Older Diver - air consumption

Rob Graham <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote:
> At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
> and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
> recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
> demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
> would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
> diving as late in life as I have and get their input.

I'm a late starter but not that late. I find that not
rushing the last bit of kitting up so I get into the
water wound down and relaxed helps when I'm diving a
single cylinder. I used to guzzle air but I got a lot
better with time.

Well done. I hope I'm still diving at 61.
8 years to go.

nigelH

Yes, your lung function will certainly have decreased with age, nevertheless
your air consumption will drop dramatically over the next hundred dives.
Physical fitness has a part to play, but only a minor one. The greatest
factor will be experience, causing a reduction in adrenaline levels and a
reduced desire to breathe so rapidly, i.e. you become more relaxed. Keep
practising and your air usage will drop.

Cliff. (52, unfit, and a smoker.)

"Rob Graham" <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:700de225.0309281049.36b32909@posting.google.c om...
> I've just completed my open water training and have done 18 dives. My
> consumption must have improved a bit since I started but I'm not
> noticing it particularly.
>
> At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
> and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
> recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
> demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
> would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
> diving as late in life as I have and get their input.
>
> Rob

I agree, take the time to get fully relaxed just before actually descending.
All movements should be slow, the slower diver sets the pace. Breathe slow
and deep. Streamlining. Get rid of the extra ballast. Make sure you have
adequate exposure protection. You may not feel cold, but if your body is
having to generate heat, it needs fuel, which needs oxygen. Wear that hood,
even if you don't think you need it.

Have fun...

"Nigel Hewitt" <nigelh@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bl7f67$9m3$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Rob Graham <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote:
> > At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
> > and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
> > recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
> > demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
> > would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
> > diving as late in life as I have and get their input.
>
> I'm a late starter but not that late. I find that not
> rushing the last bit of kitting up so I get into the
> water wound down and relaxed helps when I'm diving a
> single cylinder. I used to guzzle air but I got a lot
> better with time.
>
> Well done. I hope I'm still diving at 61.
> 8 years to go.
>
> nigelH
>
>

Cliff Coggin wrote:
> Yes, your lung function will certainly have decreased with age, nevertheless
> your air consumption will drop dramatically over the next hundred dives.
> Physical fitness has a part to play, but only a minor one. The greatest
> factor will be experience, causing a reduction in adrenaline levels and a
> reduced desire to breathe so rapidly, i.e. you become more relaxed. Keep
> practising and your air usage will drop.
>
> Cliff. (52, unfit, and a smoker.)
>
> "Rob Graham" <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote in message
> news:700de225.0309281049.36b32909@posting.google.c om...
>
>>I've just completed my open water training and have done 18 dives. My
>>consumption must have improved a bit since I started but I'm not
>>noticing it particularly.
>>
>>At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
>>and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
>>recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
>>demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
>>would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
>>diving as late in life as I have and get their input.
>>
>>Rob
>
>
>

dont worry, with experience your sac will drop
i found that adding some regular free diving training during winter
months dramatically decreased my sac

--
did they make you clean it up?
no, they made me eat it ...

"Nigel Hewitt" <nigelh@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bl7f67$9m3$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Rob Graham <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote:
> > At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
> > and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
> > recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
> > demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
> > would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
> > diving as late in life as I have and get their input.
>
> I'm a late starter but not that late. I find that not
> rushing the last bit of kitting up so I get into the
> water wound down and relaxed helps when I'm diving a
> single cylinder. I used to guzzle air but I got a lot
> better with time.
>
> Well done. I hope I'm still diving at 61.
> 8 years to go.
>

I think everyone starts with a high SAC which gradually comes down over time
as you relax into diving
the best thing is not to let people rush you take time to kit up and get
yourself ready before the dive so that you are more relaxed when you enter
the water

don't know about the lung function
but I would guess / assume that it wouldn't have a major effect relative to
work / task loading

"Nigel Hewitt" <nigelh@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bl7f67$9m3$1@titan.btinternet.com...
>
> I find that not rushing the last bit of kitting up so
> I get into the water wound down and relaxed helps
> when I'm diving a single cylinder.

As regards not rushing, the same goes if you have to make a surface swim
before you descend, or have a bit of a struggle to get to the shot line. If
you've had to do either of those, before descending take a moment to settle
yourself down and get your breathing under control so at least you're not
starting the dive puffing away like an old train.

HTH,
R.

On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 20:09:44 +0000 (UTC), "Nigel Hewitt"
<nigelh@REMOVETHISnigelhewitt.co.uk> wrote:

>Rob Graham <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote:
>> At 61 is it likely that my whole lung efficency has dropped off a bit
>> and that my consumption will not fall significantly? Certainly I
>> recognise that during training exercises there is added physical
>> demand and I'm hopeful now that that is over things will improve but I
>> would be interested to know if there is anyone about who started
>> diving as late in life as I have and get their input.
>
>I'm a late starter but not that late. I find that not
>rushing the last bit of kitting up so I get into the
>water wound down and relaxed helps when I'm diving a
>single cylinder. I used to guzzle air but I got a lot
>better with time.

In that case do you find the prebreath a real benefit. I do, as it
means I have an excuse to sit there on the boat for a few minutes
before falling into the water.

Laz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A foolproof method for sculpting an Elephant:
First, get a huge block of marble. Then, chip away
everything that doesn't look like an Elephant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Change "nospam" to "ntlworld" to reply.

Lazarus X wrote:
> "Nigel Hewitt" wrote:
>> I'm a late starter but not that late. I find that not
>> rushing the last bit of kitting up so I get into the
>> water wound down and relaxed helps when I'm diving a
>> single cylinder. I used to guzzle air but I got a lot
>> better with time.
>
> In that case do you find the prebreath a real benefit. I do, as it
> means I have an excuse to sit there on the boat for a few minutes
> before falling into the water.

No. I do it while I'm in the last stages of kitting up. It's
actually a total pain because it blows my anti-sea-sickness
routines. I always preset as much as I can before we ropes off
and I used to be able to step into a twinset and dive. I still
do it as much as possible so it's calibrated and handsets/gas
on as we sail out but it wants me to do more work last thing.

I probably drive everybody mad but it works for me.

nigelH

Many thanks to all of you for your encouragement.

I did suspect that the age thing was makng it a bit more difficult
when I was having to work a bit harder; and then there was always the
adrenalin bit when you're under training and doing a test,
particularly one which I'd failed to achieve a couple of times
already.

I like the guidance on taking things easy at kitting up - that's good
advice though I do find that the putting on the fins has me working a
bit and I'm relatively slim.

Thanks again

Rob

I don't know how they teach putting on fins on your side of the pond, over
here, we accept help from our buddy when necessary. He/she is not just a
transport system for your redundant air supply, he/she is also there to help
with the tough bits, like putting on fins.

"Rob Graham" <robkgraham@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:700de225.0309301352.12248a69@posting.google.c om...
> Many thanks to all of you for your encouragement.
>
> I did suspect that the age thing was makng it a bit more difficult
> when I was having to work a bit harder; and then there was always the
> adrenalin bit when you're under training and doing a test,
> particularly one which I'd failed to achieve a couple of times
> already.
>
> I like the guidance on taking things easy at kitting up - that's good
> advice though I do find that the putting on the fins has me working a
> bit and I'm relatively slim.
>
> Thanks again
>
> Rob