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DIVE FITNESS
The
DAN
Guide to Healthier Diving
Swim Training for Scuba Divers
T E X T B y G a r y H a l l S r . / P H O T O S B y S T E P H E N F r I N K
To avoid an increased risk of decompression sickness, DaN
®
recommends that divers avoid strenuous exercise for 24
hours after making a dive. During your annual physical exam
or following any changes in your health status, consult your
physician to ensure you have medical clearance to exercise.
NOTE
L
egendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said,
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” When we’re scuba
diving, fatigue can do more than make cowards of
us: It can endanger us. Swimming and fitness train-
ing will help ensure you are safe in the water and able to enjoy
your diving experience.
People who dive only once or twice a year (or less fre-
quently) may find they are not as physically fit as they hoped.
Each year we get older, and the levels of exertion we achieved
in prior years may not be as sustainable. While diving is not
normally a physically demanding sport, situations can arise
that require stamina and keen water skills. Here are some sug-
gestions for pool exercise to help you get in better shape for
your next dive trip.
• Plan ahead
. From the date of your next dive trip,
count back three months to start a swimming fitness
program. Swim fitness is best achieved with gradual
improvement.
• Join a local Masters swim program
. Misery loves com-
pany; you will likely work harder and get fit more quickly
in a group than you will on your own. Besides that, you can
pick up tips on swimming more efficiently from the coach-
ing staff. The science of the stroke has evolved significantly
in the years since I was swimming competitively; it’s about
moving more quickly with less water resistance. While
scuba safety is not measured in fractions of seconds like
competitive swimming, efficiency in the water is important.
(Note: “Masters” does not necessarily require competitive
proficiency; it’s an age-grouped means for older swimmers
to be chronologically equalized in competition. Many
Masters swimmers do not compete but enjoy fitness
swimming with others of like mind.)
• Work out your legs
. The legs are key to scuba diving, so
take your fins to swim practice, and use them. The kicking is
different without fins; while you’ll get plenty of exercise either
way, the muscle groups engaged with fins may be different.
Leg cramps from muscle fatigue are more common with
the water resistance from fins, so getting your legs fit and
avoiding these cramps can make for a better, safer dive
experience.
• Kick underwater
. The kicking motion underwater is dif-
ferent from the one used on the surface, and underwater
you can learn to achieve thrust with both the upward and
downward kicks. Plus, breath-hold sessions conducted
while kicking underwater are good anaerobic training.
Blackout in the water is not restricted to freedivers, so most
coaches prefer underwater swims be conducted with super-
vision. Each year recreational swimmers die by pushing too
hard to get to the end of the pool that is ever so slightly
beyond their capabilities.
• Work your core
. Finning involves more than just the
legs. The entire core, including the lower-back, gluteal and
abdominal muscles, plays a big role. Dry-land training for
core strength as well as fitness swimming with good body
rotation will strengthen your core for diving.
• Monitor your weight before your dive trip.
It is sur-
prising how many divers either don’t realize or choose to
ignore that they have added pounds since their last dive.
The extra weight not only puts an additional burden on
their hearts, it also makes the topside and underwater
maneuvering required for scuba diving more difficult to
accomplish. Something as simple as climbing the dive lad-
der with a tank strapped to your back can be arduous with
an extra 10 pounds of body weight. Factor in the extra lead
required to submerge, and the climb up the ladder is made
even more difficult. You will be safer and have more fun if
you shed those extra pounds before your next dive.
• Hit the gym
. At least once a week it helps to get to the gym
and do some basic strengthening exercises with barbells,
machines, pulleys or whatever is available. Even simple
pull-ups and push-ups at home will help. If nothing else,
it will make it easier for you to carry all your gear. More
important, you will be safer in and around the water when
you are stronger.
If you don’t have an organized Masters swim program
nearby, here is a suggested workout to help get you ready for
your next dive.
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SUMMEr 2012