Learning kicking styles

[Felipe Telles]

Hey everyone!

I'm a new diver, but very interested in learning things which can improve my underwater comfort and air sac. I've been reading a lot of good advices here on scuba board on how to improve air consumption, because that's been a really issue for me. My girlfriend used to swim underwater in a very inefficient way and she would still come up with more air than the instructor. And I'm a air hog. You guys can figure how that's a problem for me. I

I've been practicing a lot (took peak performance buoyancy, got better with my trim underwater, started swimming classes), and I got really better with my consumption (and I realized that when I did my checkout for the deep dive in my AOW classes and I wasn't the person who thumbed the dive because of low air). Now I'm focusing on my breathing ("abdominal breathing" and deep breathing) which I'll see the results on next weekend.

One thing that I think should be my next step is working on my kicking style. I already have a good kicking technique (can always improve though), but I would like to learn new kicking style, the problem is: I can't find good sources to see how to practice or how it should be done properly. Does anyone have a good source or tips on kicking styles? I've found some videos on youtube but they are not that instructional, and my instructors are always busy with something else. Any help would be great!

 

[Scott L]

Unified Team Diving Training Agency sells an array of training DVD's...


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[orm]

If your end goal is to use less air.

Look for:

Proper trim.
Proper weighting.
Good lines - no dangly things hanging off everywhere.

Then calm, relaxed pace with good buoyancy. But more importantly get fit. Do more aerobic exercises like running or cross training.

Have a look at the Frog Kick. Kick and glide, kick and glide and don't use your hands.

 

[Jax]

Go to You-Tube, Search on

diving flutter kick
diving frog kick
diving kick
. . . .

 

[Louie]

Hi Felipe,

I always say there's nothing like experience and practice to improve your air consumption. It is quite normal for people in the beginning to be heavy air users and then improve rapidly once things click.

Few things that make the difference:

• Confidence - yes, nervous divers suck air
• Properly fitted equipment, trim and being comfortable with equipment
• Proper weighting - overweighting will affect air consumption. If you are underweighted and you're struggling to stay down, that will have a negative effect as well
• Adequate thermal protection
• General fitness and lung health

Regards to kicking styles, you mentioned that you felt your kicking style was quite good. If that's the case, you may not need to figure out a new style but you may benefit more from improving on your normally-used method/style.

Make sure you are kicking with your legs with your toes out straight. The bicycle kicking - where you are kicking into yourself - is a reason for many divers having poor air consumption.

If your pool allows (ah I see you are in Brazil, maybe you have access to a beach?) take your fins/mask and snorkel and do a bit of snorkelling practice. While it's not quite like diving in full gear, it'll give you a bit of a feel for finning.

 

[Felipe Telles]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

As far as my weighting goes I think it's pretty good for my experience (20 dives). I can hoover at the safety stop without touching my BCD and just a little kicking. I used to be very nervous at first (trying to see everything once underwater, ended with a lot of cramps), now I'm just relaxing, letting the water take me with it (of course without a strong current). My girlfriend uses bicycle kicking and still manages to consume much less air than I :sigh_2: . As i said before I started swimming a couple of months ago, and I can really fell it improving my techniques because I fell much more confident and comfortable underwater. I'm no scuba master but that's something I would recommend to anyone who's trying to get more comfortable underwater.

Here in Brazil we're in winter, and I live in the south, so it's kind of hard to go to the beach to practice with my snorkel, and besides we don't have any shore dives here in the south. Pools are kind of expensive to practice so that's o not an option. The only time I get to practice my scuba skills are on my divings. I dive at least once a month with at least two dives each time. It's not that much diving but it can be enough to tune my skills.

Something I forget to mention: I'm kind of obsessed with the no-hanging of instruments during my dives, so that's not a problem too.

 

[lowviz]

Hey everyone!
................Does anyone have a good source or tips on kicking styles? I've found some videos on youtube but they are not that instructional, and my instructors are always busy with something else. Any help would be great!

Hey,

-sounds like how I started.

Money well spent:
Amazon.com: Unified Team Diving (5thD-X) Essentials Of Technical Diving: UTD International LLC: Movies & TV

all the kicks perfectly demonstrated. I'm still trying...

Best,
lowviz