Please get in shape!

[DocDAT]

It seems like I often read posts that talk about how out of shape people are, and particularly that they are concerned they cannot do the 200 yard swim and 10 min. treading water for their OW certification because they are so out of shape.

PLEASE, PLEASE begin an exercise program and improve your cardiovascular health!! Not only for your day-to-day health, but also for your diving health. Better fitness will only improve your diving but may also keep you from a DCI hit. You will be able to carry your gear easier, you'll use less air (and have longer underwater time), you won't feel as tired after each dive, and frankly I think you'll enjoy diving more.

Whilst a controversial issue, it is an important one. The risk of DCS is substantially higher in obese people. It may be one of the reasons why so many people get DCS even though their computers told them they were safe.
As for the 200 m swim requirement. Well lets just say that im my opinion it ought to be twice that.

I think everyone would agree swimming is an essential ability for divers.

 

[pasley]

I love the popcorn comment.

Seriously, physical fitness aside from the health benefits, is an important part of diving and DCI prevention as well as improving your air consumption.

Also consider that a diver who is physically unfit endangers not only themselves but their dive buddies too. This is particularly true of that hardy group of divers known as beach divers. In Southern California, that means either climbing down a steep or even vertical slope in full scuba gear or stairs, lots of stairs or a long walk on a poor trail.

I have been on more than one dive where at least one of the group had to abort because they were exhausted, and that was before the dive started.

 

[Heffey]

Whilst a controversial issue, it is an important one. The risk of DCS is substantially higher in obese people. It may be one of the reasons why so many people get DCS even though their computers told them they were safe.

Where did you get this information?

This is a snippet off of the DAN web site.

“There is no strong body of evidence to suggest that overweight individuals have a greater risk of DCI or that they suffer more dive-related injuries that divers who are within 10 percent of their ideal body weight. Obesity by itself does not restrict diving.”

“The best indicator of diving fitness is the individual's general health and level of physical fitness”

It would appear that poor fitness is the problem rather than too much fat.
Jeffrey

 

[pants!]

Being in shape and being able to swim well are two very different things

 

[tx.lakerats]

here we go... can ya PASS the popcorn over please....

 

[cummings66]

Being in shape and being able to swim well are two very different things

You got that right. I'm not that bad, but there is this guy who's fat, smokes like a wildfire, but toss him in a pool and he can outswim almost anybody. I've seen many out of shape people swim like a fish, so there's more to swimming than total physical conditioning.

I think what matters is that the muscles that get used are in shape, not the entire body itself. What matters most? Arms, breathing and legs?

 

[Wayward Son]

The only thing that gets you in shape for swimming is swimming. And it really doesn't take that long to go from having you butt kicked in 200 meters to knocking out 1000 meters non-stop.

 

[ScubaThor]

I think what matters is that the muscles that get used are in shape, not the entire body itself. What matters most? Arms, breathing and legs?

I'd be surprised if breathing wasn't the most important factor...plus, who wants to be the a-hole who makes the whole group go up because they ran out of air way sooner than anyone else? Good thing wetsuits make you look slimmer...

 

[scububa]

I got popcorn and a front row seat.

This is going to be great....

Buttered, I'm hoping???

 

[BrianS]

Man, I knew I was wearing the wrong wetsuit.

Good thing wetsuits make you look slimmer...