Most of us associate moderate consumption with good immersion. Among other things, because a longer duration is implied.
Why do some subjects spend much more than others?
There are many factors on which our consumption depends. Mainly physiological and individual. Our morphology and our physical condition, especially at the level of aerobic resistance and, of course, our technique diving (movements, buoyancy, use of equipment...) have a decisive influence on consumption. Just as a car with 1,000 c.c. does not spend the same. than one with 3,000 cc, neither does a woman of 50 kilos and 4 liters of lung capacity, than a man of 95 kilos and 6.5 liters of lung capacity. The second needs much more energy to move and requires a greater amount of fuel (in this case the oxygen contained in the air) to do so.
Another fundamental factor is the use we make of that fuel. A subject in good physical shape at the level of aerobic resistance (type of exercise in which diving would be included) obtains better use of the oxygen they consume than a more sedentary subject. That is, for the same given exercise (any dive) you need a smaller amount of air to carry it out (because your heart beats more slowly and your muscle cells make better use of the oxygen that reaches them to do the same work). br />
What are the techniques or skills that allow me to extend the duration of the dive?
The experienced diver, like the experienced runner, knows how to economize unnecessary effort. We are facing a contemplative activity, therefore, let's try to make our eyes work and our arms and legs as little as possible. To achieve this, achieving neutral buoyancy is essential. We must be able to balance ourselves with our lungs and the help of the vest at all times. Thanks to a diving course you will be able to have all the keys to this. The first time a diver manages to enjoy this for an entire dive... they will never forget it. It's an indescribable feeling, it's... flying.
Just as you should not use your legs other than to propel yourself, do not use your arms to swim, try to bring them together under your chest, where they offer less resistance to the water.
The "hare diver", the one who believes that after That rock is the most interesting thing to see and when you reach it you think it's the next one and so on, until you've devoured more miles than anyone else, it's not the ideal companion.
Most of the time it ignores the most interesting details of the dive and usually has high consumption. Therefore, nothing is essential, take advantage of gravity, currents and any situation that allows you to slide with the least possible effort. Personally, I prefer the "turtle-diver", who scrutinizes each crevice with his focus, without any type of hurry or stress. Consumption is directly linked to the heart and breathing rate you maintain during the dive. Hence, if this is carried out in the greatest conditions of relaxation and slowness, the diver's autonomy increases.
Breathing underwater
We all know that most disciplines related to relaxation use breathing as a fundamental element to achieve that state. Yoga, stretching, different martial arts, etc., are some of them. In diving it is also necessary to adapt our breathing to enjoy our dives more. Some aspects to take into account would be:
- Take inspiration as deep as necessary. If we take short breaths, we will need to breathe more times to keep our tissues oxygenated.
- The exhalations should be as long as possible and completely empty the lung cul-de-sac, in order to completely renew the air in our lungs.
- Between inspiration and expiration we will pause. This will last longer the better our physical condition and the more experience we have. But be careful, it is not about making pronounced apneas, forcing you to take longer and deeper inspirations than normal, which would achieve the opposite effect.
- Furthermore, with an apnea that is too long, the partial pressure of O2 decreases and that of CO2 increases, which, in some cases and due to poor ventilation, results in headaches at the end of the dive. The pause should be as long as it is comfortable for us to take. At first, counting up to three or five may be enough to regulate your breathing rate. With experience, the habit is acquired by itself.
- When due to some stress factor or the intensity of exercise (current) we If we tire ourselves excessively, it is best to stop, hold on to something and completely recover the normal breathing rhythm.
Other factors that affect consumption
- The depth. It is a direct factor. The greater the depth, the greater the consumption.
- You simply have to take it into account when planning the dive and choosing the bottle to use according to the chosen profile.
- The comfort. A suit or jacket that is too tight can prevent proper expansion of the rib cage, making it difficult to breathe correctly. It is advisable to keep it a little looser on the surface and adjust it as we descend or when we reach the bottom.
- Good hydrodynamics. Diver and equipment must form a compact block and facilitate as much as possible penetration into the water during propulsion, to promote progress. An overinflated vest presents a lot of water resistance. Hanging objects such as spotlights, hoses, photo or video cameras, etc., also make it difficult.
- The correct protection against the cold. Diving in warm waters reduces consumption compared to diving in very cold waters, which increases it. Consumption is triggered by the body's need to constantly regulate temperature. We consume more energy in regulation due to heat loss due to poor insulation of cold water. For example: diving with a rebreather, which heats the gas mixture due to the caustic soda filter they carry to eliminate CO2, is better in cold waters, as it contributes to maintaining thermal balance.
In any case, it is essential to be equipped with a suit according to the temperature of the waters where we are going to dive, as well as wearing gloves and a hood, if necessary.
Start the dive at the most interesting point whenever possible. Navigate on the surface, if boat traffic and current allow, and descend at the exact point.
- Avoid any unnecessary loss of air, although without obsessing.
- Continuously inflating and deflating the vest, constantly emptying glasses that flood or fog up or those small leaks that occur from an O-ring, the jacket hose or that regulator that stays constant every now and then, it is in your power to avoid it. . Check the equipment and subject it to careful maintenance and it will not "leave you stranded" every now and then.
- As for the jacket, leave the buttons alone and If we tire ourselves excessively, it is best to stop, hold on to something and completely recover the normal breathing rhythm.
Other factors that affect consumption
- The depth. It is a direct factor. The greater the depth, the greater the consumption.
- You simply have to take it into account when planning the dive and choosing the bottle to use according to the chosen profile.
- The comfort. A suit or jacket that is too tight can prevent proper expansion of the rib cage, making it difficult to breathe correctly. It is advisable to keep it a little looser on the surface and adjust it as we descend or when we reach the bottom.
- Good hydrodynamics. Diver and equipment must form a compact block and facilitate as much as possible penetration into the water during propulsion, to promote progress. An overinflated vest presents a lot of water resistance. Hanging objects such as spotlights, hoses, photo or video cameras, etc., also make it difficult.
- The correct protection against the cold. Diving in warm waters reduces consumption compared to diving in very cold waters, which increases it. Consumption is triggered by the body's need to constantly regulate temperature. We consume more energy in regulation due to heat loss due to poor insulation of cold water. For example: diving with a rebreather, which heats the gas mixture due to the caustic soda filter they carry to eliminate CO2, is better in cold waters, as it contributes to maintaining thermal balance.
In any case, it is essential to be equipped with a suit according to the temperature of the waters where we are going to dive, as well as wearing gloves and a hood, if necessary.
Start the dive at the most interesting point whenever possible. Navigate on the surface, if boat traffic and current allow, and descend at the exact point.
- Avoid any unnecessary loss of air, although without obsessing.
- Continuously inflating and deflating the vest, constantly emptying glasses that flood or fog up or those small leaks that occur from an O-ring, the jacket hose or that regulator that stays constant every now and then, it is in your power to avoid it. . Check the equipment and subject it to careful maintenance and it will not "leave you stranded" every now and then.
- As for the jacket, leave the buttons alone and
