Basic HTML Version
DIVE FITNESS
The
DAN
Guide to Healthier Diving
I Need to Get in Shape:
Where Do I Start?
B Y J E S S I C A A D A M S , P H . D . , A N D S T E P H A N I E D E L T U F O , B . S .
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. Always make sure that you have
medical clearance to exercise during your annual physical
exam or following any changes in your state of health.
NOTE
E
very morning, like most Americans, I commute to
work. I drink my coffee and note the gazellelike run-
ners who are lucky enough or crazy enough to get out
and jog the morning shift. Sometimes when commut-
ing with friends (it’s good for the environment) I hear, “Why do
people like that run?” Implicit in this comment are unspoken
words like “skinny,” “muscular,” “lean,” “toned” and “ultra fit.”
Fitness is a transient phenomenon. Everyone can get more fit.
Conversely, everyone — even that morning jogger — can expe-
rience fitness declines. All it takes to lose fitness is decreasing
training overload; that is, failing to continually stress muscles to
improve their performance. This is why the diet and supplement
industry is a multibillion-dollar industry. The unfortunate reality
is that there are no true quick fixes; fitness is a lifestyle.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no “best” diet or
workout. Successful fitness programming is very personal.
Everyone’s body is unique to some degree; fitness programs
have to be tailored to suit your individual goals and lifestyle. If
you simply move a little more and eat a little better each day,
you are destined to become more fit. Conversely, if you do the
opposite your waistline is certain to expand.
The only universal component everyone needs is a plan for
success. All goals and self-expectations must be realistic and
reasonably well suited to your personal daily grind. Here is a
framework you can use to make a fitness plan customized to
your own personal success.
Step 1: Identify a reasonable goal.
For some, a goal may be as straightforward as aiming to lose
three inches from the midsection. Others have lifestyle-specific
goals — to climb those five flights of stairs at work and still
be able to maintain a conversation with the boss. Some just
like to see what else our bodies are capable of attaining: “How
many pull-ups can I do?”
Step 2: Determine your reason for selecting this goal.
Think about what will improve your overall health and happi-
ness. Fitness is a lifestyle choice, so choose something that will
improve your quality of life. It can help to identify an event
you’d like to partake in, like walking briskly around the block
without getting winded or looking and feeling great for your
next dive vacation.
Step 3: Figure out why you are where you are.
Recognize the causes of previous fitness degradation. If you
haven’t identified and confronted past reasons for fitness short-
comings, you won’t be able to move forward in your relation-
ship with your body. Review the basics: Determine how you will
handle fitting in fitness when you are stressed, working long
hours or are confronted with frequent social engagements that
involve dining out. When you can successfully identify your pit-
falls, you can take precautions against cheating on your body.
Step 4: Identify a method of overcoming each pitfall
described above.
Learn from past mistakes; plan exercise dates with yourself at
more motivating times of the day or before meetings that might
run late and cause you to miss workouts. Pay attention to nutri-
tion. Some individuals have reported success by drinking a glass
of water just before a meal. Others have opted to meet their
daily fruit and vegetable requirements prior to indulging. This
helps you refocus on foods you can have rather than obsessing
over foods that are “off limits.” One client found success incor-
porating stair-climbing into his routine twice a day. He started
with just one flight each morning and afternoon because he
could not fit an extra shower into his daily grind.
Step 5: Identify your exercise and nutritional changes.
Now it is time for your prescription. According to the American
College of Sports Medicine, exercise is medicine. Your prescrip-
tion must address both exercise and eating habits. It should start
small and grow as you adopt a new, healthier lifestyle. Many
exercises that can be integrated into your program are available
in previous issues of Alert Diver or at AlertDiver.com. Adopting a
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