Swimming instead of Diving

[TMHeimer]

Hands at side or hands clasped under stomach, as suggested. Hands can be helpful if you point them out in front of you and them "stroke". That way you don't create drag, and it can be very helpful if you are prone to leg cramps. But it's only an "additive". Clasp hands.

 

[DevonDiver]

I wrote a blog article on the subject, that you may find addresses your dilema; Using your hands whilst diving - Scuba Tech PhilippinesScuba Tech Philippines

There's also a series of articles about buoyancy development, that you may find beneficial.

Using the hands is an ingrained response for many novice divers. Years of swimming creates an instinct that takes some time and focus to over-come. Keeping your hands clasped is a good solution, as is finding something to pre-occupy your hands with (i.e. a camera).

I had all my weight in my BCD and I had absolutely perfect trim. A guy from the club convinced me I should use a weight belt for safety purposes (don't want to be floating away if I ever have to take off my BC to untangle it). Now, I am bottom heavy, and I can't stay horizontal without finning. Going to have to strap a bit of weight to the top of my tank.

That sounds like you were given bad advice. Sacrificing your comfortable trim, for the sake of very intangible safety 'benefit' is a pretty poor trade off.

If your BCD were neutrally buoyancy, then it wouldn't float off. If the weights are in your BCD, then you would have some personal buoyancy. If the weights were around your waist, then your BCD would have more buoyancy. Either way... either you or your BCD would become more buoyant and one, or the other, would have the tendancy to float away. The answer to either scenario is to have a tight grip on the BCD.

Having a reliably buddy to assist you untangle, is always the prefered option anyway...

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I like this conversation, and like the inputs- let's summarize: 1) be sure you are weighted properly, and adjust your buoyancey regularly; 2) hold something in at least one hand: light, low pressure inflator, camera, or your buddy's hand (if appropriate) 3) Don't stress over this thing- with bottom time comes improved and honed skills, and all will be well. Just don't hit anyone by accident!
DivemasterDennis

 

[windapp]

That sounds like you were given bad advice. Sacrificing your comfortable trim, for the sake of very intangible safety 'benefit' is a pretty poor trade off.

I think I am get to take your advice and go back to the way it was, although I may have to do something a little different for salt water since as far as I know, my Mares Dragonfly is only rated for 32 lbs, and as far as I can tell, I could need as much as 36 (Yes, it will be cold water, so my exposure protection will not be changing).

 

[soltari675]

I swim a lot so I had the same trouble when I started. I still catch myself sometimes. The first thing I did was take the peak performance buoyancy class. This allowed me to get my weighting spot on, and get better with buoyancy so I don't feel I need my arms for control. I learned about trim and everything. This did a lot of the work.

I also forced myself to put my hands in the same spot every time I dive. For me I always have my hands on my shoulder straps or something attached to them. I can hold my air2/BC inflater/deflater, and possibly anything else with me. A flash light or something. This makes me more aware of my trim, keeping everything close to my body, and keeps my hands occupied. I also took up photography underwater. I am a long ways from being any good at it. But I can't swing my arms around with a camera. I might damage it. So again, it gives my hands something else.

After a while, I got use to not using my hands. Out of habit, they are always on my shoulders or camera. Like I said, sometimes I still get the urge to use my hands since I still swim a lot too. But it has helped a lot.

 

[millerjab64]

Thanks so much for everyone's input......it just so happens that our dive shop will be holding a buoyancy this Saturday; I have already signed up and ready to beat this horrible habit.

 

[jmasin]

Dog paddling is a normally indication of either poor buoyancy, or uncomfortably with your own buoyancy (the feeling like you are sinking or not staying level). Swimming naturally controls buoyancy by keeping you at the same place in the water column.

So, just agreeing with the others. Improved buoyancy will help you stop "swimming".

 

[TSandM]

What my GUE Fundamentals instructor told us was that use of the hands is information -- you are trying to accomplish something when you wave your hands, you just have to figure out what it is and get it done another way. For example, I often watch students pushing upward in the water -- it's a reaction to feeling that they are too light, and they try to push themselves down rather than vent the BC or exhale. Another time I see students using their hands is when they are off balance to one side. This is often a two-sided problem: their BC may not fit well, allowing the tank to slew to one side and put them off balance, and they may have very soft fins that are hard to use for stability. (I detest split fins in OW students for this reason -- even the cheapest plastic paddle fin is better as a stabilizer!)

At any rate, I do not agree with the people who say the habit will go away with more experience. Most likely, it won't -- you will simply ingrain it. Now is the time to get it stopped. Analyzing your equipment for weight and balance (and stability) is one good thing to do. Working on maintaining good, neutral buoyancy is another thing. AND you have to make sure that your hand usage is conscious, and that's what swimming with your hands clasped, or holding onto something (no, I don't recommend a camera until your buoyancy is really solid) can help with. I spent a lot of my early dives holding onto my inflator hose, which was probably done out of nerves, but did have the effect of limited at least the use of THAT hand.

 

[DevonDiver]

At any rate, I do not agree with the people who say the habit will go away with more experience. Most likely, it won't -- you will simply ingrain it.

Absolutely.

I would be very surprised if anyone could find an academic source which stated that allowing bad skills to become ingrained at an initial stage was an efficient method of ensuring long term development - or that it is more effective to untrain bad habits, rather than initially train good ones.

Do your research early - take training, watch videos on youtube, dive with a good role-model... whatever. Use that research to set your own personal goals on how you want to look and act in the future... and then work earnestly towards those goals. Happy days!

 

[tr3a]

Do not worry about it, diving is supposed to be fun. With more experience most divers I have observed usually stop at some point.
Watch some Sea Hunt or old Cousteau films, they all use their hands.