New To Diving

[DanielOE]

Hello

I am highly considering to start diving. However I am a bit unsure about some stuff here.

1. I recently got heavily injured in a JUDO match. What basically made me end up sitting at home for about 1.5 year. In this time I gain a lot of fat as I eat like when I trained everyday, just without the training. I started training as I used to and loosing weight in a decent speed. Now I have a BMI around 30. Should I wait until I loose more weight or is it fine to dive?

2. When it's summer in my country, it's about 20-25 degrees Celsius, what is the recommended mm for my wet-suit?

3. If I wanted to dive somewhere cold, how many mm would it require of my wetsuit, and any extra equipment?

Thanks for reading.

 

[Neilwood]

With regards to your points:
1) nothing to stop you diving now. I am probably in the same vicinity BMI wise and I passed my OW last August (now doing AOW). So long as you can pass the swim test (200mm non stop +10 min treading water), you are ok to dive.
2) With regards to your wetsuit, a lot depends on what diving you are doing and how badly you feel the cold. I dive a 7mm wetsuit in the UK with sea temperatures of 8-10C but other divers are using drysuits. I also hear of divers in far warmer waters also using 7mm or drysuit.
3) See above.

Good luck with diving!

 

[htatton]

So long as you can pass the swim test (200mm non stop +10 min treading water), you are ok to dive.

Had to smile. Even an old guy like me can make 200mm. My BMI was over yours when I started a couple of years ago. I since have lost some but I would go ahead and start. Diving becomes a great incentive to exercise.

Wetsuit seems to be be a function of your resistance to cold. I am in a swim suit where my sister-in-law buddy is freezing in a 3/5 mm wetsuit. My guess is with the extra biopreen you will be on the warm side.

Get wet, you will love it.

 

[Neilwood]

Had to smile. Even an old guy like me can make 200mm. My BMI was over yours when I started a couple of years ago. I since have lost some but I would go ahead and start. Diving becomes a great incentive to exercise.

Wetsuit seems to be be a function of your resistance to cold. I am in a swim suit where my sister-in-law buddy is freezing in a 3/5 mm wetsuit. My guess is with the extra biopreen you will be on the warm side.

Get wet, you will love it.

I have to say that since I started to dive I have been getting fitter. Great incentive to get fitter in that the fitter you get through longer the dive lol

 

[dmaziuk]

Hello

I am highly considering to start diving. However I am a bit unsure about some stuff here.

1. I recently got heavily injured in a JUDO match. What basically made me end up sitting at home for about 1.5 year. In this time I gain a lot of fat as I eat like when I trained everyday, just without the training. I started training as I used to and loosing weight in a decent speed. Now I have a BMI around 30. Should I wait until I loose more weight or is it fine to dive?

2. When it's summer in my country, it's about 20-25 degrees Celsius, what is the recommended mm for my wet-suit?

3. If I wanted to dive somewhere cold, how many mm would it require of my wetsuit, and any extra equipment?

The only thing about your weight is don't buy a wetsuit until your weight stabilizes. Cold tolerance is very individual and will change as you go, I'd rent suits until you learn what size and thickness works for you. Plus if you think of diving cold, a lot of people recommend going straight to drysuit and not bothering with wetsuit at all.

As others said, you need to swim 200m non-stop (no time limit) and float unassisted for 10 minutes. You will need to breathe through your mouth and keep your nose closed. If you had "keep your mouth shut and breathe through the nose" for years of judo training, that may take some getting used to. You will almost certainly get some water up your nose and in your eyes while learning to handle the mask underwater. Not bolting to the surface when that happens will be a big plus.

1.5 years sounds long -- was it a back injury? You will need to carry the tank and lead on your back in and out of water, keep that in mind. (And thicker wetsuit = more lead.)

 

[KevinNM]

Don't buy a lot of fitted gear if you expect to lose weight. I had to replace my wet suit and BCD when I lost 80 pounds.

Computers, regs, mask, fins etc are fine, but think long and hard before buying any kind of BCD or exposure suit. (Though a BP/W would adjust, but not the typical BCDs you will see.)

 

[TMHeimer]

It's all been said about cold tolerance. About the only advice I can think of is to see how you compare with other students (if there are others) when you do the pool classes--and check what temp. the pool is to compare with what you're wearing. As far as ocean goes-- see how you do just going in for a swim (bathing suit only, or less....), and check what the ocean temp. is if you can find it. My guess would be that if you find 16C water temperature nice and refreshing you are pretty good with cold (ie. you can stay in for more than 5 minutes). If it is frigid, you are probably a drysuit guy.

 

[Pinecube]

1.Not to scare you or anything, but it's a 200m swim, not a 200mm swim
Keep in mind too, it's not a timed swim, there's no need to race.
2. Is the 20-25 degrees the air temperature, or water temperature?
3. I wear a 7mm plus hood/gloves/boots (all either 5mm or 7mm) in waters ranging from from 10-20 degrees Celsius. Though I take the hood off once it's closer to 20C.

 

[DanielOE]

Thanks for all the answers.

The swim test should not be a problem at all. I might be fat, however I do train a lot. I started training full-time as soon as I was cleared to do so.

Don't buy a lot of fitted gear if you expect to lose weight. I had to replace my wet suit and BCD when I lost 80 pounds.

Computers, regs, mask, fins etc are fine, but think long and hard before buying any kind of BCD or exposure suit. (Though a BP/W would adjust, but not the typical BCDs you will see.)

Is there any BCD that can fit multiple of sizes?

The only thing about your weight is don't buy a wetsuit until your weight stabilizes. Cold tolerance is very individual and will change as you go, I'd rent suits until you learn what size and thickness works for you. Plus if you think of diving cold, a lot of people recommend going straight to drysuit and not bothering with wetsuit at all.

As others said, you need to swim 200m non-stop (no time limit) and float unassisted for 10 minutes. You will need to breathe through your mouth and keep your nose closed. If you had "keep your mouth shut and breathe through the nose" for years of judo training, that may take some getting used to. You will almost certainly get some water up your nose and in your eyes while learning to handle the mask underwater. Not bolting to the surface when that happens will be a big plus.

1.5 years sounds long -- was it a back injury? You will need to carry the tank and lead on your back in and out of water, keep that in mind. (And thicker wetsuit = more lead.)

I don't think the breathing or the my injury will be a problem. My injury was a shoulder injury and have healed 100%, even my doctors cannot find much that indicates I ever had it. I am also going full weight when doing shoulder workout in the gym, no issues there either, so I should be good.

 

[KevinNM]

Is there any BCD that can fit multiple of sizes?

Yes, a backplate and wing. Sizing is based on the webbing, which is easily adjustable. It takes a bit more skill to set up, but it's not hard. As you lose weight you can just tighten the shoulder and waist.