Seasoned instructors: Advice for helping an adult learn to go underwater without holding their nose?

[TMHeimer]

She needs to learn how to close her soft palate. Most people know how to do that automatically, but a lot don't. There's quite a few videos on youtube on how to practice it.

Exactly. The only way I could describe it is blow a quick burst of air out the nose then block it off-- bam. Same thing can be done to close off the mouth. Of course the student must be aware water will still go in the nostrils and it means nothing, can't hurt you if the passage is locked shut.

Katie L- I'd probably be one of those you refer to who'd say "if you can't do this scuba isn't for you." But no, I say that something like this gets back to my pet peeve about lack of "water" experience that some people have that sign up for scuba. Not ever having submerged her face without a mask on yet signing up for scuba baffles me. Of course, it's a simple fix, but what other things may crop up that present trouble?

 

[Katie L]

what other things may crop up that present trouble?

…hence these pre-course pool visits that I am planning.

I’m a former swim instructor, lifeguard, competitive swimmer and college water polo player. We will be practicing the 200m swim, the 10 minute water treading, and other water skills. The answer to someone being a “rusty” swimmer or lacking in some water skills is to prepare in advance with someone who can coach them, which is exactly what I am helping with and why I’m asking about this.

Tons of people are surprisingly comfortable/capable in the water but somewhere along the way, got accustomed to swimming with their head above the water — modified breast stroke, side stroke, back strokes, treading, floating, etc — and just hold their nose or use a mask/nose clip when they want to submerge. Learning to be a better snorkeler/skin diver/swimmer is very achievable.

 

[TMHeimer]

…hence these pre-course pool visits that I am planning.

I’m a former swim instructor, lifeguard, competitive swimmer and college water polo player. We will be practicing the 200m swim, the 10 minute water treading, and other water skills. The answer to someone being a “rusty” swimmer or lacking in some water skills is to prepare in advance with someone who can coach them, which is exactly what I am helping with and why I’m asking about this.

Tons of people are surprisingly comfortable/capable in the water but somewhere along the way, got accustomed to swimming with their head above the water — modified breast stroke, side stroke, back strokes, treading, floating, etc — and just hold their nose or use a mask/nose clip when they want to submerge. Learning to be a better snorkeler/skin diver/swimmer is very achievable.

Absolutely. I have seen the "heads out of water" folks doing the 200 swim. The float can be a breeze for some-- if they are somewhat positively buoyant. I saw one guy lay on his back motionless -- in the fresh water pool-- with most of his big gut high & dry. I on the other hand had to drown proof to do the hands out thing for the DM test.

 

[dmaziuk]

... just hold their nose or use a mask/nose clip when they want to submerge.

She really needs to learn to close her soft palate or she's going to have a problem with the mask clearing skill: when you do it underwater, there's extra pressure pushing chlorinated water into your sinuses. As I'm sure you know it just stings and everything smells like vinegar for a few minutes afterwards, but someone not used to that may -- the absolute worst case scenario -- bolt to the surface while holding her breath.

 

[Endler's]

...

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@Katie L
Would the exercises described here: Teaching Neutrally Buoyant and Trimmed: Pt2 - Mask, Snorkel & Fin Skills - International Training - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI help at all?

 

[Katie L]

She really needs to learn to close her soft palate or she's going to have a problem with the mask clearing skill: when you do it underwater, there's extra pressure pushing chlorinated water into your sinuses. As I'm sure you know it just stings and everything smells like vinegar for a few minutes afterwards, but someone not used to that may -- the absolute worst case scenario -- bolt to the surface while holding her breath.

Yes, it seems like soft palette closing could be key. I'm trying to understand exactly what that is.

Let's say I was making an extended "ng" sound, and then I abruptly stop it, with the same mechanism that I'd use to switch to switch from the "ng" to a hard "g" or "k" (except without letting the air through to make those sounds). Am I right in my understanding that closing the soft palate is what happens there? It seems like that's also what I'd do to quickly stop a burst of air coming out of my nose.

I'm aware that I could be overthinking this, I would like to just start with the simple exercises like breathing out of a snorkel with no mask, I just would like to know what people are talking about with the soft palette.

 

[Katie L]

@Katie L
Would the exercises described here: Teaching Neutrally Buoyant and Trimmed: Pt2 - Mask, Snorkel & Fin Skills - International Training - SDI | TDI | ERDI | PFI help at all?

This is great, thank you very much.

 

[UofMI_Divegeek]

Have your friend use just a snorkel (no mask) and put her head in some water and just breath through the snorkel. This will teach her breath with her mouth and not her nose. I'm not an instructor but when I was assisting with open water classes we had students do this when they were having troubles.

The breathe thru snorkel exercise has worked wonders. It is the best exercise I know for reducing immersion anxiety.

It is illustrated here

Reducing No Mask Anxiety

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

The breathe thru snorkel exercise has worked wonders. It is the best exercise I know for reducing immersion anxiety.

It is illustrated here

Reducing No Mask Anxiety

I wonder if that was the source of the mask/snorkel breathing exercises I received from @Peter Guy, a it was being used at a dive shop in my area called Bubbles Below. The owner was a volunteer on the King County Marine Patrol. He passed away about 5 years ago, but he had been at it a looooong time.