Vigorous exercise during surface interval?

[freedc]

I'm trying to get in a dive day at the quarry with my son next weekend but I am on a training schedule for an upcoming triathlon. I've already taken too many days off and don't want to give up valuable weekend days, so I'm thinking I may take a long surface interval and sneak in a workout before or between dives. One option is to take advantage of the quarry to do an open water swim, like a mile or so, in between dives. The other is to run in the morning before the 3+ hour drive to the quarry. I can get my buddy to drive home.

Is this safe?

I've read that vigorous exercise can actually reduce bubble formation and DCI risk, but I'm also weighing the fact that diving makes you tired.

 

[tursiops]

Vigorous exercise BEFORE diving can reduce bubble formation, but AFTER diving it increases the risk.
Run in the morning. Or don't dive.

 

[grf88]

Scuba Diving and Exercise Timing • Scuba Diver Life

 

[tursiops]

Scuba Diving and Exercise Timing • Scuba Diver Life

I'd go with DAN's advice rather than that of @tursiops.
Timing Exercise and Diving - Divers Alert Network

 

[grf88]

Here is the DAN article which I couldn't find before:
Juggling Physical Exercise and Diving - Divers Alert Network

 

[Esprise Me]

Others have already covered the don't-exercise-after-diving angle. As you note, exercising before diving could leave you rather tired on the long drive home, but you said your buddy could drive. Is your son your buddy? If so, is he a minor? If so, I'd be hesitant to put him in that position. He might be tired, too, just from diving, but if he's a teenager he may lack the self-awareness to realize that, or the maturity to admit it. When I was 15, I had to log 50 hours with my permit before I could get my license, so I asked to drive the family home from our trip to Yosemite. My dad agreed to let me drive for part of the trip, then took over, even though I didn't think I was tired. Guess what? I fell asleep almost instantly in the back seat.

 

[NothingClever]

Exercise after? Bad.

Exercise before? Depends on your conditioning level and whether you have any physiological problems.

If you’re still in the build phase and the goal of the triathlon is just finishing, might want to take it easy and offset your workout by a day from your dive.

Maintenance phase or peak performance phase? Go early and crank out the 1 mile quarry swim at an easy pace (that’s a short swim anyways). Drink a bottle of water, eat a snack, recover and go knock out your rec dive minding your ABTs.

 

[SmashMonkey]

Here's Neal Pollock, author of the DAN article above, discussing exercise and DCI. Starts at 29:40.

 

[Marie13]

I know someone who ran a marathon and did a deco dive in the same day. Can’t remember which order. Healthy, fit early 20s. Got bent. Was fine afterward. Still dives.

 

[AfterDark]

I know someone who ran a marathon and did a deco dive in the same day. Can’t remember which order. Healthy, fit early 20s. Got bent.

In that order, marathon, dive? How bad was the case?

A marathon can't be called a "workout" it's what workouts are used to lead up, meaning it is on the extreme end of the scale.

Geez you'd think a marathon would be enough for one day!

OP make the dive and workout the next day, workout more or something. If you get bent you won't be doing much of anything but kicking your self in your own a$$!