SCUBA diving requires training for fitness as well as for safety. The buoyancy control device helps you to sink or float depending on your needs, but you always need to be prepared physically for any situation.
SCUBA gear can weigh up to 50+lbs. The tank generally is 32 lbs with 15 lb equipment and an 8 pound wetsuit. It’s like attaching workout weights to your body. You will need to know how to swim so that you don’t drown in the event that your control device fails. You will also want to pick up speed in your flippers so that you can cover more space in optimal time.
SCUBA diving can take a toll on your body for the first time. You will want to be in good physical shape to prevent health complications. If approached in good fitness, SCUBA diving will help strengthen your lungs, your heart, and your body. You will want to ensure that you receive rich nutrition, rest, and recuperation so that SCUBA diving works for you and not against you. Because of the weight and the movement diving will tone your entire body. You will experience pressure around your sinuses and body when descending. This is why you must prepare for the activity ahead of your dive.
Exercise all parts of the body and focus on your lung fitness to get the most out of diving. You can practice holding your breath to strengthen your lungs and prepare for emergencies. Intaking some oxygen from a machine will allow you to hold your breath submerged for longer periods of time. This is a great exercise, because it expands your lungs and helps you practice withholding pressure. Also expanding the lungs will allow you to pull in more of your Nitrox blend underwater and prevent decompression sickness. Make sure someone is watching or a lifeguard is present in case of an emergency.
Weight training is very important to prepare for carrying equipment. Those who are serious about diving should place equipment on their backs and try squatting down or walking with those weights.
In the safety of the shallow end you might even try to pull underwater weights whilst running or walking. This will recreate the forces and pull you might experience on a dive. Full body weight exercises are very important to strengthen the whole body and prepare your body for exhaustion. You can race a partner with the underwater weights to up your speed. You can do body weight exercises so that your body is balanced and strong.
Swimming is a very important part of diving, and will increase the fitness of your heart and lungs. You can swim athletically to really get a cardio workout, or you can practice freestyle underwater to cover more distance. Swimming with your flippers on will prepare you for a realistic dive. You can lap swim with your flippers and count your laps. Endurance swimming will allow you to see how far you can go and reduce fatigue on your dives.
Group swims and diving sessions always help you to get your flippers wet, and build accountability. By The Shore Scuba Instruction will offer you the training, and exercises you need. We train in large pools to ensure that our students can make adjustments to their diving before open water dives. Remember when it comes to diving important areas of focus are endurance, strength training, cardio, and breathing. Prepare by switching between swimming with or without flippers, and doing HIIT Cardio. Ask Kevin at By The Shore Scuba Instruction for exercise advice custom tailored to your needs.
