Trim Feedback

[Big Baby Bubble Blower]

This group was really helpful when I posted questions in the past and I was hoping for some additional goodwill

.

As I advance though my TDI courses, I have been refining my kicks and paying a lot of attention to my trim. Though my instructor says my trim looks fine and I am able to execute back kicks fairly well, I worry that I am actually in a dropped knee position.

I have provided a link to some video I took of myself this afternoon and would love the groups opinion on the matter. I am diving with a 3 pound tail weight which might be a contributing factor.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tbone1004]

you look a bit head up which is probably from the tail weight. I would get rid of it and see what happens. Also have your buddy hand hold the gopro, those bubbles are really obnoxious

 

[EireDiver606]

Can't say much from the video but in general solutions can potentially be:
more body position effort
loosen shoulder straps
tighten crotch/waist strap
trade some weight into a v weight closer to your head.
move cylinder bands around
get lighter fins

Even if you do get good video of you diving, its still impossible for internet divers to help you. Get a good instructor to spend a day in the water with you. Any gue instructor recommended.

 

[Big Baby Bubble Blower]

Thanks for the feedback. I went back out this afternoon without the tail-weight and though I didnt feel much different when I looked in the mirror I was completely flat.

I cannot believe what a difference 3 pounds can make! I should have tried this first before posting but I was convinced it had to be something else.

 

[1atm]

Difficult to gauge from the video. In my experience, the easiest way to get feedback on your trim is to drop to the floor and see what touches the ground first. If it’s your belly then your trim is great, if it’s your knees or fins or ... you will know straight away. Obvious only do this on a platform or sandy bottom etc

 

[EireDiver606]

Thanks for the feedback. I went back out this afternoon without the tail-weight and though I didnt feel much different when I looked in the mirror I was completely flat.

View attachment 605183

I cannot believe what a difference 3 pounds can make! I should have tried this first before posting but I was convinced it had to be something else.

Nice. also try to descend comfortably with as little weight as possible to make sure you're not over weighted.

 

[elgoog]

I had the opposite experience with head up trim problems. I needed to move weight as low as possible on the rig - moved tanks as far down as possible while still able to reach valves and add tail weight. Adding weight higher up seemed like it would help solve the head up issue but it made me even more head heavy which was making me compensate by arching my back and going even more head up than before.

Even for the tanks, it's much easier for me to trim out the longer LP85s than the shorter Worthington HP100s. This is the common thing for most divers in my area and many have come up with some cool ways to increase the tail weight capacity.

Obviously you found what works for you but just some food for thought based on my/our experiments.