Just how good in shape do you need to be in to dive?

[theplaceofh]

Dh and I are taking PDI Certification courses soon in preparation for diving on our first cruise in January '09. We figured diving is considered a strenuous sport, so we might think about getting in shape before the trip.

 

We have started running a mile each morning, and swimming laps at our local university in the evenings. We're only up to 1/5 of a mile swimming laps. Of course, we will only get better with time, but I'm wondering what else we could be doing to help us be better divers? Is it something that you need lots of endurance to do? Do you even need to be in good shape to dive?

[BuzzF117]

Dh and I are taking PDI Certification courses soon in preparation for diving on our first cruise in January '09. We figured diving is considered a strenuous sport, so we might think about getting in shape before the trip.

 

We have started running a mile each morning, and swimming laps at our local university in the evenings. We're only up to 1/5 of a mile swimming laps. Of course, we will only get better with time, but I'm wondering what else we could be doing to help us be better divers? Is it something that you need lots of endurance to do? Do you even need to be in good shape to dive?

 

I think you are on the right track and I hope you will continue to dive even when you are home. I have dived with people of all shapes and sizes and ranging in age from 12-75yrs old the one thing they all have in common is that they aren't couch potatoes that go out and dive just once a year. Diving can be strnous exercise or even very relaxing you just have to remember you don't want to exhaust yourself win your 50 ft down and 100 yds from the boat so you dive at a comfortable pace since its not about getting to a destination its about the sites along the way. Personally I am 40yrs old and I don't have any specific exercise program but I am fairly active when I was younger I played softball 2-3 nights a week and played golf on top of working 40+hrs at my job. Now I don't play ball anymore due to injuries so i took up diving so i dont become a couch potatoe. There are others that will probably post here that will explain the benefit of being in shape and your air consumption but I will leave that to them since they understand it better then I do.

[theplaceofh]

Oh, I do hope we will have many opportunities to dive after our cruise is long behind us...hopefully on more cruises!

 

We live close to a fairly large river, and I recently read on a thread here that people actually dive in rivers and lakes...this is something I did not know, but would be a great opportunity to keep our skills current.

 

We are definitely not couch potatoes, but we're not in super-great shape either. I'm 28 and my husband is 34, and we're parents to five very active kiddos ages 10 and under. We love to ski, kneeboard, and swim, plus our kids play baseball and soccer. We stay active and fit just keeping up with them, lol. Pretty much anything to do with the water is good for us, and I can't wait to learn to dive and go on this trip.

[rsldonk]

The better shape you are in, the more fun you'll have, the less gas you'll use and you will also be safer. Fat absorbs nitrogen more readily than lean tissue, so it is also much safer to be in better shape diving as well. Most dives you will do on a cruise won't be very strenuous, especially if you go to Cozumel and do a drift dive, but it will still make a difference in how much air you breathe, and that makes a difference on your dive time.

[cruzegirl]

It goes without saying that the better shape your in, the more comfortable you'll feel and the more you'll enjoy the diving. I've seen all ages/all sizes. But I know for myself, when I keep active, working out and just swimming, I feel better. I know I need to lose some pounds at this time and I'm working on it. I feel much better, use less air and not as fatigued at the end of the dive when I'm less weight and in better shape. Your on the right track. And work on the legs. You'd be surprised how tired your legs get. lol.

[gmcrow]

Wow! Sounds like you are in way better shape than we are, not to mention younger! Fit is good, but for most recreational diving you aren't training for a marathon. We have no set exercise program, but we live and work on 22acres, so we walk all day. That seems to be enough to keep us in shape for diving. http://www.cruisedivers.blogspot.com

[w&k]

...and I'm round, which is a perfectly good shape.

 

All kidding aside, yes, it sure doesn't hurt to be in tip-top physical condition: however, it's really not a deal-breaker.

 

I'm over 40, round, a smoker, fly a desk for a living, computer and couch potato at home, and still humiliate almost every single DM on air consumption.

 

That being said, I'm extremely comfortable in the water, have >350 dives, and do easy, lazy diving by choice. I'm also extremely aware of how to position my body to increase or decrease drag depending on which I want at the time.

 

Personally, I don't think deep wrecks or fighting current is fun. I like to flop off the boat, cruise around extremely slowly, and see what I find along the way - there is always something interesting to watch wherever you end up.

 

My biggest concession due to getting older and fatter is that my bad knee is getting less reliable, and thus I don't climb out of the water with my gear on unless I have a really good ladder and something to hold on to. I also avoid rough water diving for the same reason.

 

Our favorite is drift diving. I almost always carry the flag, though, and that can take some serious energy and effort if the current on the top and bottom are not going in the same direction or speed. (For those that don't do drift diving down here in Florida - one diver in each group carries a line to a surface buoy throughout the dive. The boat follows the buoys and picks up the divers as they surface.)

 

It sounds like you are already in better shape than a lot of us. The most important part of diving is to relax and enjoy.

 

Welcome to the addiction!

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

 

reviews

http://www.freewebs.com/wendyandkeith

 

The Dive Bus Curacao this spring

http://www.the-dive-bus.com/index.php?spgmGal=Diving%20with%20The%20Dive%20Bus/February%2008&spgmPic=182&spgmFilters=&option=com_mambospgm&Itemid=10#pic

[PVogel]

As a PADI divemaster, I can tell you we have all sorts of shapes and sizes. Many of my divers have been older and quite heavy. Remember, under water, when properly weighted and balanced, you are essentially weightless. If you are caught in a strong current, you will need to be able to exert somewhat to swim, but with a good pair of fins, even this is not that difficult. You must be able to swim 10 laps and tread water for 5 minutes to be certified. If you plan on shore dives, expect some swimming out. This is generally not necessary for boat dives.

 

The more body fat you have, the more weights you will have to carry which makes getting in and out of the water more difficult. Being in good shape is always beneficial for a variety of reasons. However, it should not stop you from diving if you are not....

 

Get Wet!!!!

[John Y]

We live close to a fairly large river, and I recently read on a thread here that people actually dive in rivers and lakes...this is something I did not know, but would be a great opportunity to keep our skills current.

You will find that divers will dive in any body of water that is deeper than their knees (and will probably try even if it shallower!). The current and visibility of the water are probably the top 2 factors in river diving. I love diving in the warm Caribbean but most of my diving is in local quarries and the St Lawrence river. Lots of wrecks and things to see in there. Tuesday we should be diving on a submerged power plant and lock system that went under when the St Lawrence Seaway was created 50 years ago.

[3boyzmom]

The most important thing about diving is to be able to relax. I'm not in that great of shape, I'm not as active as you are, and I use quite a bit less air than my husband- who is in better shape than I am, way more active. His problem is he's pretty uptight, can't quite relax enough in the water. You do need to be in shape enough that you can gear-up and move about if you need to, don't get winded by just swimming a few yards, etc. But there's no real need to panic about what kind of shape you're in.

 

The reason most of us get addicted to diving isn't the adventure or excitement....it's that it's so wonderful to be able to escape from the above-water world and the only thing you hear is your own breathing. It's so relaxing...

enjoy.

[cocteau65]

Funny thing about shape and fitness. I would definatly call my self out of shape and way over weight, yet the sea is kind of my natural habitat and I am very comfortable in it. Send me for a jog an I have had it within a few hundred meters yet put me in water and I can easily swim a few miles without feeling tired.

[theplaceofh]

I feel the same way about running and swimming. My husband and I run for 30 min. every morning, and it's about a mile, but I find myself having to slow down to catch my breath quite often, and getting fatigued very quickly. Throw me in the pool, however, and I can swim and swim without feeling the effects that I do when I run.

 

Of couse, the fact that we live in Louisiana and have to battle the humidity when we run can be a factor, but we are both very comfortable in the water, and I think we'll like diving just fine. I'm very excited to learn, and our classes don't start for another month!:eek:

[S&M in Pgh]

As someone who is trying to get back into shape after 2 years on crutches and 5 knee operations (the last being a total replacement), I offer the following advice. Swim (swim slow controled laps, not like you are trying out for the olympics), breath slow, steady and deep, and use swim gloves (and fins if the pool will allow). The gloves and fins will add resistance and build up the muslces. I train on a bike (no running with a fake knee) and again, I make the workouts slower and longer. Lift weights, especially with the legs and low back. For me at least a lot of my finning power comes from the hips and glutes.

 

I also practice breathing exercises. Inhale and count to 10, exhale and count to ten. Breathing slower and deeper allows the body to absorb more oxygen into the blood and will help your tank last longer.

 

Mike

[DiveMaster]

Keep up the activity - I would expect your diving on the cruise to consist of relatively easy dives, but being in good shape and confident in your skills will reduce stress allowing you to conserve your air, extend your dive, and make the dive more enjoyable.

 

Also, suggest you use your own mask, snorkel and fins - familiarity with your equipment will also reduce stress.

 

Dh and I are taking PDI Certification courses soon in preparation for diving on our first cruise in January '09. We figured diving is considered a strenuous sport, so we might think about getting in shape before the trip.

 

We have started running a mile each morning, and swimming laps at our local university in the evenings. We're only up to 1/5 of a mile swimming laps. Of course, we will only get better with time, but I'm wondering what else we could be doing to help us be better divers? Is it something that you need lots of endurance to do? Do you even need to be in good shape to dive?

[cruzegirl]

Yep, being in general good shape is helpful. I walk as well as swim and try to get to the gym. In the summer it's hard as I hate being trapped in the gym. I'd rather be outside. So I swim.

It's interesting the different opinions on this. I got in a heated arguement when someone on the cruise air section and I got into it. We had a difference of opinion over using dive computers. Several people who didn't like my response to the airline fee's/issues went to my gallery album, which is no longer a link here, and attacked me based on what they "thought" I weighed. It was very biased/prejudiced. Interesting to see personalities come out.

Just remember. It is an athletic thing. Not really a sport but requires good breathing, being calm, getting in/out of a boat, carrying heavy dive equipment. And most of it's done in the day when it can be really hot. I still feel that when your not heavy, at least for me, I dive better.

Enjoy.....Have fun........

[scubaran]

Oh, I do hope we will have many opportunities to dive after our cruise is long behind us...hopefully on more cruises!

 

We live close to a fairly large river, and I recently read on a thread here that people actually dive in rivers and lakes...this is something I did not know, but would be a great opportunity to keep our skills current.

 

We are definitely not couch potatoes, but we're not in super-great shape either. I'm 28 and my husband is 34, and we're parents to five very active kiddos ages 10 and under. We love to ski, kneeboard, and swim, plus our kids play baseball and soccer. We stay active and fit just keeping up with them, lol. Pretty much anything to do with the water is good for us, and I can't wait to learn to dive and go on this trip.

 

Hi,

 

You should be fine. However, like someone pointed out about being able to dive but not run, to do proper dive training you are looking for "recovery" training, not "endurance" training.

 

Recovery training is bringing your heart up to 75-80% maximum rate for a duration of 30 sec to 1 minute then lowering it for a short time and coming back up. Sports like, diving, aerobics, football, volleyball, snow skiing, baseball, etc. all use this type of training.

 

Endurance training is bringing your heart up to the 60-75% maximum rate and maintaining it for a long period, running, swimming, soccer, etc.

 

Since diving is a recovery sport, you swim, possibly hard for a time, then stop (checking things out, taking pictures, etc.), training using weights, sprinting, aerobic classes, fast/slow walking, etc. will be the optimal workouts. Of course in diving we're taught to slow down, then go slower. The slower you go, the less strenuous your diving will be thus slower heart rates and breathing and of course less air consumption.

 

I think you're probably active enough for easy diving but if you're going to be doing currents or deeper depth, keep up the training and possibly consider sprint training or aerobic classes instead of jogging and continue the swimming for comfort in the water and easier endurance training on your body as you'll get better conditioning for scuba with these.

 

Randall

 

P.S. I was a part time aerobic instructor for 25 years so scuba's easy for me. :D

[SantaAna,CA]

I'm soon to turn 57 years old. I'm not a jogger, so I'm not really in what I would say "great" shape. I always struggle with losing 20 pounds before my cruises! That being said, I DO lose them....and walk on my treadmill, faithfully, months before I cruise, since when I do cruise, it's in the Caribbean. For my December 2007 two week cruise, I did 17 dives in 20 days. You know when I got home, I was dern tired *lol*...but I did just fine.

 

Diving itself isn't really all that exhausting; often it's lugging your equipment around that exhausts you!

 

Jane