Thrashing about

[rpowers]

Hi All,

I'm having serious problems keeping my balance underwater. This was my second confined water class. I have no problem doing the skills once I've got my balance but I expend a lot of energy thrashing around to keep my balance. For example when I am trying to sit at the bottom or cross my legs to try to become neutrally bouyant my legs lift in front of me and I wind up on my back, and I thrash around just trying to get stable enough to perform the skills, expending tons of energy and air. Any ideas? I loaded the weight on but it didn't seem to help.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

 

[Snowbear]

First of all ~ Welcome to ScubaBoard and to diving!

Once you get past your initial training, you should hopefully find that you really want to be anywhere BUT "sitting on the bottom." Also, hovering neutraly buoyant is much easier to learn in a prone, horizontal position than it is in the yoga position.

You mentioned loading the weight on didn't help.... most likely you have already figured out that besides not helping, it hindered your efforts.

What you need is to find a willing and competent mentor who will let you tag along for some shore dives. If you find such a person - watch how she or he hovers seemingly effortlessly without moving hands and very little fin movement.

 

[The Kraken]

Ryan,
It's absolutely amazing how just a slight misplacement of a weight on a belt can affect your balance and trim under water. The resulting change in the two characterists mentioned has a profound effect upon being able to manage skills.

Be sure that your weights are spaced equally about your torso.

From your description of your class, it sounds as if your weights may be placed too far behind you. The weights and tank would have the tendency to pull you backwards as you mentioned.

Another thing that is so evident under water is Newton's Law - for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Little movement can result in large actions in a weightless environment.

Relax and slow down . . . things WILL get easier!!!

the K

 

[Charlie99]

Sitting on the bottom of the pool is a very artificial positioning. More normal is horizontal, or vertical, with legs extended.

Rather than moving around weights to achieve stability in a weird artificial position, perhaps it would be easier to just discuss the problem with your instructor and do those exercises in an alternate position -- such as the classic fin pivot or kneeling.

The next time you try doing a yoga position, you might find out what happens if you don't fight it. You might be thrashing around unecessarily due to fear of falling over backwards. Just let it happen once without struggling. The worst that can happen is lthat you end up lying on your back/tank with feet off the bottom; at which point you just roll over and do a pushup

 

[mongoose]

Hi All,

I'm having serious problems keeping my balance underwater. This was my second confined water class. I have no problem doing the skills once I've got my balance but I expend a lot of energy thrashing around to keep my balance. For example when I am trying to sit at the bottom or cross my legs to try to become neutrally bouyant my legs lift in front of me and I wind up on my back, and I thrash around just trying to get stable enough to perform the skills, expending tons of energy and air. Any ideas? I loaded the weight on but it didn't seem to help.

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

Other than sitting on bottom, how is your ability to stay stable while swimming. I can attest to the bad effects of overweighting. If I'm overweighted, I am *ALL OVER THE PLACE*. I took a few pounds out of my BC, and the difference was *amazing*.

I would concur with an earlier post, that suggested you ask your instructor if you can kneel on the bottom and do your skills, rather than sit.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Ryan,

Probably the first thing you should look at is the fit of your BC. Is it loose, or does it fit comfortably? The second thing to look at is the position of your tank and regulator. Does it lie comfortably along your back? Does it feel too low, or too high?

Now for your weights. It is important to use just enough for the job at hand. Have you tried the drill where you get around 500 psi in your tank and float at eye level, rising and sinking as you breathe out and in? Or are you just at a stage where you are trying to just get the basic exercises done?

Remember that the centers of gravity and lift are different for each body, and each set-up. Try using the fewest number of weights needed, and be sure to space them evenly around your waist.

I agree that a sitting position is harder. Try kneeling, and, if that doesn't work, see if your instructor will let you stand while going a little deeper in the pool to do the exercises.

Be of good faith, keep working at it. It will all come into focus after a while!

Cheers!

 

[cmcarver]

Tank position in the BC is crutial. If the tank is too high it will cause the feet to be light, too low the feet will be heavy. If you mix that with miss placed weights on a belt that cause you to turtle then you end up face and feet up. In my open water classes I had major problems with light feet. The instructor had me add ankle weights that corrected the problem. After the pool dives I was fine. I think it was because of the tank position.

 

[Open Water]

Just curious, who is your cerifying agency? If it's PADI, that's why. Just kiddin. If you have enough weight, just try to relax. I still didn't have my boyancy down on my 2nd session. It just takes time. Don't worry. Did you talk to your instructor?

 

[rpowers]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. While I was in the water I thought perhaps my BC was too big for me and I constantly had to pull it down to have it fit properly. I found it much easier to practice buoyancy and breathing while lying flat. I also find myself involuntarily turning in the water.... It was not as fun as I thought it would be....

 

[Trisha]

It gets better! It just feels goofy at first. Think about Space Cowboys, Apollo 13, those other "I'm floating -- whee!" movies. They had a heck of a time staying off the ceiling, too.

Weighting is weird during OWD. Otherwise, many beginners would spend too much energy fighting to get under the first three feet of water -- tensing up, holding their breath, moving their fins and arms to "accidentally" stay on the surface. Check with your instructor about your current weight and don't get in a hurry to drop pounds after certification. You'll get there, and you'll be amazed how little you really need to drop below the surface once you relax.

BC fit is also an issue. I spent a lot of time swimming sideways in OWD with a too-big BC and weights that shifted around my waist. An integrated-weights BC in my size keeps the pounds in place and the BC straps on my shoulders, not my ears.

The point is not to sit perfectly still on the sand, but to do basic skills as needed underwater. Mask clearing and adjustment, working with your second stage, and using tools like a light or slate are a normal part of diving. They don't require settling on the bottom, but it feels less stressful at first.