might want to work on cardio if you're worried about exhaustion and air consumption. Really this only is achieved through something very similar to practice. As suggested above use a snorkel and do laps in a pool/ lake submerged for length. Focus on breathing and consistent, medium-strong kicks. If you do practice weight lifting and muscle strength, make sure that you're doing 80-90 reps per set, this is for endurance training and would be more similar to the prolonged workout you'd receive fighting a current. Don't be a hero however and use weight that is appropriate and challenges you, not something that will hurt you. If it starts to hurt, stop, drop your weight a bit lower and take a break to recover. Even endurance needs to be worked up to.

That aside, the stiffer the fin, the more power you'll get from it. Single bladed stiff fins with channels, width and size are probably your best chance for fighting current. You may also want to put a leading hand/ arm out in front of you to help break the water just a bit and reduce drag.

I do NOT recommend doinf submergd snorkeling "for distance" if the assumption is breath hold. This type of training is very dangerous and should only be done with a partner. Also, I would recommend high repetitions for leg weight lifting, but that would be somewhere in the 15 to 45 repetitions per set. 90 reps per set is too much in my opinion and after a bazzlion hrs in the gym, I don't recall people doing 100 rep sets as a typical workout.

 

[Bellaco]

No, 100 rep sets are not typical, but where I lift we do 5x20 on squat quite frequently. Does wonders for quad mass. That has absolutely nothing to do with scuba fitness though. Please carry on

 

[SeaHawk12]

Personally, I believe in practicing a sport in the most applicable way possible. Since diving is a sport which involves extensive amounts of time in or near water, I believe tht swimming is the best option for SCUBA fitness for two reasons: it mimics the motions you will make while diving AND it makes you a safer person around the water in general. I practice front crawl, with emphasis on using my legs as much as possible and to try and keep them sub surface, as well as breast stroke, which I over emphasize the "snap" in the legs to work this muscle group for frog kicking.

Here is an article that DAN had a while back on swimming for divers. It's definitely a good place to start.
Alert Diver | Swim Training for Scuba Divers

 

[Steve_C]

This does not address your question, but it there is a current running. 1. Stay as close to the bottom as possible. Less current. 2. why fight it? I would just swim slowly and look at stuff that is close to where I touched down assuming it was not a mud flat and even it that can have some critters.

As to your question I swim with snorkel, mask, and fins on the surface. Do a flutter or modified flutter, for 72 laps. You wan to not only build strength but endurance.

 

[UrbanJungle1966]

I ride a bike for 10k's a couple of times a week. I also do squats with a 30kg bar. Seems to help especially climbing up 70+ stairs at the end of a dive lugging all the stuff you need to take .

 

[261311]

The 100 range is meant for flexibility, toning, endurance and cardio, feel free to modify it as you see fit. Working out isn't a race, it's personal fitness and adjusts to your requirements and goals. That's also why starting small and not being a hero is also usually thrown around in that. People want to suddenly lift the same stuff body builders can because it "sounds cool" but that's sure as spit a great way to get you seriously injured. Everyone has their limits, you just have to know them well enough to safely push them. People can't just pick up a 25lb weight because that's what they can curl and do 100reps, they work up to it.

Don't think I remember saying holding your breath, I said submerged. When you snorkel, you're not "on the surface" but below it. When I use the term on the surface to me that means head above water. Snorkeling will force you to breathe through a smaller airspace and control your breathing. Again, valuable in learning how to pace yourself without having to do a large amount of swims with full scuba burning air.

 

[starelf]

Thanks for all your information and tips to my question. I found a lot of interestin way in your interpretations.
I know the best way to practise is actually diving. But unfortunately there is no diving spots with in 2 hours flight around Shanghai. I can only dive 3 or 3 times a year to go to South East Asia. So I decided to take some weight lifting and swimming in the gym first. When I get my own fins, I will use them in the swimming pools.
Thanks again for your warmly help.

 

[Six Feet Under]

Squats, deadlifts, swimming, and walking.

Make sure you get proper instruction before doing squats and deads though. It's very easy to screw up your back.

 

[dlofting]

People can't just pick up a 25lb weight because that's what they can curl and do 100reps, they work up to it.

I've never seen anyone do a 100 rep set of anything with 25 lbs of weight....break this into sets of 10-20 reps each.

I do three sets of squats, 15 reps each, with 40 lbs of weight. I then do three sets of lunges, 20 reps each (10 each leg) with the 40 lbs. This is primarily for leg strength to climb, hike with a 25 - 60 lb pack and canyoneer. It does help a lot with my finning, though.