Should your hands ever be used for movement or to hold position?

[Jim Lapenta]

I agree with most of the posts here. The majority of movement and adjustments can be made with the fins, breathing, and overall buoyancy. There are times tho when use of the hands is unavoidable. Unexpected currents that could push you into the wall:icon4: , "walking" with the fingertips around doorways or over certain narrow rock formations where even small fin movements could cause unacceptable silting, or the idiot with no control bulling into you or past you. (Grab offenders air hose and yank to get his attention:11: ). But to say that the hands should never be used or that someone never uses their hands for movement or control seems like a crock to me. If there is someone who no matter what the situation or conditions does not have to use his hands I'd like to see it. Now I can back fin, helicopter, and do loop de loops. Big friggin deal. If I have to use my finger to stop from being pushed into a stand of coral or to avoid a sharp object I'm gonna do it. My only other choice is to stay out of wrecks and other overheads, not dive with those who have less control than I do, stay away from swim thrus, and only dive in open water with good vis and no currents. I bloody well think not!

 

[cdiver2]

We aren't fish and our hands aren't fins.

Stay out of the water or improvise and use what you have got instead of trying to look like Joe Cool.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Stay out of the water or improvise and use what you have got instead of trying to look like Joe Cool.

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8KRvej_lc&search=scuba diving giant stride

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[cdiver2]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8KRvej_lc&search=scuba diving giant stride

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I would have to say that is a very good example of what not to do, no need for hands there.

 

[Guba]

I once watched a fairly new diver mask-plant into a rock wall. When I asked him what was up with that, he replied that his instructor told him NEVER to use his hands. Yup, he had them neatly folded on his waist as he scratched the lens of his mask. Good boy.

Sure, the use of hands is to be avoided when there are other, more efficient methods that will work. And you can many times tell if a person is comfortable and experienced by the amount of paddling they do. However, there are times when hands ARE the most efficient method of doing things. As a swimming instuctor, I teach "wrap-arounds" and such which are used to spin in tight turns. Therefore, I tend to use them when necessary to prevent silting and bumping other divers.
Prescription: Hands...use as needed.

 

[Buoyant1]

I used my hands the first few dives, but got better...The best solution was to buy a camera! Your hands are busy holding it, and taking pictures, and therefore NOT doing what you would think is a natural thing to do! (I actually think I used my hands out of reflex action. All those years I swam and used my hands...hard to get OUT of the habit!)

I DO use them if I really need to keep my butt off of a reef or not get to close to something that you didn't think you were going to get close TO, but momentum carried you...Course correction is acceptable, I guess!

On the Benwood in January, I used them to NOT "engage" with a Scorpionfish.

 

[dbg40]

no.

 

[Diveral]

Use them when you need to but learn as many finning techniques as you can.

 

[Lukiedukie]

K

Remember that your hands are not as efficant as your fins to push you along. If you need to use your hands go ahead and do so. In the local quarries we are diving in it is not that bad. Just remember that you should not use your hands to provide forward thrust. On my AOW I dove with a guy who for some odd reason did a breast stroke every now and then. He slapped me in the face more then once. This weekend I am wanting to work on some skills while hovering off a platform. You want to go play on a dive? If so I will wait on you and Zzz to show up. Just remeber that there are many way to do this thing we call SCUBA find a way that works for you and perfect it. If you want some help with keeping your hands still put them between you tank bottom and you back. That really helped me when I found I was sculling with my hands alot. I am still not perfect but if I find my hands are busy I put them there and relax.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

As you can see from the posts in this thread, there is a time to use your hands, and a time not to use your hands.

Guess who decides when to use/not use them?

As a recovering instructor, I can tell you that I use my hands on every dive for any number of things.

• Hold my camera
• Hold my flashlight
• Clear my mask
• Check my guages
• Hold myself steady to take a great photo (Ok, in an attempt to get a great photo)
• Investigating with care
• Pulling myself here and there
• Avoiding possible damage to wrecks, reefs or other divers
• Inflate/Deflate my BC
• Mobility - Rudders on close turns, quick stops with a simple wave to the front, pushing off...
• And.... generally for almost anything I would use them for on land (Driniking Beer at depth)

Everything else is fair game for all the other equipment I carry
====
I once listened to a DM explain to someone on a dive boat that there was never a reason to use your hands under water.

That same dive, I watched him grab and hold a diver, take out his knife and tap it on the diver's tank to get everyone's attention. Once he had everyone's attention, he proceeded to pull a bug from inside a hole and show it to everyone. Later, at the end of the dive, he took off his fins and got on the boat.

It was amazing to watch him do all that with just his fins and teeth... Made a believer out of me! :14: