Tips for a heavy breather

[GSDMan]

Why is it that with a full cup of coffee, if you stare at the cup and walk very carefully accross the room, it goes everywhere? But when you take the same cup and walk normally without even glancing at it, you don't spill a drop?

In my (admitedly, very little) experience, this is the same kind of thing. I was freaking out during training because I thought I was an air hog. I wasn't, but I was too ignorant to know that. So I concentrated on every breath. It was annoying and distracting and I went home with killer headaches because I simply wasn't breathing enough. I finally just gave up and concentrated on NOT thinking about it. The weird part is I'm enjoying my dives more, I'm much more relaxed entering AND exiting the water, and I'm not going through air any faster than before. Go figure!

Jim

 

[qball]

I keep my hands folded (fingers intelocked) underneath my waist when diving. Lots of erratic arm movement can waste air.

Long slow inhales and exhales.

Work on your bouyancy control.

Practice.

 

[spectrum]

Why is it that with a full cup of coffee, if you stare at the cup and walk very carefully accross the room, it goes everywhere? But when you take the same cup and walk normally without even glancing at it, you don't spill a drop?

In my (admitedly, very little) experience, this is the same kind of thing. I was freaking out during training because I thought I was an air hog. I wasn't, but I was too ignorant to know that. So I concentrated on every breath. It was annoying and distracting and I went home with killer headaches because I simply wasn't breathing enough. I finally just gave up and concentrated on NOT thinking about it. The weird part is I'm enjoying my dives more, I'm much more relaxed entering AND exiting the water, and I'm not going through air any faster than before. Go figure!

Jim

Then again you don't run across the room with that cup of coffee with your eyes closed either. I hope:11:

I think everyone will agree that obsessing over any one aspect of diving (or anything) including breathing patterns is not the route to success or happiness.

However a little bit of self awareness, physical conditioning, attention to configuration and finesse in diving technique are IMO what separates the long term happy divers from those that fumble through 2 dozen dives and decide that diving is no fun and too much work. All of this falls into what I describe as diving with a spirit of continuous improvement.

Diving is an adaptation. Some start with great training, adapt easily and find that gear that makes it all work in harmony very early on. For others finding the sweet spot is more of a journey and challenge.

While we all are what we are and all things being equal a bigger being will require more air for sustenance I firmly believe that as divers there is a lot about what we are that is in our control. I applaud the OP for taking stock of where he is and seeking help in improving.

Pete

 

[Tom Winters]

If you're going to stick to diving, don't sweat your breathing rate - just get some Big Steel Tanks and have fun.

 

[all4scuba05]

Picture a buddy of yours who runs marathons asking you to start running with him. After the first mile, who do you think is breathing twice as fast as the other? Right. I would dare say that a great majority of new divers are not in the best of shape for diving. Some have never put fins on before. You would be able to NATURALLY slow your breathing down by getting in shape. Not so much running, (though it does help) but finning with blade type fins. Put some paddle type fins on and swim laps in a pool. Do this 3-4 times a week and you'll notice after a while you're not out of breath so easily. I started 15 minutes a day and soon was able to do 30 minutes with ease. Cardiovascular health is a strong factor. It's not the only reason some folks blow through a tank. It's an additional reason.

 

[marshallkarp]

It is entirely possible that the more diving you do, the better your breathing rate will be. Until then, his worked for me. For the near future, make a conscious effort to stay shallower than the shallowest diver, remember Boyle's Law. You can make an occassional trip deeper, but get back to being the shallowest when you can. You will probably find with the more dives under your weightbelt, the deeper you can stay longer.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Buy two of either the PST E8-130s or the Worthington X8-130s. Here are the specs on the Worthingtons:
Worthington X-Series SCUBA Diving Tanks

(You can find them less expensive, see what Joel or Larry are selling them for, etc.)

They will take weight off your weightbelt, which is another source of stress, and provide you with a buttload more gas than an aluminum 80. (Thats a technical term - specs for the 80 are provided in the matrix on the link shown, for comparative purposes.)

You should have no trouble keeping up with your friends with that much gas. (Plus starting to run regularly and doing all the other stuff the other posters have suggested.)

The problem will likely resolve itself over time, but to make it go away immediately get some large steel tanks. The E8-130s are my faves.

FWIW. YMMV.

 

[Mayor]

When I started diving running out of air was my biggest fear. As a larger person (6'1" 240lbs) I to used some air. After 30 or so dives I found it was alot better. Then after 50 it is never a problem (60 min plus dive @ 60 ft I use 1700 psi) I feel the keys are

1. streamline you gear (use retractors and pockets) and improve drag. I even put stuff on retractors in my pockets like a dive slate.

2. Neutrally buyant with your body totaly level in the water is key. Sometimes my legs want to sink lower and increase drag. Just have to play with this. My steel tank help me get this down faster.

3. Stop adjusting inflate / deflate mechanism. After my first decent I zero in and at the very end of the dive I have to dump at the 3:00/5:00 stop.

4. Don't think about your air as much. long deep breathes and move nice and slow will go along way in saving air. Also have your dive buddy check you for any leaks as you start the dive. Lots of little things add up fast.

5. Know more about the dive. I find that I burn more air when I have just a little info on the dive. Example I dove a quarry that was 110 feet for 50 min. Most of the others were in dry suits. This made me a little uneasy (cold) but into the dive I felt better as I hit the bottom. If we talked about the temp a little more I would have been better. Finished using 2300 psi.

6. My biggest fear is runing out of air so I now own a HP130 Steel tank (3500psi). So even if I realy working or not in my zone I will always be ok on air and that make me relax more. Next year I will pick up a mate for this tank. Also with this tank I have zero weight on (5mm suit, hood, gloves). On any trips I look for dive ops with steel 100, 120, 130.

Just my two cents as a new member!!!

 

[Leisure Pro Brett]

Since you are new to diving try focusing on the speed of your exhalation. Trying to inhale slowly seems to contribute to, rather than help quick breathing rates and can produce anxiety in it's own right. If you slow the exhale and pause slightly before breathing in again you may notice a difference. Don't forget that depth is also a huge factor. Most experienced divers breathe even slower at depth than they do in the shallows. As previously stated.. no magic bullet and having a large lung capacity doesn't help. You will never be a 114 lb girl. That said, I know some really big guys with really low SAC rates. If nothing seems to work and your buddies are fed up... Get trained on a rebreather where air consumption means nothing.

There are many helpful hints in this thread so far, but what Todd Winn said was one of the major things to really change my air consumption. I started one day just paying attention to a long slow exhalation and the difference that it made on my air consumption was huge. The only other thing that made any noticeable difference was switching from a stiff "leg breaker" fin to something very easy to kick. Thanks to those two things I now have excellent air consumption. Work on it and try a few things out, I think you will find something that works for you.

 

[GSDMan]

Then again you don't run across the room with that cup of coffee with your eyes closed either. I hope:11:

I never, ever run with coffee! Just scissors.

Jim