Use of hands when diving.

[Brewone0to]

I think that most novice divers have an instinctive tendancy to try and 'swim' underwater. Who can blame them? They spend years swimming with both their hands and feet, but have to re-learn technique when they transition to diving in fins.

Added to that are the natural tendancies for novice divers to feel 'unstable' in the water. Use of the hands often represents an attempt to 'balance' in the water column. Obviously, there is no actual 'need' to balance underwater... and as experience develops (plus better trim of their equipment), the diver graduates out of this tendancy. It comes with relaxation.

There are a number of reasons why over-use of the hands for propulsion and control can be negative for a diver. The primary one is that it is an inefficient physiological method, that ultimately requires more O2 metabolization in the body and, hence, more air consumption. It also decreases streamlining and increases water turbulance, slowing the diver.

In addition, the use of hands can lead to silting/bottom disturbance. When diving inside wrecks or caves, this can present an actual danger to the diver. In other situations, it will simply lead to a deterioration of the quality of the dive, as visibility is lowered. For underwater photographers, it can lead to filling photos with backscatter/particles and also scare away the target of their photo.

There are also many activites underwater that require the use of the hands for other purposes. Cave/Wreck divers will be using torches and lines. The hands won't be available for sculling. Photographers and videographers will also have their hands full.

It is absolutely fair to view the limitation of the use of hands for propulsion/control as a 'best practice' mentality in scuba diving. A responsible instructor will communicate the reasons for this to their students and help them, through drills and practice, to develop appropriate scuba techniques that do not utilise the hands. Divers who do over-use their hands on dives may be judged appropriately by their peers and dive pros - it is seen as a mark of inexperience.

The simple fact is: you don't need to use your hands for control or propusion underwater. There are drawbacks to doing so...and techniques that exist which allow better function using the fins alone.

Eliminating a reliance on your hands for sculling requires some dedication to perfecting proper techniques. I find it hard to understand why some posters in this thread would discourage such a mentality!?!

Well put, this is very useful info which directly applies to OP's stated concerns.
Hopefully he is searching for help to become a better diver, as opposed to trying to find justification for improper technique or habits.
This is one of the most positive, helpful response of yours that I have read.

 

[Blackwood]

I try to use the most effective tools in my toolbox.

Since I wear fins on my feet but not my hand and since my legs are substantially longer and stronger than my arms, using them tends to be more effective for propulsion and turning.

There are some cases in which hands are the more effective tool. Example: two buddies facing eachother desire more distance between themselves. Pushing off eachother with their hands is more effective and far more energy efficient than each diver pulling against water with their fins.

 

[Quero]

Well the complete sentence is "I may be hovering less than a foot off the bottom sometimes with knees bent sitting on my fins". So what does hovering mean to you? What part of your equipment touches the bottom when you hover?

Well, AfterDark, to be entirely honest, the image that came to my mind with a description of bent knees and sitting on fins was something like this. I suspect that others of us got the same mental image based on your description.



But you've since described it differently, and considering the new description you gave, with your feet up above your hips, if I were in that position, I still very much doubt I'd use my hands to maneuver since I'd just do a little ankle flick like a heli-turn.

 

[2dwyatt]

I like to keep my arms streached back along my body with my hands on my back relaxed, The only time I use my hands is if I am taking a photo of a macro subject and want to steady myself. Than I carefully place my hand in a non envasive spot as to not touch the coral.

 

[AfterDark]

Well, AfterDark, to be entirely honest, the image that came to my mind with a description of bent knees and sitting on fins was something like this. I suspect that others of us got the same mental image based on your description.

[But you've since described it differently, and considering the new description you gave, with your feet up above your hips, if I were in that position, I still very much doubt I'd use my hands to maneuver since I'd just do a little ankle flick like a heli-turn.

I just added more detail. I assumed using key words like hovering what conjure up neutral buoyancy in the minds of experienced divers. I was mistaken. So now you know my knees are bent to the point my heels are touching my butt because I’m in a tight spot and that I’m neutrally buoyant because I’m hovering close to the bottom a foot more or less and because I’m hovering no part of my person or equipment are touching the bottom. I presume that to be so because if something was touching the bottom the water would be filled with slit.

Now this doesn’t happen every dive but on the occasions that it does I have no inhibitions about using my hand(s) for minor maneuvers.

 

[g1138]

I just added more detail. I assumed using key words like hovering what conjure up neutral buoyancy in the minds of experienced divers. I was mistaken. So now you know my knees are bent to the point my heels are touching my butt because I’m in a tight spot and that I’m neutrally buoyant because I’m hovering close to the bottom a foot more or less and because I’m hovering no part of my person or equipment are touching the bottom. I presume that to be so because if something was touching the bottom the water would be filled with slit.

Now this doesn’t happen every dive but on the occasions that it does I have no inhibitions about using my hand(s) for minor maneuvers.

Here I'm back again.
Are you horizontal or vertical when you're in this position? And also for the sake of beginner divers and the OP I think you should clarify your use of hands a bit further.
Are you making small minute finning movements or big sweeping archs? I think we can all agree that the latter is hated by the majority here on the board.

Everyone happy?

 

[Frosty]

Hopefully he is searching for help to become a better diver, as opposed to trying to find justification for improper technique or habits. [ QUOTE]
The OP doesn't concider himself an experienced diver so theres nowt (nothing) to justify. But I'm also not worried about asking stupid questions. I reckon ist's a darn sight more stupid to nod knowingly when you really don't have a clue.
End of the day asking questions like this might save MY life someday.

 

[AfterDark]

Here I'm back again.
Are you horizontal or vertical when you're in this position? And also for the sake of beginner divers and the OP I think you should clarify your use of hands a bit further.
Are you making small minute finning movements or big sweeping archs? I think we can all agree that the latter is hated by the majority here on the board.

Everyone happy?

I posted that info already.

 

[AfterDark]

Hopefully he is searching for help to become a better diver, as opposed to trying to find justification for improper technique or habits. [ QUOTE]
The OP doesn't concider himself an experienced diver so theres nowt (nothing) to justify. But I'm also not worried about asking stupid questions. I reckon ist's a darn sight more stupid to nod knowingly when you really don't have a clue.
End of the day asking questions like this might save MY life someday.

so here is the OP:Use of hands when diving.



Hey guys something that puzzles me a bit is the fixation on never using your hands for "finning'.
Other than for pure ego reasons why wouldn't an experienced diver (someone who could and does have good fin control) use their hands for discrete direction changes or where the hands are free but the fins might cause silting ?

Also there does seem to be a strong encouragement to dive with your arms crossed rather than hanging back alogside your waist. Perhaps Im just dense but to me that seems contrary to the whole point of trying to be as hydrodynamic (gosh is that a word?) as possible.

As an experienced diver with expert fin control, I answered his question in bold there.

 

[augk]

Ok so do fish have only tail fins? And is that all they use? NO and what about seals, frogs, whales etc...

I have four appendages that function and serve me well above water and underwater in different ways and circumstances. Moving in a straight line my legs work great but for directional changes or positioning underwater nothing beats the hands.
But if you want to use only your legs thats ok too.